Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-12-22
VERMONT PHOENIX.
BrattleborO, Friday, Dec. ~, lS4s.
The Postage system.

the intelligence Of the people, il ia Of the last i'm
portance to open wide every avenue for the in
crease and diffusion of infornaiicn but the
postage system has been heretofore one Of the
greatest hindrances to it.
A cheap postage system for letters and news
papers, is measure in which every man, woman
and child has direct interest for il affects al
most every business and relation Of life-and we
shall make excuse, therefore, for discussing it.
The Postmaster General, who has been from
the commencement a bird Of evil omen to every
project for eheapening postage, and strenuously
opposed II, is compelled in his recent report, to
record the refniaiion Of all his predictions and
arguments lie shows that even the present
slight reduction Of postage has increased the
revenue from that source for the last year, Sc
453 above the average Of nine years preceding
the year lsI5, under the old system, and he re-
commends now uniform rate Of five cents for
letters and Of one cent per ounce for newspapers.
This proposition will not, and should not. sat /
isfy the people In England, there is uniform |
postage of one penny for letters and no postage |
upon newspapers, yet the revenue from this !
source furnishes surplus, after paying all ex.
; penses.
This demonstration Of the effect Of cheap post
age, was met by the opponents Of reduction, with
the assertion that owing to the sparse population
Of this country, cheap postage would not ope-
rate here, as it did in England, aud on hi.
ground, a large diminuiion Of revenue under
5 the present system, was predicted. The report
/. Of the Postmaster General proves this objection
TO be unfounded
There are circumstances which, in our opin-
ion, more than counierbalance the sparse popula-
ton and greater territorial extent Of this country.
: In the frst place, the mass Of the people are
4 better educated in this country than in Great Bi-
e tain. The proportion Of those who can read and
Is write, is, il we remember rightly, two 10 one in
favor Of this country and this in addition 10
II more changing aud migratory population, must
a occasion a large comparative increase of cores
e poudenoe.
= Again-considering the extent Of country, VIC
have far greater facilities for transportation ihan
ie England. Look at our numerous and extended
il rivers and lakes, upon which a million of letters
lie may be carried as chcaply aud easily a thou
~ sand These advantages should be taken into
us account, in estimating the comparative cost Of
conveying the mails throughout this country and
u any other.
But we go farther, and maintain tina, the whole
argument against the application Of the English
postage system to this country, with the like re-
IN suit, founded greater sparseness Of popula-
: ton and extent of country is fallacy, and un-
- sound. To prove this, let US look at facts, and
take an extreme case for illustration.
or The Government sends mail six or eigh,
n thousand miles to Oregon, which has sparse
IL population, and the question is. will not the re-
at duciion Of postage to two cents, have the same
he proporionate effect upon the number Of letters
C aud the postage derived from them, a similar
h., reduction bctween the cities OF Boston and New
:: York; If dininution Of postage between Bos-
e. Ton and New York, quadruples the number Of
re letters sent, will not the same diminution also
- quadruple the number Of letters between one
g0n aud New York? 1t must be 80, unless the
h same causes produce different results and if il
ee be true what becomes Of the argument of alledg-
!! ed difference in population and extent Of coun-
Try, unless it be said that the reduction Of post
age will lessen the aggregate amount Of receipt.
between Boston and New York, and consequent.
ly diminish the fund for defraying the expenses
nd Of the mail transportation between Oregon and
~ New York. This cannot be said with truth, for
x. the result of cheap postage in England show.
I'm That the reduction inrdrdbly increases the az.
10, gregate amount of postage between large cities
There are reasons of much force to us, which
he GO to prove that the comparative increase of mail
nd matter, flowing from cheap postage, would be
ps much greater from the settlements, which
nv have sparse population, than from large cities
The new settlements are composed chiefly OF
a'- emigrants from New England, or their descend
rn ants nearly all of whom have good common
er school education, and are able to read and write
of Let us follow an emigrant from his home to the
oh wilderness.
~ His family leave a large circle of friends and
relatives, and on going into a new country, and
ed among strangers, they would naturally desire
es' frequent correspondence with their distant
w friends. This desire is overcome, or its indul
gence greatly restrained, by the expense Of post
IN age-ior it must be remembered that emigranii
. have small means, and little money. Even FIVE
os cents is large sum to them, and to save it, the,
nd will write as little possible After time they
he lose interest in affairs at their former home
Sc their old and intimate friends, they are heard
from but seldom, gradually fade from memory, and
-, amer year or two all correspondence ceases.
to But'reduce the postage to one two cents
IN and this emigrant and his family would probably
ar keep up constant and frequent correspondence
~ with their friends for years The postage on 8
single letter would seem TO Them n triHe md
o would not be thought Of an objection to writ
ny ing. frequent interchange of letters would
~ keep alive IN interest in persons and events
o., which is soon lost without II.
NC We know something OF the feelings and hab-
Of its of Western life, and believe the consideration
above mentioned should have great weight in
nn support of cheap postage.
es. The true principle we believe to be, the adpp
he ton Of rate of postage on a single letter. SC