The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-07-20

1HE hETAiiArcRN POSTAGE. - The fcchng of
indignation which is now spreading over the
whole country, at the increased rate of postage
payable under the new law, ought TO warrant
the expectation that effective measures will soon
be taken put an end to this injustice. But whether
a consummaton so devoutly to be wished may be
realized at least during the present administration,
we are not prepared TO enkindle very sanguine
hopes in the breasts OF our readers.
We believe, however, that If the subject were
taken up in an efficient manner, by any one compe
tent to make PLAIN statement of the case to the
British government, the justice of our demand is
so palpabe, that no government, having any pre-
tension . public honor or fair international reci-
procity, would hesitate moment to comply with
1t. AT any rate, we can scarcely believe that
government like the British-whch has, of late
years, exhibited strong desire to facilitate the
rapid and cheap intercommunication of Its subjects,
and to have free trade with thewhole world-would
refuse to enter into fir and equitable arrange
men, for this purpose, with other countries, II the
negotiation, on our part, had not been entrusted to
men utterly incompetent for the discharge of the
most ordinary transactions of life No doubt, 1t is
perfectly unjust that the British government should
exact for letters carried by our steamers and de-
precisely If the letters had been carried by her
own steamers; and, no doubt /, is perfectly just,
that, in the event of her persisiing in this wrong,
we have right to adopt retaliatory tariff, If we
please. But, before doing SO, we should first
satisfy ourselves that the course adopt is
really retallatory. How do the facts of the
case show that this is so in the retalia-
tory postage law now in operation Does the
Coz
the carriage of letters already paid for, retaliate
for similar injustice committed by England on
her people? We think not, and we are satisfied
that few will be found to look upon it in that light.
1t is only another illustration of the folly of the
man who cut off his nose to please his face. The
punishment is inflicted upon ourselves, as the post
age bill of this city, which amounted to two thou.
sand dollars for the correspondence by the last
steamer to Boston, will abundantly testify. Now,
let it be remembered that very considerable por-
ton of this sum comes from the pockets of poor
emigrants, who are least able to bear this tax. No
inconslderable portion of it, also, has been extort-
ed from the pockets ofourmerchants, none ofwhom,
we venture to think, will imagine that they have
any right to suffer for the laundering, the selfish
ness or the injustice of the Marquis of Canrcarde
and the British government. The measure will,
no doubt, add considerably to the revenue of our
post office, but the addition comes not from the
English people or governmental is from our
selves.
AS we are not sanguine that the present admin
istration will be able to remedy the grievance we
think it right that the public should fairly under
stand the bearings of the case, that they may
know where to impue the blame Perhaps we
ought to regard this piece of post Office bungling
with satisfaction rather than otherwise for it will
concentrate public attention on the deficiencies of
our postal epartments-interna and external
and, perhaps, for what is now so earnest
ly demanded by our people-a system of safe, ra-
pld and cheap postal communication.