The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-18

they bad not
Mr.. WESTCOTT / desire to give notice, then, sir.
that will propose amendment to the clause relating
To newspaper postage. shall propose to amend the
clause providing that newspapers not weighing
ounce and half and not sent than fifty miles from
the office of publication, shall be charged with one half
cent postage only to provide that newspapers sent
by mail to any post office in the congressional district in
which the office of publication of the Isl" shall be
charged with one half cent postage only.
In giving notice of this amendment,
MIR: w said AT the last session OF Congress bill
containing the principle before the Senate.
The same objection was made to il in principle which
now make and after debate, the Senate decided ex
pressy against the principle contained in this bill, TO
which have referred II is that at the last session
the bill proposed exempted newspapers circulating with
in thirty miles of the office of publication from postage
objected to it, sir because it entirely and exclu-
svey for the benefit OF that portion of the Union which
thickiy popalaed where village pub
llshed which circulate only in their immediate vicinity
1t unequal with regard to the States where there
are not so many newspapers, and consi Tered 1T unjust
simply give notice of the amendment, as one which
shall offer at another time AS to the amendment now
now pending, am perfectly satisfied with it..
Mr. NILES. | do not wish TO discuss the details OF
the bill now. merely wish for action upon the amend
ments offered in the name Of the committee Ii adopted
as hope they will be- shall not object to postponing
the bill that it may be printed with the amendments This
isa subject which, the senator must see, IS of great
importance. We had it under consideration, occa-
sonally, for the whole of the last session The great
merits of the bill depend upon details. should like TO
have the amendments acted upon; and if adopted should
like TO have the bill printed that it may be laid before
the Senate the committee would present it for their
consideration, and in a connected form.
! Mr. PEARCE There are some amendments to the
bill Tor which shall vote when they shall be Offered
The amendment proposed by the chairman OF the com
mitee to me entirely appropriate to be offered at
the ent time-havng received the unanimous appro
baton OF the committee That amendment refers to the
postage letters sent received by believe the
senator from Connecticut Mr. NmEs] has sufficiently
explained it, BY the postal treaty with. Great Britain
certain of postage adopted for letters sent
ceived by the British mail steamers, or BY our own mail
steamers, to and from Great Britain The object of the
by to whatever country they may go. 1t is mani
testify proper that we should not have one rate of postage
for letters, or papers, sent to or received from Great
Britain and another rate for letters papers sent TO
received from other countries beyond the seas The
object of the amendment is TO eq9alize postage IN
the amendments from the committee should be adopted
that the bill may be printed amended by the commit
tee and hope, therefore, that the gentleman will re-
serve his objections to the amendment until after the
whole bill. amended, shall have been printed
| Mr. DAYTON. have no objection
| The question being then taken upon the amendment
proposed by Mr. NILES to the amendment reported from
he committee, relative to foreign letter postage, it was
| agreed TO-
That publishers of newspapers and periodicals shall be
entitled to receive free OF postage, one copy OF any other
newspaper or periodical in exchange for their own publ
cation, and have the privilege OF sending bills against their
in their papers periodicals free OF postage
Mr.. ~ explained the object of this amendment, which
simply proposed 10 extend the privilege OF exchange
to publishers of periodicals now extended to pub
| fishers OF newspapers.
The question being taken upon the amendment was
Mr. ~ moved further to amend the amendments of
the committee by substituting two ounces Tor San
ounce and half" in the clause relating to newspaper
postage; which amendment was agreed to-
The question being stated upon the amendments OF the
| committee as amended
had up the question OF newspaper postage which we
discussed very fully. | then offered an amendment TO
give the weekly newspapers circulation Tree OF postage
ton The chairman OF the committee proposes to charge
that class of newspapers called weekly Ut understand
the pill correctly ha cent o am IN favor
however, may not be able TO accomplish this, pro-
pose for the present TO offer an amendment approaching
published weekly only" that the class of newspapers
which shall have this benefit shall be confined to those
published weekly propose also, to strike out the
newspapers published weekly charged with a
quarter of cent postage. 1t seems to me that this is
| high enough.
repeai, am in favor of their circulating free; but if
that be accomplished, propose to reduce il TO
quarter OF cent and when the senator introduces the
amendment to have them circulate free, will vote for
| Mr. NILES ] wish my friend from New York would
waive his amendment until the bill comes up for final
action that involved the great principle OF the BILL
The principle every gentleman knows is founded upon
the idea that the low rate of postage may be made IN pro-
of time productive OF revenue as higher rate
but to give effect TO IT. everything that goes through The
Mr. DICKINSON. see much force in the remark of
the senator from COnncCt1cuI, ltat ii we get low
rate of postage everything that passes through the
mail must pay something's and was in hopes that 1t
would meet the appreciation of the honorable chairman
of the committee who understands this question well,
that this kind of circulation should pay quarter of
cent do not wish to embarrass the bill, will by
any amendment at this time. AT the suggestion of the
chairman | will withdraw them for the present. and
offer them at some future stage OF this bill
The question being then taken upon the amendments
reported by the committee, amended by the Senate
they were adopted
Mr. NILES moved further TO amend the original bill
in The first section by striking out all that portion of IL
which relates postage letters Except drop letters
and substituting the following: eHt
Letters conveyed by mail any distance in the United
States, shall tie charged with postage by weight and ac
cordng their letters weighing not exceeding hail
shall pay rate OF three cents, 70 be prepaid and
five cents ii not prepaid; letters weighing more thah
halt ounce, and exceeding snail Two
rates cents be prepaid, and ten cents II not pre-
paid letters weighing than ounce, and not
ccedmg ounces shall four rates. twelve cents to
exceeding ounces in weight shall pay additional
postage OF four rates. twelve cents for additional
ounce, fractional part thereof, ii prepaid and twenty
| cents if not prepaid"
ton AS the bill reported, fixes upon cents if
prepaid, the rate OF postage for any letter not weigh
ng more than half ounce, and the like sum for any
additional hall ounce fractional part thereof adherng
TO the rule OF progress for any addition that might
be made The amendment offered departs IRON that rule
Its progression the increasing ratio, the treaty
with Great Britain, adopting part OF their principle OF
progresson although carrying TO the extent
Their reasoning is this: They Adopt penny as the
first rate Tor letters not exceeding hall ounce IN weight
one penny for the second rate, not exceeding half
ounce, following The same rule; then they commence
duplicating the postage One charged two
rates when they get to two ounces, then
n md ,t a