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

This rate is exclusive OF the foreign postage chageabe
such letters. And all letters conveyed any place in
the United States any foreign county in packet
ma-shlp belonging any foreign TO the citizens
thereof and employed by such power to transport its mall
shall be charged with the rate of five cents the
"a manner Aforesaid and all letters Conveyed
IN such foreign packet or mail ship from any ioregn coan
try, 10 aay pou place in the United States shall be
onn par tbnrso g a s .o posted or nailed At
place IN the upited States Tor any foreign country or Tue
ship whether owned by ciizei,s OF the Uni
ted States, or citizens OF foreign corntry ana no employ
Ave cents po,tsgs the halounce in manner aioesad
be pre-I~d and all letters conveyed such private
vessel ship, from foreign country to the United
States and posted place in the United States, shall
be charged with the like postage OF 1--WE cents the haonce
And all newspapers conveyed from the Uated States
any fore ign country, the Pacific OF the United
nssd IN any ssses o. Steamship
pablo mail shall be charged with two cents postage Tor
each spaperno addition being made for inland post
a4e and all pamphlets, magazines, or books conveyed
eigu country the Pacific of the United States
from any oregn county, or The Pacic coast TO ay place
ounces pay two postage and for
additional OUNCE or fractional part ,heieoino addition be-
! ing charged for inland postage.
The amendment having been real,
MIR. NILES said presume the Senate will get very
little of correct idea OF that section barely from hearing
il read and will therefore explain II, very lew
words.
BY the reciprocal treaty with Great Britain, have
established the rate OF postage on all letters conveyed IN
steamers, or theirs TO that country at sixteen cents
for tile colye vance, with the additional provision that
the inland postage in the United States shall be five
cents, and that OF England three cents; making the
whole charge twenty four cents. The whole combined
postage upon letters going there in our steamers, or
THEIRS is the same; and were under the necessity
of adopting these rates intercourse with Great
Britain the committee thought it best to make the same
rule apply TO all other countries We have therefore
adopted uniform rate all foreign letters convey
ed in our own mails Of twenty-one cents whether
TO Great Britain or any other country where have
established mail lines This twenty CENTS in CON
sequence OF the inland postage, is uniform, SO that
a person at Cincinnati can send to, and receive n
| letter from, Liverpool from Greenwich or any
part of the continent, al precisely the same rate OF
postage residing in New York. The same, too,
with regard letters received from foreign countries
Being DESTROYS to preserve much uniformity as posi-
BILE, the committee made discrimination between let
tiers received at New York from abroad, and those
which may be received any distant point in the coun-
try, fixing the inland postage out OF the United States IN
all cases at five cents
That section provides further in regard to letters not
conveyed in foreign mails to the United States, where
we cannot control the postage except the inland post
age) adherng to the same principle so lar ms we are aoe
and fixing the rate of letters thus conveyed at i've cents
the whole charge that impose upon them Ot
course they will be subject TO the rates OF foreign post
age-which is sixteen cents between here and Great
Britain the only country that has mail line with he
United States.
Then there is further provision that section of the
bill with regard to letters conveyed in private vessels
which do carry the public mails, That section IS
limited letters actually posted in the United States
those that received when the vessel comes INTO port
and those that go from the post office to the ship, liking
| it at five cents, including inland postage that in all
parts of the United States the postage will be the same
AS that section covers the whole subject OF foreign
postage theres another provision in it regard to
papers, pamphlets, and magazines, With regard TO the
postage that kind of mallable matter, we have IKE
wise been governed by the treaty. That treaty fixes the
of postage newspapers, without regard to their
weight Any newspaper pass the rate OF pen
NY Eng curency and nave adopted the rate Of two
cents-as the same amount as we can get lhisls
very low POSTAGE and the committee had some doubts as
TO whether it was not too low, both Tor inland and
ship postage But, considering that the bill proposed to
reduce the postage on newspapers TO one cent or me
highest rates. and half cent for the lowest, on the
whole they thought it would be better to let the rate
stand at two cents for postage including the INLAND
postage so that newspapers as Well as letters can pe IN
roduced from any foreign country into part OF the
United States uniform rate of posage and the same
with regard to those going out oil the country
In relation to pamphlets the postage system IS rather
singular one. They adopt very low rate Gone penny
for The st ounce, and then rise on RAPID scale to
higher rate for each additional We have adopted
their rule in part: we propose the rate OF TWO cents
which confined 10 by the treaty as far as England
is concernedfor the first rate, and increasing the post
age this mailable matter according TO weight as pam
phets and periodicals. in all instances will weigh more
than We propose to advance as the rate m
creases but continue that rate progression as the
English laws DO ,s simply n e The a0qp s ra Se
is two ounces. They convey to the United States for
one penny; and own law based upon the opposite
principle entirely which is TO fix certain rate Tor the
first ounce and half cent for each succeeding ounce.
The English uniformly act different principle from
us; and for very good reasons, in my opnlon-partcuI
larry as regafuS lctteI5 ms - suoJ1o. " "ihe
shall call the attention of the Senate when i comes up
for debate With regard to this provision OF the 6lii'
think is very liberal and on the whole about whal II
ought be-xing the first rate ot two ounces at Two
cents, and adding for all beyond that two cents
an ounce This progression IS considerably below
the English practice, according to their laws Inc
first rate on this class of matter is two ounces, which
is penny in England; and we have bound ourselves
BY treaty impose rates higher than theirs But we
may propose lower if choose; and this bill does pro-
pose lower in progression 1t proposes to adopt their
rule with regard TO the first ratetwo ounces-and to
add two cents ounce Tor all beyond that anu every
fraction OF ounce. -.
! Mr. DAYTON. 1t is certainly very desirable, MT
President that this bill be acted promptly is aill
more desirable that it be acted ntegiby. Now, II
understand the amendment made by the senator from
Connecticut Mr. NILES and that portion OF his remarks
relation to the subject of foreign postage he has offered an
entire new BILL regulating the whole matter as applying
TO letters, newspapers periodicals. and everything oil mat
description, and likewise as affecting the quesuoh OF
| franking This amendment is most Important one, ana
am perfectly satisfied that the senators have not been
prefer to have the amendment laid the table, and print
ed for the use of the Senate and will move TO mat
effect
Mr. NILES desired the senator to withdraw his mo-
ton.
| Mr. NILES then proceeded to say: There can be no
more favorable time for action upon this amendment u
will give their attention The original amend
menis of the committee have been printed anu PoDa-
bly, they have been examined sufficiently by senators
This bill is calculated to excite great deal OF m
erest here notwithstanding its Importance Alhough
proposes great good to the country 1t ~ not maef
calculated 10 attract great deal OF attention here Inc
amendments have been printed, and THIS amenueh' w',u
regard 10 the ranking privilege is also printed 40
not propose to press the latter amendment at all put