The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-11-09

what Es--ias sss sAs Trss.xs sS css.v Postage
sS "1. =. :.s s:s q 's ns.s
more 70 be done BY the fnsnds 81 cheap postage and i
possible that on this account person. may be inclined
,sr ,ss, % wMnho'a ns AZ anasf ns pre-
po.al reform convinced 81 ks and especially the
writer Of these articles. thsy would very ehesuy su.
sas n % he T.: ss year. has
inshon Of the subject will however. convince any one
that the reform il but just commenced. and that much
and should be 10 meet the convenience and wants Of
the people or keep pace with the improvements Of the
age While everything else . advancing for this to be
place in the Post Office Department since is rsi ssiab.
ishment, il except the reduction OF postage in Is45
Il has become unwiedly, ponderous. irregular
chine. which needs 70 De renovated and inspired with
II is true some feeble efforts have been made to reor-
ganize III but nothing has been eectuay done except
esq, in his department Two agents have been sent 70
examine the workings OF the Post Office In Great Britain
and on the continent but not single Improvement
ganzation Of the Post Office is the same that Il was sew
enty years ago, only has grown larger and
weldly and unmansgeable. shall not, in this article,
shall conne my remarks to the reduction Of postage
letters, newspapers and periodicals. iaand and ocean,
foreign and domestic The convenience OF the people
and the prosperity OF the department require this redac-
The inland postage is now five and ten cents, according
to the distance, and % vastly greater than the cost Of
transportation II is falsely imagined that il costs more
to carry letter one thousand miles than does one
hundred, and that distance s why the postage
should be increased Who does not perceive that where
will cost no more to carry hundred letters than ten
Five and tencent postage Ia above the revenue point
and AMOUNTS IN millions Of cases to complete prohibit
50 much s 6s and Is generally
because il 10 carried cheaper and with certainty
than through the Post Office The postage should be
high enough to meet the ordinary expenses OF the depart
ment and yet so low that the poorest person will not
feel il to be q tax. ,oz
In Great Britain where the management Of the Post
is fosr and half mons Of dollars more than
its expenses The of this 10, that the postage
cheap-one penny or two CENTS and no charge Tor de.
to send their letters through the post Office The
why we have 30 few letters passing through Post
Office, in proportion to our population because five and
ten cents too high, and deter many from writing and
even when they do write they seek out cheaper modes Of
conveyance than through the mails
The people OF every section of the Union have, for
more than seven years, been pettonng Congress to
duce letter postage to 1o cents the in Great
Britain Five years ago, instead Of granting their petit
tion they reduced TO i've and ten cents This
what the people required and therefore they have every
session since sent hundreds and thousands Of petitions
asking for two cents The nearest approach towards
meeting their wishes the reports at the last session
made by General Rusk, of the Senate committee, and
Mr.. Durkee, "a minority report0 Of the House COM
mitee Each Of these able reports alike credabe to the
heart and head Of the writers, recommended, 10 strong
terms, uniform rate Of f0o cents prepaid, and the
ducton OF postage on newspapers periodicals. and books
But these reports not acted upon, and nothing
done to meet the wishes OF the people, although Con-
gress remained in session ten months. =. e mi
The friends OF cheap postage, neither discouraged
discounted by the indifference the opposition OF their
unfahu representatives determined 10 keep the SUBJ
ect before Congress until majority is obtained who will
grant the prayer Of their petition They feel and know
that they right in their demands. Experience and
facts have proved that the prosperity and usefulness Of
the Post Office Department, well as the best and
highest interests OF the people, have been promoted by
this measure. Hence they will not calling upon
Congress TO reduce the postage 90 low that will
consider il any longer TO be burden that letters and
newspapers may be circulated almost as free as the air
breaihe that intelligence BY the pen and press may be
communicated from end Of the Union to the other
without any feeling that II is upon his cores
pondence, business or the social affections.
We wish 10 be distinctly understood that by cheap
postage we mean
l. uniform rate Of two eewts prepaid, on all letters
weighing half an ounce.
q Newspapers cent each TO any part OF the Union
3. Periodicals and pamphlets one cent an ounce.
T. Publishers allowed fifty per cent discount upon the
prepayment OF postage and publishers Of periodicals. 10
enjoy the same privileges publishers of newspaper
s. A. radical reduction OF postage on Ocean, Oregon,
and California letters. ROWLAND HILL,