Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-16


ally diminished within the last four five years. about twelve
thousand miles in extent that If the high rates OF postage
had been continued the service must have been greatly d
mnished large Of money drawn annually from the
Treasury for lis use.
This result may be mainly attributed to two LIST.
The multiplication railroad and steamboat lines augmented
the expense Of the mail transportation from S4O4 IN 1885,
$685. AGO. the 30th OF June, lS45more than double
the former mail pay whilst to individuals the expense of
transportation was diminished than half I'd. The high
Of postage and the reduced fare for travel enabled the
expresses to enter into competition with the Department by
conveying letters out Of the mails This business was extern
svey carried on Notwithstanding the penalties Of the
law and the energetic and determined efforts of the Depart
ment to enforce them.
The of 1916 reduced the Of postage than
half and substituted the half ounce for single letter. in lieu
Of the single piece of paper
At the close Of the first year. 30h of June, lS46 the de-
cency proved much less than expected only amsuntng
to S59709s and at the end Of the second year only to
whilst at the end fthe third year there founda
surplus 232 beyond the proper expenses OF the year.
the very great increase in the service IN each
Of the years This caused not only by an increase OF the
revenues but by reduction Of the expenditures nearly equal
the increase. That however, exceeded the expectation
The increased business in the Offices and the improvement
the under the present rates of postage lead 70 the
conclusion that the 10 cent may be dispensed with al inc
close of the year. if such other notifications oil mat
have been suggested in my former reports should be
adopted In my last annual report estimate was made Of
paying letters which passed through the mails for the
Of the preceding and the October 1885,
which had been made in pursuance Of resolution OF Con-
gess From this appeared that the number letters paying
postage including ship and steamboat letters, ship letters for
warded in the mails dropped letters and printed circulars
amounted So, 49, 4s0an estimate upon the same pnci
pie for the year ending the 30h Of June last would give as
the number Of paying letters 81, 069,075.
The October showed that oneourh and less
than onehrd of the letter postage derived from the III
cent rate Tns taken as the calculation would make
| Ia, 303, 1853 letters paying that rate. E
IT. therefore, that should be dropped the close Of the
present year. there would be loss of 1877 TO Be supplied
from other during the next year.
II scarcely be doubted that with the surplus expected
the close of the present year of 42s 1885, the $200c00
for the hostages of the Government for the next year. the
increase Of correspondence from the reduction IN he rate Oh
postage and the abolition Of the Thanking privilege well
the saving dead letters, prepayment should be required
and the that paid for advertising and for the de-
livery of free letters would enable the Department to meet the
expenditures from its on the 3Oth OF June,
$780, II after that time the business Of the offices shall con-
inue has done since the act OF lS45 which
probable from the rapid increase OF the population and bu
Of the country the Department would not be embarrassed
for the want Of means to meet probable increase IN the
service.
One other consequence expected by the friends OF The act
Of l545 and which relied certain means OF inn
proving the revenue has not been realized. II was conf
IDENTIFY believed that by such reduction in the rae OF postage
the business of expresses would be made unproube and be
abandoned This has not been the The Business is
believed between the principal cities is con,nuedwh much
activity and the revenue seriously impaired by u In re-
cent number Of the Pathfinder" published in Boston, the
names Of two hundred and hiyfve cities and Villages
given which regularly supplied by express met with pack
ages from that city, doubtless conveying letters regularly out
Of the mails The penalties now imposed by law are sui-
Gent for their suppression If proper were placed in the
hands Of the Department for their detection bot Is believed
that no postage which would the OF the
SYSTEM could be adopted sufficiently low to induce them 70
| abandon il.
In settling the rates Of postage is unmporan to have
If IIui-
ted States The fewer the the convenient the
posmasters performing their duties their Offices and less
liable in keeping their accounts and settling them with
the Department Simplicity in the rates. as well as in the
mode of keeping their accounts will promote cheapness
well regularity in the transportation and delivery OF the
mails.
For the suppose axaton the matter conveyed in the
mails should be classified as follows
L. Letter postage should embrace all written communion
TONS under seal not and each sealed packet package
This class is composed Of private confidential
often containing articles Of value, partakng OF ndv
dual than public interest," requiring in their preser
walton, labor in stamping, packing, and enyeopng than
printed natter and always forwarded under lock and key
and should therefore be charged higher uniform rate
Of five for each haounce fraction under, and an
other for each additional hsounce or fraction under,
would be low, in the opinion Of the undersigned they
could be made consistently with the principles above stated
2. Newspapers This class has always been esteemed Of
much importance the public, the best means Of dsse-
minatng intelligence generally among the people, that the
couragng their circulation Heretofore the charge has been
made upon each paper without regard to weight which un
just the publishers well the public; and there Is no
satisfactory why they should not be charged by weight
as well as letters or other sealed packages
This would lead dscontinuance Of the practice OF de-
posting newspapers In the mails before they dy which
renders them liable injury, and their weight greatly
increased from the dampness Of the paper uniform rate
Of upon each ounce fraction under IT. would Be
more just and probably yield uch revenue as the present
rates
o. All other printed matter, Of whaetef nature or kind,
should be rated with double newspaper postage.
Letters containing articles Of value, upon the application
the writer should be registered and receipt taken Tor the
delivery, and triple letter postage charged.
Tie principles suggested for regulating the inland hostages
apply with equal force the foreign, except that the service
Is much expensive and would require increased rate
Uniformity in the rate is not less important in the one than
| the other.
The number and different of charged by
law very announcement the public well to the Off
GERS In the discharge Of their duties
30 charged from California and Oregon
80 cents to from Panama.
"a cents 10 Europe.
30 cents to Chagres,
| l21 cents to Havana.
4 cents when delivered at the ports Of landing.
cents in addition 10 the regular postage when taken in
the mails
cent to the postmaster when sent out Of the country.
is believed that UNIFORM rate Of is cents might be
sdvanageousy adopted for the foreign postage and made a
plcabe territories the Pacific, and produce
venue than the charges now made.
The commercial interest Of the country, the socal and
friendly intercourse existing and daily increasing be-
c.~s~ a.