The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-16

best possible state OF advancement. Pray, what Is
the prospect of any progress In the great work OF
postage reform during the present session Of Con-
gress, We confess that, familiar we have become
with the imbecility, ignorance, and obstinate
doggedness of some OF those personages who have
heretofore handled this business in Congress, and
in the Post Office Department, we very appre-
hensive that not much will be doas; yet we must
not absolutely despair For years we have la
bored in the cause of post Office REFORM and how
ever Glow the progress of the work, we must not
essen our efforts. Let us at present state few
facts which deserve public attention.
Under the old rates of postage, the number of
letters annually conveyed by the United States
mails, was from twenty-five to twenty-seven mil.
pons At present, after three years trial of the
reduced rates, the numoer Of letters carried by
the mails amounts to fifty-eight millions. But
let the public recollect that the great bulk OF cor
resPondence has been left unaffected by the pre-
sent rates OF postage. 1t is obvious that an I'M
mense proportion of the general correspondence Is
that which is carried on between the large cities
and towns and the adjacent districts within thirty
miles. On this no reduction of postage rates has
taken place The postage remains as 1t was for
merly-five cents each single letter Here, then,
there has been no increase; and hence the comPe.
titlon of private expresses; so that the augmen-
tation of the revenue of the Department has
been by no means so great as it would have
been had the reduction of postage operated
N those thcky populated districts which surround
our large cities and towns. In order to show the
extent of the correspondence which Is carried on
IN these DISTRICTS and the magnitude of the private
enterprise which has stepped In to remedy the de-
fective arrargeme nts of the Post Office Depart
ment, 1t Is necessary only to mention one pregnant
fact In the city of Boston there are expresses for
the conveyance of letters to two hundred and
thirty-two towns and villages In Massachusetts, I,
Were the rate Of postage reduced, ought to be-
TO two cents every single letter. for all distances
this vast correspondence would be all conveyed by
the Post Office Department, at a remunerative
rate.
Happily, the reduction of the rates of postage Is
no longer an experiment. 1t has been triumphant
ly successful in Great Britain. We have made
one great step IN the right direction. Let US now
complete the work The number of persons in
Great Britain who can read and write Is seven
millions; and the number OF letters carried IN the
royal mail Is two hundred millions per annum In
the United States, the readIag and writing popu-
latlon numbers SIX millions. Taking the cores
pondence of the British people, under low rate of
postage, as basis OF our calculation, the number
of letters annually carried by the United States
mails, at the rate of two cents each, would
be one hundred and seventy.one millions. That
amount of correspondence would produce reve-
nue. of So APO 0OOfalling short of the present reve-
nue. only $3.50 900 Just think of t-by reducing the
rates of postage to two cents, we would incur a
risk of losing 100000 per annum! One hundred
and thirty thousand dollars only per annum Now,
it was estimated that the annual loss under the
present rates, would be one million of dollars per
annum The actual loss for the first year, turned
out to be halt million, and now, in the third year
of the experiment, we have surplus of $l75, 0OO
Let the public ponder these facts. Is 1t asking too
much of Congressman to weigh these facts1
This subject Is really great one We shall
often to It, The gigantic abuse which screens
itself under the imposing name Of the ranking
rates of newspaper postage-the ex-
tension of the post Office system, to keep pace
with the progress of civillzation-these and other
opics, will form the subject of remark hereafter.
In the meantime, We urge upon Congress the para
mount importance and necessity of taking up this
subject. Only let it reduce the rate of postage to
two CENTS and for the remainder of Its ninety days
existence, the Thlrtleth Congress may spout as
many columns of original rhetoric, and drink as
m any hogsheads Of Indifferent brandy and water,
as, In It's wisdom, 1t may deem constitutional and
proper.
The LATEST Row AT THE OPERA HoUsK.-We are
really becoming tired of chronicling rows, fights,
fneutes, and milling matches, at the Astor Place
Opera House, before the curtain and behind 1t, in
the Hobbies and in the green room, up stairs and
down stairs From the following, which we have
taken from one Of Mr.. Fry's organs, the Tribune,
it will be perceived that display took place In
the lobbies of that celebrated establishment, on
Monday evening LAST
A personal rsncontre in the lobby Of the Ope-
re- House last night, diverted the attention OF
the audience for . time from the sound and
fury Of Lombard. MIR. Colt, habifus of the
Opera and DR.. Watson, met at the entrance int
the psrquette. The gentlemen had Qusrrolsd short
time previous understand, and the difficulty 70.
by the Doctor refusi to let Mr. Colt pass
Some bard words spoken, the batteries Of the
were immediately put In motion. Mr. r. @.
White, Mr. Fry. and several other gentlemen rushed
to the spot prevent bloodhed and received part
the foes. They finally suscseded 10 negotisting an
armstice for what length Of time did not hear
toned Tribune.
This is the statement put forward by the organ
of Mr.. Fry. 1t seems that the Mr.. Colt alluded to
above, is the same Mr.. Cot, who is chairman OF
The committee Of subscribers, and principal mana
ger OF the Opera, during both last season and the
present We have heard, from gentlemen whom
we highly esteem, a very fine character OF Mr..
Colt and we should be sorry to say anything inju-
rious to his position as a gentleman, or an opera
We have, however, been furnished by
the other side of the question, DR.. Watson, with
his statement, which it seems but fair to give, in
order that justice may be served out 60 1ally to
both parties. Here it is;-
STATEMENT or DIR. WATSON.
Mr.. H. A. Colt made q statement, that had acted
In what deem most dishonorable ma to friend
OF bis from Havana.
This has been circulated to the injury Of
my reputation but until about three weeks go, was
q bile to trace its originator i'm Immediately called
on MIR. c and represented to him that he had done
me much injury that his file nd had been under
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