Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-12-15


This would lead TO a di.conlinuance Of the II
practice OF deposiling newspapers in the mails
before they are dry, which render them more H.
able to injury. and the weight is greatly increas.
ed from the danpness of the paper. An uni
lorm rate OF one cent upon each ounce or irac-
lion under it, woud be more just and probably
yield a.much revenue as the present rates.
3-Ali other printed matter, nf whatever ma
tnre or kind should be rated without double the
newspaper postage.
Letters containing articles Of value upon the
application of the writer, sh ul ! be registered.
and receipt of it taken for the delivery, and |
tribe letter postage charged.
The number and different amount Of rates
now charged by law are very announcement to the
public, as well as the officers in the discharge
of their duties
40 cents are now charged to and from Cali
fornia and Oregon.
80 cents to or from Panama.
81 cents to Europe.
20 cents to Chagrcs.
l2I cents to II wanna.
6 cents when delivered at the port of Ian.
ding.
2 cents in addition to the regular postage
when taken in the mails.
| cent TO the postmaster when sent out Of the
country.
In addition the Post Office Department. under
the direction of the President, should have pow
er given to raise or lower these rates of postage,
whenever it becomes necessary on account OF
the competition from other countries. and to i'm
pose restrictions upon the vessels fany foreign
nation, equal to those imposed upon vessels of
the United States by such nation. When such
powers are given to the Post Offices in other
countries, such restrictions may be imposed
when Congress is not in session, and without
notice, as may deprive the vessels # the United
States Of any participation in carrying letters.
Tnis was done BY an order from the Lords If
the Treasury in Great Britain. on the 9Th Of
June. lS47, preceding the arrival of the WASH
ington al Southampton, and which had the effect
to deprive that vessel of any participation ia the
carrying of let'ers--reasonable share Of the bus
ness-between this country and England Or
France, and that order remained in force more
than a year, against all our "Reminiscences, b..
fore law could be passed 10 meet the emcrgen-
cy.
|. is believed that one uniform rate Of ) cents
nigh, be advantageously adopted AS the foreign
postage, and made applicable To our territories
on the Pacific. and produce more revenue than
the char-es navy made.
The commercial interest Of the country the So.
cial and friendly intercourse now existing and
daily increasing, between the citizens Of the
United States and the people Of other countries.
would be greatly promoted by the adoption OF
that or some other rate less than is at present
charged. This would probably be soon adopted
by other countries having steamers engaged in
similar service.
Newspaper and other printed matter sent from
or received into the United States, might be
rated with double the inland postage on similar
mlilable ira e.
If the proposed reductions are 10 be made.
and the Department required TO sustain itself,
it is indispensable that the ranking privilege
should be abolished. 1t is now greater and more
extensively used than at any former period, and
MS the privilege is enlarged, the abuses under 1t
increase.
The immense mass of free matter sent
through the mails, necessarily requires high
err and more expensive grade of service, to eua-
bic the contractors to transport il. II is moi
unusual for coach service to he demanded on
routes. yelling comparatively nothing, fer the
transportation of public documents aud other
free matter. Over one route, double dairy
line of four horse post coaches has become in
| dispensable. Some estimate may be formed OF
! the additional expense OF transportation, from
the fact reported from the c ty Post Office. thai
in seven days. from The 9th until the l2ih day Of
August last inclusive, $50 bags of free matter,
weighing SIS $50 bs., averaging daily FIVE thou-
sand and seventy-eight lbs, passed Though
this office. Upon inquiry, ii appears that be-
tween the lst day of cember and the lst day
Of October las, there was sent from the two
ii nses of Congress, through the mails, about
i've millions OF copies of speeches and other
mptter, weighing under two ounces, and about
one hundred and seveniy.seven Thousand public
documents, besides the letters written by the
members of the House Of Representatives. and
there remained 10 be forwarded more than one
half Of the public documents ordered to be prin.
ted al the last session.
Such a mass of matter thrown upon The mails
must necessarily add to the cost of Transports
tions, retard the progress Of the mails and pro-
duce great proportion of the failures that are
I made on the unimproved routes in the newer
sections Of the country.
But this is not al. The department is COM
+. PEELED to pay the postmaster whose cnmpensa-
lion does not exceed $1,000 per annum, two
cents for the delivery OF each free letter or doc
ument.
large proportion Of the documents and pa.
pers thus sent free, are il is believed, seldom
read, and if read, but of little public interest
and worse than useless, nasmnch as the exc.
else of the privilege to the extent now practis
ed tends to prevent, of it does not MATERIAL,
Interfere with the circulation of the villag,
newspapers in their respective localities Thu,
! subject has been so forcibly presented to til,
: House, in the report of the committee Of po,
offices and post roads at the last session. and
veral other reports previous to that time, tina
: It is not deemed necessary to enlarge upon
at this time
e Whether the suggestions for the modification
Y OF the act of 1915 be adopted or not all matte
d sent in the mails should be prepaid, Thi
: might indemnify the department for the grea
loss sustained tor the Transmission Of letters no
!, taken from the offices. Near two millions d
n dead letters are annually returned 10 the depart
ment, upon which it not only losses the post
l. ages, but pays two cents each for advertising
e and this is in addition to The expense incu r,
;. in opening and returning those of value 10 IL
Il writers, and destroying those Of no val ne. New
il papers, periodicals, pamphlets, and essays {
ir various kinds, probably not less in numler tina
l. the dead letters, are sent 10 the oc' and neve
lie called for, or if called Tor, refused and renal
Ie as dead matter in them. From careful e,
r. animation, 1t has been ascert,ined than 81 90
annually are received and remain as dead ma