The New York herald., 1847-12-29

Cry PosrAGE-PosT OFFICE ABusEs.--The
complaints against the management of the Post
Office Department in this city, have frequently
called forth the indignant denunciations Of the
public and the press; and the abuses connected
with the entire establishment, should meet with
the grave and serious attention Of every member
who takes part in the national councils The
late reduction of postage, it was hoped, would
have been extended to the city penny postage
system. The removal of the post Office from the
Park to the old Dutch Church in Nassau street,
and the refusal to establish branch post office
in the upper part of the city, was deemed suffi-
cient inf1ction upon the vast population of this
rapidly rising and great national emporium.
Apart from the delay of one or two days, du-
ring which letters, both foreign and domestic,
are detained in this post office, many loudly
complain of being compelled to pay city postage
for their letters 1t so happens that great por-
ton of our population reside in hired apartments,
of higher or lower rate of rent, according to
locality and condition. Take, for instance, the
entire and populous sections of our city,
from the Catherine Ferry, through the Bowery,
and on to Union Square. The branch streets
in this immense section, are all inhabited
by owners or occupants of apartments whose
business pursuits demand their absence from their
dwellings; and it frequently occurs, that should
postman call, the residents are absent-either
themselves, or the other members of their fami-
lies. In such cases, the postman leaves, returns
the letter TO the office, marked "not at home,"
and the next step is advertising. We will not
undertake to say in how many instances want
ofproper diligence on the part OF the postman, in
the delivery of letters has in the most Sc
rious inconvenience and injury, in cases ofdeath,
money matters, sc.
II should also be borne in mind that the class
of citizens to whom we refer, neither can afford
time to call gularly at the office down town,
nor to keep boxes in the establishment for the
receipt of their letters. Let US observe how this
system works. Every letter advertised is charged
an additional postage, as advertising duty, of
four cents and thus perfect, well syste ematised,
and lucrative sort Of shaving shop is attached to
our Post Office Department, under the manage
ment of Cave Johnson and his agents. If this
shaving shop were kept up for the purpose
Of shaving the merchants Of Wall street,
or the upper thousand, we should not thus COM
plain. But when we fud it in full blast, for
some years past, depriving the Industrious
masses OF our population Of a portion of their
scanty earnings, we think it high time to direct
the atteation of Congress to it. We trust
that Congress will take up the matter, and
do something this session to reform the abuses
we complain of. The evil is doubly felt IN
the upper part of our city, through Varck street,
and all along through the Avenues, where this
class of citizens are also most numerous-and
who, whether the postman calls or the letters are
advertised, must quietly submit, In either case to
the shave. Perhaps the removal of the post Of
flee from the Park had been originally suggested
by this new plan Of Cave Johnson. At all events,
on taking up files of the newspapers that were
formerly in the pay OF the post office, and COM
pairing them with the immense list OF names that
are paraded every week in the columns of some
of our contemporaries, it will appear pretty evil
dent that Cave Johnson's new arrangement has
turned out rather profitable speculation-but,
unfortunately, those who are made to suffer
the industrious, and in too many instances, the
poor and the distressed.