The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-06

lagos are given, which regularly supplied by e1
son1ssns regularly out Of
mails The penalties now imposed by law sum.
oient for their suppression proper placed
but is believed that rate Of postage which would
cover the expenses Of the system could be adopted
sufficiently low to induce them to abandon It.
In settling the rates postage it is not
10 nave them correspond with the current and legal
coins Of the United States The fewer the rates. the
more convenient to the postmasers In performing their
duties In their offices, and less liable keeping
their accounts and them with the
keeping their accounts will promote cheapness as well
In the transportation and delivery of the
For the purpose of taxation the matter in
the mails should be classified as follews:-
FiraILstter postage should embrace all written
COMMUNICATIONS, under seal not, and each sealed
packet or package. This class is composed of private
CONFIDENTIAL communications often CONTAINING articles
OF value partaking more of individual than public in
terest requiring more in their preservation more
labor in stamping packing and enveopng than print
ed matter and are always forwarded under lock and
key; and should therefore, be charged at a higher
rate uniform rate of i've cents for each half ounce
fraction under and another rate each
opinion of the undersigned as they could be made
consistently with the principles above stated.
Second-Newspapers. This class has always been
esteemed of so much Importance to the public the
beet means Of disseminating intelligence generally
among the peoples the lowest rate has always been
applied for the purpose of encouraging their cirsua
ton. Heretofore, the charge has been made upon
each paper without regard to weight which Is unjust
to the publishers we'll the public; and there is
satisfactory why they should be charged By
weight, we'll letters and other sealed PACKAGES
This would lead to Of the practice of
depositing newspapers in the mails before they ars
dry which renders them more liable to injury, and
their weight is greatly increased from the of
the paper A uniform rate of one cent upon each
ounce or fraction under It, would be more just, and
probably yield much revenue the present rates.
Thtrd-Allother printed matter of whatever nature
Cnnt nj off, uo fna
application of the writer, should be registered and
receipt taken for the delivery and triple letter postage
charged
The principles suggested for regulating the inland
postage apply with equal force to the foreign except
require increased rate Uniformity In the rate is
not less imp 0rtant in the than in the other The
number and different amount of rates charged
by law are very nconvenent to the public, we'll
to the officers in the discharge of their duties Forty
cents now charged to from California and Ore
cents to Europe twenty cents to Chagres twelve and
half cents to Havana; six cents when delivered at
the ports Of landing; two cents in addition to the
gulaY postage when taken in the mails; cent to
the postmaster when sent out of the country. It is
believed that one uniform rate Of fifteen cents might
be advantageousy adopted for the foreign postage and
made applicable to Territories the Pacific, and
produce more revenue than the charges now made.
The commercial interests of the country, the social
and friendly intercourse existing and daily in
creaspg between the citizens of the United States and
the people Of other countries would be greatly pro-
NOTED by the adoption Of that some rate less
than is at present charged This would probably soon
be adopted other countries having engaged
in similar service. Newspapers and other printed
ter sent from or received into the United States might
be rated with double the inland postage on similar
mailable matter.
In addition, the Postofice Department. under the
direction of the President should have power to raise
or lower these rates of postage whenever it becomes
countries and to impose restrictions upon the vessels
of any foreign nation When such powers are given
to the poocss in other countries such restrictions
may deprive the vessels Of the United States of any
participation in carrying letters This was done by
order from the Lords of the Treasury, in Great
Britain the 9th of June, 184 preceding the arrival
of the Washington at Southampton and which had
the effect to deprive that vessel of any reasonable
share Of the business between this country ing
land or France. That order remained in force more
than year. against all our remonstrance be-
fore q law could be passed to meet the ncy.
If the proposed reductions to be made. and the
Department required to sustain ITSELF it is DISPENSE
is greater and exclusively used than any
former period and as the privilege Is enlarged the
matter sent through the mails necessarily requires
higher and expensive grade of service, to enable
the contractors to transport it. 1t is not unusual for
coach service to be demanded on routes yielding
parativey nothing for the transportation of public
documents and other free matter. Over route
double daily line of four. horse post coaches has be-
indispensable. Some estimate may be formed Of
the additional expense of transportation from the
days from NJ the 9th until the 18th ia day August
last, inclusive, $50 bags Of free matter, weigh
ing $3.50 pounds averaging daily 5o7s pounds passed
through his Office. Upon inquiry it appears that, be-
tween the LIST of Dec and the LIST Of Oct last there
sent from the two Houses Of Congress, through the
mails about five millions of copies of speeches and
other matter, weighing under two ounces, and about
hundred and seventy thousand public docu-
the House of Represe natives and there remaned to
be forwarded more than one-haf Of the public docu
ments ordered to be printed at the last session Such
mass Of matter thrown upon the mails, must neces
sarly add to the cost Of transportation retard the
progress OF the mails aud produce great proportion
of the failures that made on the uuimproved routes
the sections of the country But this not