The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-29
Posi- OFFICE AFrAiRs-FoRRroN AND DOMESTIC

Posi- OFFICE AFrAiRs-FoRRraN AND DOMESTIC
we give In our columns to-day, very i'm
portant paper. Ii is report by Mr.. Hobble,
Assistant Postmaster General, of an abortive
negotiation attempted in Europe. IN relation to
the foreign mail service.
This report may be called an able, eloquent,
and powerful apology for the incapacity of the
Postmaster General, and of the Presidents judy
ment, who appointed such man to office. Even
the great experience, the sound sense and I'M
questioned talents of Mr.. Hobbie, appear to be
under cloud when he comes to serve under the
direction of such lump of ncapacity as Cave
Johnson, who is, with the President, great man,
it seems, in one ofthe little counties of Tennes-
see, but miserable little man at the head of
such an establishment as the Post Office Depart
ment Of the United States.
This report represents the British government,
in this negotiation, under a most unlavorable
point of view. There can be no doubt of the ac-
curacy Of this view. The obstinacy, stupidity,
pride and impertinence of the management of
the United States Post Office Department cannot
be exceeded except il be by the same qualities,
ampltied by age and years, to be found in the
greatest state of development in the Bril-
tlsh Post Ofhce Department There are two ma
tions-great commercial nations-two homo
geneous races-anxous and willing to commu-
nlcate, with rapidity and cheapness, their ideas
in relation to business or other affairs; but instead
OF being permitted to do so, they are prevented
by the mutual pride, obstlnacy, selfwill, and in
capacity of the heads of the British and United
States Post Office Departments. If it were pos
sible to do the deed, the whole British Post Of
Bnan Ann L..l l.
tumbled into the Thames, and the same thing
should be done to the American Post Office De-
partment, in the Potomac.
If there is any common sense yet remaining
among the English people, not pawned and
pledged to the Jews, as we know there is among
the American people, we trust that both of them
will endeavor to agitate and bring the matter
before their respective legislatures, in order that
they may counsel and direct each department to
do Its duty, and aid and assist two great commu-
mites OF people in perecting mutual and cheap
intercourse, for their mutual benefit
Really and truly, we begin to entertain the
opinion that Post Office Department is rather
burden and an intolerance, and that the whole
business of Transporting letters would be better
In private hands than in such incompetent, i'm
pertinent, obstinate, miserable, inefficient hands
as those of the British and American Post Office
Departments.
While on this subject, we find the following
in a contemporary -
FOREIGN MAILs.-A bill has been presented in the Sc
nate by Mr. Miles from the committee the Post ONCE
which designed to regulate intercourse with Eng
land Mr. Niles had the sagacity to at the last SEES
sion OF Congress that those difficulties would arise and
efforts were made by him to obviate them, which failed
Of success.
He stated that our mail to southampton and Bremen
had encountered difficulties in England from the ibe-
raj and unjust policy of the British government. All
letters conveyed In our nail to be lett at Southampton
not only for England but for France and other coun-
Southampton to Havre in France were subjected to
postage Of twenty cents This subjects letters
transmitted In the American mail to cents
postage while those in the British mail pay but twenty.
four The bill presented by ME- Niles subjects letters
brought In British other foreign mails twenty
cents postage to countersot the operation OF the
and provides for regulating the Transmission of
to and from the United States to all foreign countries