The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-25

voucher kept on the same principles that have al
ready been explained Il is sent in to the accountant
with all the letter bills and the amounts they
in the quarterly return and charged the ledger.
The mail bag which II generally made Of canvass,
dressed This Is an nciSsnt to their sehs@. of mall
ing, founded on the arrangement Of corresponding
and forward Offices, and would be entirely imprscti-
to It,
As to London, and partially so, to Edinburgh and
sentiay different, in particulars from the fore
goiDg but as we have not In the United States any
place, that, like London, may be set down the uni
versally acknowledged and common centre in all
spects, will not trouble you with account of their
peculiarities For they cannot with advantage be in
troduced into arrangements Our civil divisions
different from those Of Great Britain that we
must, am eatisfed, devise q central system of post
operations for the large Offices in each Of States
rather than adopt the London arrangements
The foregoing is but hasty sketch of the character
istic points in the mode Of performing the post office
explanatory might be added but in this onnecton
would serve to confuse, rather than elucidate.
The question IT, shall We adopt that system! The
difficulty lies at the outset When the change is made
the duties Of the offices will not only be better per-
formed by tho postmasters and their clerks, but with
far more and despatch The great wor in under
taking this change consists n laying off the post Of
fees OF the United States into circles as give to
each one OF our 49, 159 post offices it's specified list
corresponding and forward Offices Besides thorough
knowledge OF the course of the mails particular
ledge of localities must be obtained that the mails
channels of trade and business 1t would require too
lorg statement to point out the complexty and mag
nitude Of this labor When considered the numo er
OF our oces as compared with those Of Great Britain
which has but l776 exclusive of receiving houses)
and nearly third OF them only uboffices, and
the extent of the territory of States which
times great that Of the United Kingdom dis.
trusted the of making this radical slte
ration and keeping the circles Of offices properly adjust
ed amid the incessant changes going on among post.
masters sites of Offices and of routes and the
rapid increase, from year to year, of offices and
But the object to be obtained too important to be
abandoned. The improvement of our system can be
accomplished in ne other mode Subsequent reflection
has satisfied me that the difficulties be over ome
If sufficient time Is allowed and Congress makes suit
able provision to carry out the undertaking.
The prospect that uniform postage will soon be es
tabishsd, renders the change more urgent Our mode
of performing post office business must be smpli fed
20 as to be done with greater despatch and
and whilst every scheme ofrevenue should provided
with checks to insure accountability that needs it
most which is made up Of small amounts for there is
from the Indifference with which small sums ' arg
apt to be regarded individually, though, in the
aggregate, they swell to millions Of dollars The
corresponding and forward system of mailing, as
1t nay be technically called has been an indspen-
sable adjunct to low postage in England bringing
Accountant General and giving the pubic the .,su
rance, that what has been 30 well earned has been
faithfully accounted for.
Is carried out in their London arrangements called
the central system, cannot be introduced here In
to
consist of from each State-perhaps two or more
in the larger States. The difference between them
and the great body of offices would be- that they would
be placed in direct correspondence with far greater
number Of offices. Each primary office should post bin
and bag mails to Of the other primary offices to be
designated and to a Of the ordinary or second class
offices within their State or district situated on the
direct lines, radatiDg from the primary Offices They
should DO listed Tor that purpose aud these In turn
shogld malt direct to such primary Office.
Out Of the great body OF offices l would form the
second class offices to embrace the chief portion of
them; also, third class which would call, as in
render accounts. They get their supply exclu.iyeiy
from one office, which is called the principal Office
The principal office sends out post bill headed on
despatched with blanks in it the sub to
make corrections and the other side inward on which
the postmaster enters the his mails re.
turned, with columns for the principal to
make corrections. And in keeping the monthly
master keeps aso tor the sub postm aster and rem
dsrs it to the General Postoice. All such post bills
are to be sent In with the monthly voucher.
They have still another class in England Railway
Offices, occupied by two clerks at time, at salaries
rangin from ESQ to f2OO per annum with an allow
made up them as forward offices only and as such.
they make up mails to other Offices and check upon
the mails received from other offices They receive no
postage but render regular monthly vouchers serve
rs checks upon postmasters in correspondence with
them. There are advantages in this in giving des-
ton arising here, would be- that cars do not run
with sufficient steadinesr to enable 30 much clerical
duty to be performed In them. To secure equal des.
patch and not increase the number of route agents
suggest the following regulation Where the party
will prepay BY means of letter stamp, and will write
on his letter way instruct the postmaster to put it
in q way bag for the route agent under a lock. for
which he is provided with key, without post bill for
the postage being paid BY the stamp, post bill
necessary in reference to the accounts The agent
deliver 1t to the Office addressed by placing It in
the pouch for raid office. The postage stamp should
postmaster sendirg by the route agent 1t should
be done by the receiving before he delivers
it. The sending postmaster should keep and render
monthly voucher Of way letters sent as necessary
In the settlement Of his commission account and for
other purposes; and the agent should keen and
duty which he easily perform The postage stamp
and the dire cton OF the writer to send his letter
way" will enable this facility Of immediate despatch
cations to other routes than railroads. and to late let
tiers ON the principal lines up to the nome mt be-
tendency Of this class of letters to multiply to num-
Der beyond the ability of the route agent properly to
attend to and dispose of them; This facility has not
been extended to the public at all in Engand owing
doubtless to this objection. When the evil appre
bended manfests itself 1t must be guarded against by
proper restrictions Letters of value and special i'm
portsnce should not Of course be sent as wav bat
60 under the securty afforded by regular mailing and
bagging to the place Of distribution
The division. then, Of post Offices would be-
/. Primary offices, kept by postmasters
Post offices, kept by deputy postmasters.
3. Sub Offices, kept by sub deputies.
Misunderstanding the simple form of the nrlish
post bill, we should add to it a third column for
amount Of postage stamped letters" This will be
necessary for the commission account and for other
important purposes as we have stamp office in the
United States would have uniform blank for post
bill and require the name of Office and date to be Eed
by the ocestamp (this adds to its authe ntioty and
In all cases that 1t be signed by the officer actually
In charge of the mailing at the time, be ne
postmaster or clerk In England, the post bill is
colored. There are practical advantages in this.
These from a primary Office should be Of one
color those to IL, Of another and those be.
tween ordinary offices, Of third. The post bills
should be filed whilst Amount Of paid letters,
being those only actually paid in money at the office
dbs Is the admission Of debt); I'd, Amount of
paid letters Chis charge ossinst the
postmastsr); 3d. Amount of postage stamped letters
Uhis Is merely memorandum). The Office dated
stamp should be impressed on the right hand upper
corner Of every letter and underneath it. the paid
stamp in red, If the postage has been paid In money
1t the Office; and the rate stamp in black If an un.
paid letter Mails will only be made up to the office.
listed IS the corresponding offices; and for distant
places TO such Of them are dsting uished a. the
forward office, hereinbefore described or the uu
maid letter. will be taken To