The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-09-26

Several petitions have been referred 10 the
Committee, coming from publishers OF newspa-
pers and periodicals, which are entitled to re-
spectful consideration. IL has always been the
policy Of the Government to adopt cheap postage
in relation to newspapers, and in this respect ne
set the example to Great Britain and Europe
Newspaper postage has always been cheap 10
proportion to the size and weight Of the paper
But Great Britain has outstripped us at last !;
for when the cheap postage system went into ope-
ration, the postage on newspapers was taken of
entirely; so that they can now be sent TO any
part of the United Kingdom free Of postage.
Some Of the petitioners ask that newspapers
may be sent free for thirty miles from the place
Of publication. This we believe to be an inviai-
Gus distinction for why should not the man who
happens to reside thirty-oas miles from the place
of publication, have his papers as free as his
neghbor, who resides thirty miles7 And, indeed,
there is reason, if one man has his papers free,
that another, and indeed all should not enjoy the
same privilege at whatever distance or place they
may reside Although the postage on newspapers
is by the present rates comparatively cheap yet
they are not sent free, we recommend reduction
to one ce,a for all distances, prepaid, when not
sent from the place Of publication, and one cent
per ounce for all periodicals aud pamphlets. Pub
fishers, if they prefer to prepay should be allow
ed a liberal discount say at least so per cent or
more as an inducement to prepay the postage on
their papers and publications.
Few of the petitions referred to the Committee
ask for the abolition of the Thanking privilege
This has been urged, year after year, by the Post
Office Department and by the petitions of the
People. After mature deliberation, the under
signed are of the opinion, that while the members
of Congress should not be taxed with postage, yet
the Correspondence Of the People should not be
burdened with the heavy tax of transporting
their letters and documents free of charge Every
thing passing through the mail should pay fair
rate of postage, aud whatever relates to any OF
the Departments Of the Government, and to the
public interest, should be paid from the Treasury
la conclusion, the undersigned cannot forbear
expressing, what in their opinion must appear OBJ
vious to every philosophie mind. We live in an
age of progress and improvement. The past has
been signalized by its triumphs of genius and in
vention. Witness the subjugation of steam and its
application to the diversified objects and interest
Of every enlightened community. Ii is made TO
impart life and energy to the Iron Horse that can
travel, even when harnessed to the longest trains
Of cars, at the rate Of hundred miles hour day
and night, like the pulsations of the heart with
out cessation or rest, and yet without fatigue. So
of the more subtle element the lightning which
in its wild career had held undisturbed sway in
the atmospheric world for tho1ss.... 3 ,ss7s S6Ss
been bridled, tanned, and made the passive agent
of man. in the diffusion of new ideas and hopes
all indicating that the future is to be no less dis
tinguished by intellectual and moral achieve
ments A new era is just beginning to dawn
upon our Republic and the whole world, refulgent,
il is hoped, with the most benefcent results 10
our race. The People fast coming to under
stand that postal reforms and mail taciluvs bear
the same relation to JortifeatioRs and armies, that
{" free schools do to prisons and peauemiaries-
af II 10 xuioa apJ nor politic IN educata tho
People in proper manner, than to be under the
necessity of restraining the immoral and vicious,
after they have become such under the unfortu.
nate influence of profigate education.
The undersigned are sanguine in the opinion,
however Utopian it may appear to Others that
if the Penny Postage System could be made ma
tional and International, together with liberal COM
mercal intercourse it would not only sustain itself
by it's own revenue but that it would at no distant
period supersede the necessity of all The armies and
nautes of The ,ooyd. What stronger guarantees of
peace could we have, than the removal of jealousy
and hatred, the very elements of ware In other
words, what stronger Notifications or bulwarks
could we rear to protect US from domestic violence
foreign aggression, than those Of the moral af-
fections, and the social qualities of the mind,
which this great measure seeks to develop? The
extension of epistolary correspondence would re-
suit in the extension of civilization and commerce,
and especially So if We should at some future pc
Rod be able to make favorable treaties with other
nations for the establishing of Ocean Penny Post
age, and thus become instrumental in the redemp-
ton of millions of our fellow men, in carrying to
them the light of intelligence and the blessings
of Christianity
Entertaining these views, the undersigned would
earnestly and respectfully urge upon Congress the
passage of a law reducing the rates of postage on
iettesS, newspapers, periodicals, and pamphlets,
IL IL 4.
pose, in accordance with the prayer of the petit
TONERS. CHARLES DURKEE.
Bill for the reduction of postage letters PERI
odicais, and pamphlets.
Be IL enacted by the Senate and House of Represe,t-
dtipes of the United States Of America IN Congress
assembled, That from and after the first day of
-, eighteen hundred and fifty, the postage
on all letters shall be as follows All letters, not
exceeding half an ounce in weight, conveyed
any distance within the United States, shall be
charged with two cents postage, and like sum
for every additional half ounce, fractional part
thereof, the postage being prepaid in all cases
and all drop letters, letters to be delivered at
the Office where deposited shall be charged with
one cent postage, to be prepaid.
SEC. 2. And be II further enacted, That it shall be
the duty Of the Postmaster General to provide
suitable letter stamps for the prepayment of post
age, of the several denominations of two, four,
and ten cents and such others as he may deem
expedient, and cause them to be furnished, and
kept for sale, in each of the post offices of the
United States and any deputy postmaster, who
shall fail by his neglect to have the same for
sale, by any person applying therefor, shall be
liable to a penalty Of five dollars for every such
failure, to be recovered by the person SO apply
ing That any person who shall counterfeit,
alter, or forge, any letter stamps, or shall know
ngy have in his possession any such false, forged
or altered letter stamps, with intent to sell use
the same as genuine, shall be deemed to be guilty
of felony, and be punished by fine not exceed
ing FIVE hundred dollars, or by Imprisonment not
exceeding five years.
Sec 3. And be u further enacted, That the post
age on newspapers shall be charged, for any dis
lance in the United States, one cent and perodi-
calls and pamphlets shall be charged half cent
for each ounce, and the same for every additional
half ounce or fractional part thereof; handbills
and circulars shall be charged letter postage, pre-
paid, and all newspapers not cent from the office
Of publication shall be charged one cent, pre- paid
And pro,id.d, also, that bound books may be car.
ried in the mails on prepayment of one cent per
ounce.
SIC a. And be u further enacted, That if the
publishers of newspapers, periodicals, and PAM
phlets desire to prepay the postage on depositing
them at the post Office, they shall be allowed dis
count of fifty per cent for all such newspapers,
periodicals, or pamphlets deposited, and paid for
SEC. 5. And be further enacted That II, by rea-
son of this act, the compensation of any deputy
postmaster shall be reduced below the present
rate, the Postmaster General is hereby author
lied, at his discretion, to increase such compensa-
tion as far as justice may require, having regard
for the amount of labor, and the character Of the
service performed; provided that the whole
amount Of compensation in any year shall not
exceed the amount allowed in the same office in
the fiscal year ending the first day Of July, 1850,
and whenever a new post Office shall be estab. |
lished the Postmaster General may fix the amount
of annual compensation of the deputy postmaster