The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-12-28
Tuesday, Dec. 20, l84Z'
POSTAGE LAW,

POSTAGE LAW
During the last session of our legislature . ~.
olution was passed instructing ourrePresen,~ =
- CONGRESS TO procure restoration oil inc Ia" -
,o.. whereby papers might be sent free OF post
ACE to any Office not over so mules ifon. LUG Pc
II qualification. Several other changes nave Oeen
.-,os,ed bv the Press and the Legislature OF 9TH
%. Rnt that which-has been recommended
be our legislature is one which most materially
h.s-s unon the interests of the press and the peo
10 If Vermont Independent of the great saving
M the people, this law during the years OF It's
,,-.sra,on uroduced wonderful improvement In the
,o7i;,ion Of the Vermont presses. Many OF them
.s.-. yerv soon enlarged in their dimensions ana
e.otbed in & new typographical dress, BESIDE eH-
,,Li,ing in :heir editorial departments greater
,;,;,v and more energetic industry WINE IN 'nis
ax,srded state, for the government suddenly to
Withdraw the privilege by which alone the press
oonld sustain itself in its more expanded form was
= cruel injustice. City papers are again flooding
,he country, superceding the country press and
-.u,in- il 30 its former dwindling condition.
-.- tho city. presses are enabled TO DOLBY the I'M
7se CIRCULATION they enjoy. The Tribune boasts
.r-p,a;ion of so Thousand, and many others
~. upoa the same extended scale. Papers TRIBE
81. s;ze 20 a:lv in this state are in many instances
..o-!cd 1t d single dollar. Millions are accumu-
~. :ro.a he pockets of the best subscribers in
a.nAs Of city monopolists while country pub
..ers sre filling into embarrassment and want,
And vet we are bold to say that papers are Is
,,.gd in Vermont much moro worthy Of patronage
from the matter and the talented manner in which
,evsre executed than the same proportion of those
Which reach US from our populous places In
these city papers except on the recurrence OF an
election, scarcely digit Of matter in relation to
Vermont can be found or passing notice OF US
would be seen were it not for the long list Of sub
,cribers which they can boast Of in the Green
Mountain state Those who conHns themselves
70 the perusa Of city papers may be well versed In
the delicate scenes Of the five points, or the equally
delicate trials Of the municipal courts, the beau
tie, of the theatre, the amusemenss concerts, lee
lures and silly pufs upon pamphlets, preforman-
ees and public meetings, and tho other thousand
and one accompanyInents of city life OF no sort
OF moment to a man in the country. But they
know nothing going on even in their own eoun-
ties beyond what they see with their own eyes or
learn from hearsay. Our politics. eur political con-
ven.ions and public meetings of every description,
orr candidates for Office or our business affairs
can be known only by sneaking into more SEN
s,b.e neighbors house and begging perusal of
;cb h. ia fnravar daDrpCafiuO
Bat there is smother important view to be taken
CT the subject OF encouragement and support to
be extended to the country press. Break 1t down
OF by rendering it poor make Its influence insig
niAcant and you bring the whole country to adopt
the morality, religion, politics and all the distruc
tive islns and errors with which the columns OF
the ,ity journals must be more or less contamina-
ted Nv h.ng brought into the atmosphere of the
nost depraved portion Of our population. Indeed
c..Y ueness $40 brought to bear even upon the
.s.ec.;oa G: candidate, for Office in the country,
I'D c::y papers alone mus; be relied upon for at
80. -, 4cnce in the struggle.
---mcat has perhaps deeper stake in this
Wv Of ii 9 subject than any other state in the
L-.3a. No where will you find q moro purely
s.z7a population imbued with that intelligence
81 thoss high moral and patriotic sentiments
s,-c1 cor-sspond with the dignity Of their decent
political virtue at least has been less har-
ga. ~ ler.agogues in the scramble for office. II
:. y desirable that our population should retain
81, ,-sv.,:sl stand they have occupied, it seems
.-..'i,. 7ie.irable that the country press should
-a5 r,i,;leges which should enable i. to sustain
a.-a;ast the overwhelming rivalry Of the city
lie another defect in the postage law which
.eN rsrv uniustly upon the country press and
:s...-s in general, and to which we rejoice to
g.. ..lt INC report of the Postmaster General has
ed he attention OF Congress. The same
,,,-.aaes arc charged without regard to the d.
:7eusions Of the papers or the distance OF trans
por.a-ion The Galaxy sent to Cornwall is charg-
able with as much postage as the great brother
Jonathan transported one hundred miles This
isa CRYING evil, and all must agree with the Post
Master General that justice demands that expense
Of transporting printed matter should be paid BY
a tax upon the matter itssK
Blu. we will prolong our discussion Of the sub
iect only BY a single remark, that we hope the
delegation in Vermont will not be unmindful OF
the resolution OF instruction upon this subject
They must have witnessed the strong and indig-
nan, feeling Of the people and the press, in being
deprived of the 80 mile privilege, and we tIust
they will act with an energy and real correspond
ing with the earnestnsss Of the people upon the
subject