The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1847-12-21

the British pos,.office directed the collection
Of discriminating hostages on all letters and
other irritable matter 10 Great Britain, or
which went Into the British post-ofiicc on
their sav tn France or other parts Of Ea-
rope. The effect q! the order OF tho British
post-oiicc is to subject all letters and other
malnbic matter 10 double postage, one pos
tagc having been previously paid on them
in the u. S., while letters transported OF
British steamers nrc subjec, to pay single
postage. This measure was adopted Tor
The avowed object Of protecting the Brtis..
line Of mail steamers, now running between
Boston and Liverpool, mud, il continued
mus, speedily put mn end to all transporta-
,ion Of all letters and other m,,,er by Amer
lean steamers. and give British steamers u
monopoly Of the business. A Just and fair
reciprocity is all that we desire, aud on this
VIC mus, insist. BY our laws, no such dis
GRIMM alton is made ngains, British steamers
bringing letters into our ports, but all let
iers arriving in tho L. s., nrc subjected 10
the snme rate ofpostnge. whether brought
in British or American vessels. refer you
to the report of Post Master General Tor
ful! statement of the facts in the case, and
OF the steps tnkcn by him TO correct this in.
cqnaIily. lie has excried all the powers
conferred upon him by the existing laws.
The minister of the u. s., in London
has brought the subjec, to the attention of
the British government, aud is now enga.
gcd in negotiation for the purpose Of nd
Justing reciprocal postage arrangements,
which shall be equally jus, 10 both coun.
tries. Should he fail in concluding such an
arrangement, aud should Great Britain in.
sist on forcing the unequal aud unjust
measures she Inns adopted, it may become
necessary 10 confer additional power on The
+. Nj. General, in order to enable him 10
meet the emergency, and 10 put our steam.
ers on mn equnl footing with British steam
ers engaged in Transporting the mail be-
tween the two countries, | recommend
TINT such power be conferred.
In view Of tho existing state Of our coun-
Try, trust it may not be inappropriate to
mind the words Of wisdom aud Ammunition
ol the first and most illustrious Of nv pred
ccessors in his farewell address to his coun.
trymen. That greatest and best Of men,
who served his country So long, and loved
Il so much, torcsaw with serious concern the
danger to our Union in ch,ractcrizng par
ties hv geographical distinctions. Northern
Southern, Atlantic and Western, whence
designing men may cnicavor 10 excite
belief that there is real difference 81 local
Interests aud views-warncd his country
men against il. So deep aud solc,nn was
his conviction OF the Importance Of the L.
Mon, aud Of preserving harmony between
It's different parts, that he declared "a his
his coun,r. men, in that address, il is al IN
finite moment that YOU should properly es-
innate the immense value OF Your National
Union 10 your collective aud individual hap
piness; TINT YOU shnn.d cherish cordial,
hnbituai and i,n,Duvablc attachment To it,.
accustoming Yourselves To think and speak
oi it us the Palladium OF Your political safe
" aud prosperity, watching Tor its prcscr
wilton with jealous anxiety, discounicnan-
cling whatever may Suggest even n suspi
cion that il can in any event he abandoned,
and Indignantly irown on the first dnwning
oil every attempt to alternate any portion al
our country from the rest or To cnitcblc the
sacred ties which now link together the WI
rl,ls parts. After the Iap~c ot half cen
'nrs, will these mani.ions fall upon MS with
all the force al truth. II is difficult Ia csii.
mate the immense value ofour glorions L.
nion of conlcdcraicd Siatcs To which We
are So much Indebted for orr growth in pop
ulalion and wealth. and ipr nll that cnnsii-
iutcs us n great md happy nation. I'm
important nrc all al our differences upon
minor questions Of public policy compared
with iis preservation, aud how scrnpnlonslN
should We avoid nlI ngiiaiing topics which,
mav tend To excite mud divide ns into con-
tending parties, separating by geographic
cnl lines, whereby il may be weakened or
endangered.
Invoking tho blessings of the Almighty
Ruler 81 the Universe upon y"nr dclihcra.
tons, il will he my highest duty, no. less
thnn NV sincere pleasure. To Cooperate
with YOU in nll measures which mav tend
topromote the honor and enduring welfare
of cur common country
JAMES X. POLK.
Washington. Dec 7ih. lH47.