Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-12-13

dollars, which is less than the annual aver.
age for the nine years previous to the net
of 1s45, by three hundred thousand seven
hundred and forty Eight dollars.
The mail routes on the 3Oth day of June
last, were one hundred and sixty.three
thousand and eight miles in extent being
an increase during the last year Of nine
thousand three hundred and ninety miles.
The mails were transported over them du.
ring the same time, ,forty.one million twelve |
thousand five hundred and seventy.nine
miles; making an increase Of transporta.
ton for the year of two millions one hun.
dred and twenty four thousand six hundred
and eighty miles, whilst the expense was
less than that of the previous year by four
thousand two hundred and thirty-fve dol
lars.
The increase in the mail transportation
within the last three years has been five
millions three hundred and seventy eight
thousand three hunered and ten miles, whilst
the expenses were reduced four hundred
and fifty six thousand seven hundred and
,hirty-eght dollars-making an increase
Of service at the rate of Is per cent
During the past year there have been
employed under contracts with the Post
Office Department.. two Ocean Steamers
in conveying the m ails monthly betwesn
New York Bremen, and one since Octo-
ber lost performing semi-monthly service
between Charleston and Havana; and
contract has been made for the transporta-
tion of the Pacific mails across the Ishmus
from Chagres to Panama.
Under the authority given the Secretary
Of the Navy, three Ocean steamers have
been constructed and sent to the Pacific,
and are expected to enter upon the mail
service betweenn Panama and Oregon, and
the intermediate Ports, on the first Of July
next, and fourth has been engaged by
him for the service between Havana and
Chagres; SO that a regular monthly. mail
line will be kept up after that time between
the United States and our Territories on the
Pacific.
Notwithstanding this great increase in
the mail service should the revenue contin.
ue to increase the present year, as it did
in the last, there will be received near four
hundred and fifty thousand dollars more
than the expenditures.
These considerations satisfy the Post
master General that with certain modi6ca-
tiens fthe act Of 1845, the revenue may
be still further increased, and reduction
of postage to n uniform rate of five cents,
without an Interference with the principle
which has been constantly and properly
enforced Of making that Department sus-
tain itself.
A well digested, chenp postage system
is the best means Of diffusing intelligence
among the people, and is of so much i'm.
portauce in country Sc extensive as that
Of the United States, that recommend to
your favorable consideration the Sugges
tions Of the Postmaster General for its i'm.
provement.
Nothing can retard the onward progress
Of our country, and prevent US from ,ssum.
ing and maintaining the first rank among
nations, but disregard Of the experience
Of the pnst, and a recurrence to an unwise
public policy, We have just closed n for.
eign war by an honorable peace-a war
rendered necessary and unavoidable in vim
dicaton of the national rights and honor.
The present condition Of the country is
similar in some respects to that which i'm
mediately followed after the close of the
war with Great Britain in 1915, and the
occasion is deemed to be proper one to
take retrospect Of the measures Of public
policy which that war gave rise to. There
was at that period of our history depart
ure from our earlier policy. The enlarg
rnent of the powers Of the Federal Govern.
ment by Constructions which obtained, was
not warranted by any just Interpretation Of
the Constitution. A few years after the
close of that war. q series of measures were
adopted which, united and combined, con-
stituted what was termed by their authors
and advocates the "American SYSTEM"
The lnroduction of the new policy was
for time favored by the condition of the
country, by the heavy debt which had been
contracted during the war; by the depress-
ion Of the public credit; by the deranged
state Of finances and the currency; md by
the commercial and peculiar embarrass-
ment which extensively prevailed there
These are not the only causes which led
to its establishment. The events of the
war with Great. Britain and the embarrass-
ments which had attended its prosecution
had left the impression, on the minds of
some of our Statesmen that our government
was not strong enougb,and that TO WELD its
resources successfully in great emerg encies
and especially in war, more power should
be concentrated in its hands. This increas.
ed power they did not seek 10 obtain by the
legitimate prescribed mode-an amend
ment of the Constitution but by construc-
tion. They saw other. governments in
the world based upen different orders Of So
ciety, and SO constituted as to throw the
whole power of nations into the hands Of
few who taxed and controlled tho many
without responsibility or restraint. In that
arrangement they conceived the strength
of nations in war consisted. There was
also something fascinating in the ease,lu
ury, ami display Of the higher orders, who /
drew their wealth from the toll cf the labor
ing millions. The authors Of the system
drew their ideas Of political economy from
what they had witnessed in Europe, and
in Great Britain. They had
viewed the enormous wealth concentrated
in few hands, and had seen the splendor
of the overgrown establishments of an ar.
which was upheldlby the restrict
i've policy They forgot to look down upon
n, oc tho Fin olish ponu1 tiop