The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-05-10
POST OFFICE AND THE PEOPLE.

10 nothing, perhaps, have the people Of
this country suffered greater wrong, than
T IN the expressions laid upon them, year af.
Der year, by the Pos, Office Department.
Congress and the Executive remained for q
quarter Of a century like deaf adder to all
the demands for q reform, and only gran.
ted an amelioraiion when popular ceiling
began 10 demonstrate ilself 10 WY not to
be mistaken. But, in the granting a change
Tor the better, by reducing the rate of lei
ter postage. new and Objectionable feature
was introduced in regard TO Newspapers,
which Is founded neither in common sense
nor common justice. Can any ono tell Why
uo"s'e"' "-s"snsnrr. which the law re-.
qufes To be repaid, sbouIu -,--.o.d
three cents. and the paper mailed from the
Office Of publication be rated at one or one
and a half cents, according 10 distance
There is no reason for such y restriction
hu, TO check the circulation Of newspapers
as vehicles Of intelligence.
The Department, in fs selfish and mar
row policy, supposes that large number Of
newspapers arc sen, from friend 10 friend
throughout lha country. as indications oil
kind feelings, or as notifications that all 10
well in The home Of the sender and that
Il three cents be charged on oil such pa.
pers, and the postage 10 required 10 advance
hundieds and thousands Of persons viii
prefer sending letters. charged q, five or
ten cents, and thus ths revenue 10 The DE.
patlmen, 10 increased The Department
is thus made . separate interest, a great
monster, and no, 40 agent Of use 10 the
people designed II TO be. But selfish pol
+ icy IS always blind and mos. empha,ically
Is it so 10 this instance. The revenue from
Gesspap ers is lessened, but no, proportion.
ably Increased by the transmission OF a
greater number Of letters; Tor tho sending
OF newspapers, in the mode JUS, referred to,
s no., really, a substitute Tor letters, and
when It is made expensive IS it Is now, 10
to great extent abandoned. And this is
an e,, iar more TO be regretted than any
defic,, 10 The revenue OF the Department,
sgains, which our Pos. Master Generals are
80 anxious 10 provide.
The present head OF the Department, has
pursued. from the first, most singular pol
icy. and far more per,lnsciously even than
some OF bis predecessors, regarded the great
postal machine he vas appointed TO super.
intend as a thing separate from the people,
aud maco to live by them instead Of for
them. Many Of bic recommended refcrns
to Congress have been Of the mos, extra.
ordinary character. To one Of these VIC
will refer a. a type Of the absurdl,y Of some
of the rest and ~e ,fus, no Congress, be-
hind the spiri, OF the age a. the members
of cur National Legislature usually are.
-,li DO mad soough TO give IL the disastrous
power OF Law. We refer TO his recon.
menda,ion to compel all tho publishers to
pre- pay The mail editions of their newspa.
pers To show the blind stupidity and fol-
Iy Of such a Recommendation, let US take
The case Of the Courier" under such an
order OF things. With q circulation of
seventy thousand, which ~s now have, the
revenue ofthe Post Office Depsrimen, from
our establishment. is IN the neighborhood
Of eigh, hundred dollars week. or over
forty thousand dollars year, a sum ~hich
even Mr.. Cave Johnson would consider 40
important item on the debtor side OF his
cash account al the end OF a year. Let
Congress order pre- payment oil our whole
edition Of seventy thousand, aud What will
DO the RESULT Simply This. The goose
,hs, LAID for the Depar,meo, golden egg,
every week, is dead There Is no disgul.
sing the fact; The Courier could no, live a
week from the day such disability obtain.
ed the force of law.
And the evil would no, stop here. There
ore nearly Two thousand newspapers III The
United States. II from one the revenue
to the Department, is forty thousand dollars,
1T is easily seen tina, from two thousand the
teveuue mus, be immense. But, pass Cave
! Johnsons proposed law, and wha, 10 the re.
sui, From this source II ts almos, entire.
I iy cut OF, to say nothing Of the wrong done
10 tho people. Really, the idea Of such
thing seems like the vagsry Of madmsn,
rather than the grayc result Of our Post
Master Generals deliberate conclusions 10
regard to the best interests Of hls Depart
ment. This 10 about on a par with his Of.
forts TO choke off large and cheap papers
like tho Courier, by sadding them With en-.
ormous postage, and thus killing the enter.
prise tina, looks to the good Of tho masses.
lie, the people every where keep in mind,
tina, tho present incumbent Of the Pos, OF.
flee Department would no, only Gu, them
of from the enjoymen, Of paper like the
Courier, except at a heavy charge, but &C.
iually compel an cn,re prepay menl Of the
years postage into the publication Office
for unless this were done, no papers could
be sent. Model American Courier.