The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-06-29

H is great protector, have not in all respects been
verified but the increase has been steady and tended TO
render the change satisfactory and permanent IL is not
visionary them to expect that very large increase has
lecrued here since 1915 and is likely, under low
oslages, to be permanent and with our augmented terri
DRY, wealth., and commerce. regularly progressive
| again the greater and wider facilities afforded here
| ~ carrying the mails TO more remote places and by
more frequent trips, another important consideration
twill be strongly when, IN England, IN 1886, the
nail was carried only 6643,2l7 miles, while here, IN
S45, was carried 35,63l2 69 miles, and IN 1916, 81
39s,ll4 mes-over six times as far as IN England and
aore than the distance OF fifteen hundred and fifty times
| round the globe yearly or near thirty times round 1t
weekly We have even, post routes equal 10 1859
niles, or six times the circumference of the earth What
distances TO be when the eight ten new routes
Texas authorized at the recent session. opened is
yet to be calculated; and much more when those are
travelled over which authorized al the same tme
from Oregon city, via Fort Vancouver and Fort Mes
Iualy, TO the mouth of Admiralty inlet and from Oregon
city, up to the Willamette valley, to the kalame river
the direction of San Francisco" say nothing of Mex
eo or California, an present. or IA future
10 show the special attention to benefit our commercial
interests by mails, even beyond the country at large
would refer TO the recent ocean steam bill for the trans
orIaon OF the mails to foreign countries, passed also at
the last session From Boston alone, the steamers, at
each trip are said to carry sixty thousand letters and forty
thousand newspapers Look at this and compute the
amount for the Union going abroad to all foreign
nes and weigh It's importance to American commerce
and the American flag IN every ocean. See the advan
laSes conters directly on commerce. by aiding prompt adj
Twice, comforting mutual intelligence as to the markets
binding together closer those who distribute the
puses OF all nations; and indirectly enabling all ranks
and professions among to communicate and receive
benefits the whole circumference OF the earth, and
luse easier and wider all which is superior in any quar-
ter whether IN the arts, science religion or poll
tlcs or any element OF higher happiness or higher civil
| cation.
| have no doubt you prepared, gentlemen, TO ap
pecate the Importance of protecting establishment of
great and useful character to the community at large
Some preudces have formerly been INDUCED against part
OF Its provisions, from not knowing the necessity for
them and from regarding the changes its benefits
n and ray Inp hp n "a
IN all It's enlarged bearings BUTT is high time they
abandoned and fortunately, though offences con-
nue, yet certainly many violations of the post Of
flee laws occurred before than since their late revision
IN 1915 and the reduction of the postage TO rates COM
paratvely low During three years previous to 1914,
there had been 1874 offences, and 100 persons arrested
and tried, and losses estimated third of million Of
dollars; but offences this subject OF fragrant char
acter, have since essened rapidly. Most OF the viola
tons OF these laws now are by private expresses Doubt
less of them arise from ignorance and msapprehen
son. and is highly important therefore, to the govern
nent as well as the community, that individuals shou
be impressed with the usefulness of the present esiab-
lishment TO the people themselves at large and the
sonabeness and conslluonality of its leading povis
ons and more especially that against private expresses
They will then be likely to yield hearty support to the
laws OF the land this, less than other subjects
You, gentlemen, can assist in promoting so laudable
| information as to the benefits Of the establishment; and
the other by Furnishing violations OF IT. On this occa
SION feel happy in trying 10 aid you to difuse light on
munity where you dwell as well to furnish you with
some guides for furnishing, in exemplary manner
those who may continue to sin against knowledge, and
violate, obstlnaely the laws and good order of society
claim nothing for the present laws to the post office
establishment which is extravaganza But having shown
how much the establishment, organized, accom-
pushes Tor the community well as the government,
| ask your attention to some further considerations
neced even with its economy whole, looking to all
which it carries and diiuses-and not merely etters-and
looking to It's distant operations among the sparser popu
laton OF the country, well by, and to
considerations also connected with greater safety
private transportation 1t is conceded that without the
present system, all the enormous expenses of former
times, in sending letters by special agents, would doubt
less not be incurred in these days of improved turnpkes
railroads, and steamboats,, and steam and of
private enterprise and capital By these means either in
dvlduals or companies would be enabled to carry as
cheap perhaps, the public does hckly settled
places; but no cheaper, if they performed, beside the
other duties as TO documents and newspapers done by
the government, will be seen. And this mere
nothing would be the sole gam in any quarter Of the
country by abo!ishng the exclusive carriage of mails by
the general government But what would be lost by the
change' In all remote districts places where the pop
uation sparse, and the railroad and steam have not
yet pene,raed-he rich valleys, much less the mountain
| sides and rdges-the expense OF getting well as
OF sending newspapers letters would be greatly
HANGED and would extend probably to two-thrls Of
our population, and sevcn-eighhs OF our territory.
! They receive them at the same rates OF post
age How Because the surpluses in one city or
State applied in aid of others single illustra-
ton Is enough to show the difference in different
! glons. Take the immense amount of postage paid in
| New York city in single year, compared with like
amount of population in the interior In 1913, there
was collected in that city 1914 1888, one-syh of the
amount in the whole Union while its population is not
over one-seventeth Of the whole and while in the en-
tire State OF New York with its orty-sx thousand two
hundred square miles of territory, and three millions OF
people the whole expense for transporting the mails is
but about half OF the receipts in New York city alone
But IN seventeen States OF the Union the population
agricultural and sparse, that these expenses exceed all the
receipts within each State respectively Thus the nett
revenue from hostages of all kinds received in the fol
lowing States, in o43, did not pay the expense of trans
poation by contract, viz Maine, New Hampshire, YER
mont, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia the Caronas,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi Florida Arkansas, Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois But in Mas
sachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut New York Penn
sylvania Delaware Louisiana, and Michigan, the
nue. was more than the expense. Again, in Illinois,
Tor instance, and Georgia and Alabama, the deficiency is
10 the extent of half its expenses; in Kentucky and Mis-
sssppl almost as much in Arkansas and Florida, three
| fourths and nearly that in North Carolina But in
| Name, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Missouri the de-
hcency is only few thousand dollars. In several, the
difference OF income expenditure is slight; while in
New York, the received than the whole
cost in some five six smaller States and in Nassa-
chusetts 1t was 100000. Hence though postages
might be made to yield considerable revenue the pub
lie treasury IN some places or States and in the
whole country, If trips were not multiplied and and
Improbable routes were not almost yearly added in
| large numbers; yet another evidence how the public
consulted, rather than income to the govern
ment, by this establishment heret has been the usage
and policy here almost uniformly TO apply all surplus
revenue, beyond its expenses, TO the of trips
between the same places or the extension OF them
ones not so profitable to pay for themselves These
places considered deserving to be shut out from
The blessings of epistoary intercourse with their fellow
beings. 1t is political right for them to communicate
readily with the seat of government and duty for the
latter 10 lay before them well cities and pop
ulous States the public messages public reports, and all