The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-09-21
From the New York Tribune
Cheap Postage.

before Congress, tor adding 10 the comior,
and convenience Of the American People,
cheap postage--lhat Is q we'll organized
system, with checks that insure strict &C
counisblity, with reasonable recompense
to every eff 'er OF other person necessarily
employ ed -stnnds 10 point OF utility nellh.
er last DOR least. We all feel how pleasant
the half ounce system, with it's envelopes ls
and when receiving a letter a, Eve or ten
cents, for which We paid fifty or seventy
FIVE, (f double or treble, as they called il,
though perhaps TO, Weighing half an ounce
II affords encouragement t0 make ne ef.
forts still further to Improve social una.
chine 10 tho edvantsges Of which every in.
dvldus ind family appear to have CON
mon partnership.
Mr.. Leayitt Secretary to the Boston
cheap. postage Assoc ion, has addressed
circular to US on this interesting sub.
Jet, IN which he states that the i'm.
mediate csuee of the failure Of Tie bill
OF last session was a DIVISION smHg lis
friends as 10 whether newspapers should b.
sent tfee-ibsi Is, without the Postmaster
being paid anything for his trouble IL de.
llyerlng them, or the Department for the
cost OF carrying them. For the sske OF
Unanimi'y, this proportion night have been
stricken out
Mr.. Ashnun's eEcel|en, proposition, as
an amendment, 10 the House bill, WAS to
have a uniform rate Of letter postage
throughout the united States, without re.
gard TO dlstsnce-each half ounce letter
Tor less weight two cents if prepaid, or
four cents II unpaid, and in these proper.
tons for heavier letters; stamps for pre-.
paymen! TO be kept q, every Posi-, Office,
and every Postmaster to be paid 10 pro.
portion to the labor be performs.
Here was a plain, simple, practical PRO.
posal, OF unusual importance 10 every class
/ Of persons, almost invaluable TO many trades
and professions, and which has succeeded
admirably 10 Great Britain, Welding FIVE
mlilions Of profit, lost by two votes, one OF
hese being the present Postmaster. Geuer.
al--ayes 81, noes 62-and this solely 90
The ground that equitable letter postage
vas no, coupled With ano her TO carry news
papers for nothing.
In Major HJbble's very able report on
the business Of the Department, he shows
tina, newspapers are already charge TO II
OF three hundred end eighty three Thousand
SIX hundred and sixty seven dollars; to
send all papers free OF charge, would in
crease this 10 a million.
Mr.. Lsav,ts circular submits the fol.
lowing suggestions:
! VIII il be en- advantage TO the publish.
ere 10 have newspapers carried free OF pos
tage'
Is it practicable TO secure equal atten
ton in fsithtUlness IN the Post Offices, when
no postage i. paid,
sIhe advantage Of free circulation to &C.
crus to the publishers CT to the public I
OIl OF VIVA, fund should the stir OF
81 Isl 600, tic actual cost to the Pos,.Of.
Tee, be betrayed Shall II be, as al present,
| by tax upon letters, or shall It come FROM
the general treasury, by appropriation for
that purpose
Suppose oil papers are 10 pass free that
circulate in places not more than 80 miles
from the printing oflice:
Ii il is the general policy Of the Govern
meni 10 carry the greater part of the news.
papers gratis, for the diffusion of informa.
ton, Is It consistent TO impose tax on c
part, as hindrance to this diffusion
1.-The freedom OF opinion aud Of discussion
be essential to the preservation Of political Ii.
berly, 10 it proper for the Government to
coerce the people TO take certain newspa
pcTs BY compelling them to Fay a dIscts,l.
mating tax upon others
Dyes not the impractical iiity Of a Just
discrimination establish the principle nj
Uniform Postage, as the only right rule
tha, all should be free or ell charged alike 7
The Boston Association propose:
|. That the uniform rate Of postage on
newspapers should be one cent, paid IN ad.
rance.
2. All regular subscribers to be allowed
to pay their postage quarterly in ddrance.
Otherwise the postage to be doubled, or The .
publisher notified to stop the paper.
8. All papers not scot TO regular sub
scrlbets TO be paid in advance al The office
where they are ma,led-eScept the usual
free exchange papers, which vii, be con
tlnued of course.
4 Publishers prohibited from including
occasional papers IN the bundles cent TO
disorders.
3. To facilitate the pre- payment Of pos
age on occasional wrappers, lei the Post.
Office furnish Stamped strips Of wrappers,
or one cent each, to be used in all cases
kept for papers sent TO subscrlbers.-
These TO be kept for sale al every pos! Of !
ice.
G. |, would probably be for the interes. a
# the department 10 sell these newspaper .
lamps in quantities of 600 or more, lib Il
raj reduction Of one.fourlh, or even one
aIi-ihe increase of business more than Ii
ompensa,lng for the discount. II
This would secure the paymen. Of pos e
age on all papers sent BY mail, and pre-. "
ent the mails from being bu,dened with a
seIess trash. II would facilitate the cir L
ulsiIon OF newspapers for purposes of ad .
eriisipu eler tioneerlnp and other objects +