Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-10-29
From the Baltimore American

The following gentleman of the Editorial
, Corps of Maryland were present:
George Kea!nge, Esq, of the Hartford
: Madisonian
John Braddock, Esq, Of the Rockville
Journal.
John Cox. Esq, of the Hartford Gazette.
BeaIe Ii. Richardson, Esq, of the BaIti
more Republican aud Argus.
David Schley, Esq, Of the Frederick Ex-
aminer.
VIM. Fort, Esq, of the Howard Gazette.
John Schofeld, Esq, of the Howard Ga
ze.e.
Josiah Knodle, Esq, Of the Boonsboro'
Odd Fellow.
JAS. Winga'e, Esq, of the Maryland Law
Reporter.
q. S. Riley, Esq, of the Annapolis Re-
Geo. W. Wilson, Esq, of the Marlboro
Gazette.
VIM. II. Bowdle, Esq, Of the Cambridge
Democrat.
J. A. Johnson, Esq, Of The Eastern Gaz-
elite.
J. NJ. Frazier, Esq, Of the Cambridge
Chronicle.
E. Wells, Esq, of the Por. Tobacco
Times.
On motion Of Mr.. Kea.inge, H. n. Gal
lagher, Esq, Of the Virginia Free Press, J.
B. Spencer, ESQ., late editor Of the Centre
vile, (Md.) Times. and D. Hanlon, Esq, Of
The Reformer, were invited to seats in the
Convention.
On motion, the Chair appointed the fol-
following named gentlemen committee to
prepare and report business for the action Of
the Convention VIM. Fort, Esq, Geo. w.
Wilson, Esq, and John Braddock, Esq
The Committee retired, and after a short
absence returned and made the following
report on the subject of cheap Postage:
We desire plainly but respectfully to re-
present, that we deem The present system Of
Postage as standing in the way Of diffusion
Of knowledge. and therefore subverslve of
of the bes, interests of the nation. 1t is the
duty Of Congress TO remove every impedi-
ment in the way of scattering information
among the people. There should be the
utmost freedom of communication between
our citizens in all parts of our vast territory.
1t is this, and nothing but this, that will
bind nation together. Letter post
age should be reduced TO the lowest posi-
BILE rate, and to secure this we regard the
system of prepayment as preferable. The
iranhcu matter on Congress shonld be paid
for by the United States Treasury, and the
Pos. Office Department relieved Of this
unjust burthen. That Department is now
taxed with part of the expense of a branch
Of the Governmcnt-he Legislatve-and i,
would be as reasonable TO charge the Pos,
|Office Department with the carriage of naval
and military stores on our railroads and
steamboats,
But the Committee particularly call at,en-
ton to the postage on newspapers, as being
unequal, oppressive and tending to abridge
their usefulness.
| Newspapers, in the present advanced state
of religion, politics, science and art, in the
United States, are indispensable to the peo-
pie. They cannot do without them Eve
rylhing now goes to the people through the
newspaper; and in this day Of hurry il is of
the utmost importance that they be inform
ed of every public event as frequently and
and rapidly as possible. People in cities
and large villages read six papers where
they used 10 read but one, or perhaps none
They have ospostage to pay. Their pa
pers are delivered by carriers, or sent by
railroad and steamboa. as bundles of mer-
chandze. But the citizens Of the country
cannot afford to take daily, or even a week
| ly paper, because the postage would be as
much, and in some cases more, than The pa
per itself They are Therefore deprived Of
the information, however important to them,
while Others enjoy it.
| Yet hey pay taxes TO make and keep in
repair the roads over which their more fs-
vored lellow-cilizens receive their daily or
weekly news. Papers should circulate free
Of postage in the Congressional Districts in
which they are published. The local press
of each State would thu. be fostered, and
without. it the talent and resources Of the
country can never be developed If it be
objected tina, the Department could not sus-
tain so large draft as this would throw
upon it, then let the Government make up
the deficiency. The government, now makes
large appropriations for our Naval and Mill
lary Schools, for ChapIains and Teachers
on board our National vessels, and at our
Military Stations, for Lighthouses along our
Coasts, and for other similar expenses. To
these we do not object, but if teachers and
books and lights are afforded to one portion
of the people, Newspspers-the peoples
book-should be afforded to the vhoze peo-
pie.
We venture to affirm that no portion of
the great industrial classes Of the nation is
contributing more to the public welfare than
editors and publishers Of periodicals. For
the purpose of scattering intellectual light,
the number Of papers has been vastly in
creased in every section Of this Union, with