The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-19

gTOVTqeT thla
act And to Any person who shall desir. - nnr-
chase Of the Postmaster General or of anv denutv
postmaster at any one time, all amount Of gtamps
to the value or fifty dollars or upwards. such
stamps shall be furnished at discount of Ten ner
cent. upon their par value. An deputy DOS tmas-
ters who shall receive at any one time stamps TO
the amount Of fifty dollars, shall be allowed de-
duction of ten per cent. upon the par value.
Sec. 5. find be il further enacted, That there is
hereby appropriated out Of any money in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated the of
one million FIVE hundred thousand dollars to sup
ply any deficiency that may arise in the Post Of
fee Department.
Mr.. POTTER proposed an amendment which
was substitute. ltproposed for letters weighing
not over half an ounce, three cents; and three
cents for each additional half ounce or fraction
thereof. also for newspapers, pamphlets, perio-
ideals, magazines, books, and every description
Of printed matter mot connected with any manu-
script) weighing not over two ounces, one cent,
and for each additional ounce or fraction thereof,
cent. Bound books to be considered mail
able matter under the provisions OF this act, Pro-
rided, that new spapers delivered in the State where
printed shall be charged with only one half Of the
foregoing rates The bill also provides for the
coinage Of three cent pieces. The 4th and 5th
| sections Of the bill, in amendment, like those
Of the original, above. The 9th section provides
for quadruple the above rates, upon letters going
to and coming from ports of the United States in
the Pacific, and treble rates on printed matter.
After some conversation between the Chair,
Messrs. BRowN of Indiana, and ScHENcK,
Mr. POTTER proceeded to address tie Com
mittee. He said the Post Office system was not
established as means Of obtaining revenue TO sup
port the Government. When it paid its way it
answered the object Of it's establishment, il pro-
vidng proper facilities. He for reduction
Of the rates of the present law, and explained the
operation OF low rates in England and in this
country. Under the old rates the revenues would
have been insufficient for the support of the in
creased expenditures OF the Post Office estab llsh-
ment, but under those OF 1915 the revenues ex-
ceeded in 40 and 80, the expenses by one half
million of dollars. reduction of the present
rates, he considered would have a like operation.
The rapid settlement of the country, the improve
NJ ent Of roads, and the great intelligence of our
people, gave assurance Of such al increase of
revenue, az would exceed expenses in five years.
He opposed distinctions in rates with reference to
distances. The main difficulty was in the mailing
and delivery Of letters, and not in the conveyance
of the matter when mailed. He could no
reason why a letter carried hundred miles should
exceed in price those which are carried fifty. AS
to the proposed reduction upon newspapers, he
was not as well satisfied. Seeing reason for
distinguishing in rates according to distance, but
thought some encouragement should be iven to
country newspapers by reducing postage upon
them On account Of the great cost of mail taclIi-
ties to and in California, the rates of postage
should be higher than usual, though the time
would soon arrive for their reduction to the gene
raj standard He opposed distinctions in rates
upon paid and unpaid letters The provisions IN
relation to stamps, would enable booksellers and
others, to purchase them IN quantities Tor pubic
COW enitnce.
MIR. CARTIER proposed amendment pro-
vidng that no postage should be charged on
newspapers mailed and delivered in the same
county; also, to make five cents the rate of postage
and not three.
Mr.. CARTIER regretted to differ with his
colleague but he considered that his pro ect would
bankrupt the Post Office Department. The OBJ
teralng of distinctions in rates would build up
and concentrate literature in the eastern cities.
lie conc CURED with his colleague in this, that the
Post Office Department should be selfsustainlng.
| If he was correctly informed, the bill introduced
provides an appropriation OF one million hve nun
dred thousand dollars.
Mr.. POTTER explained that that sum was in
the treasury. |, was to be applied to the use Of
the Post Office Department.
Mr.. CARTIER resumed, contendIng that the 4.
Q. Department, so far from having brought one
half u million into the treasury, had been an eN-
pense to the Government. The mail steamers the
machinery Of theDeparment proper, were charges
upon the treasury.
He condemned the action Of the President and
Postmaster General in recommending schemes or
eXtravagant expenditures, instead OF those lor
payment Of the public debt. This too, when anoth-
er secretary states to Congress, that with all our
immense revenues, the expenditures would eX-
| reel it by from four 20 eight millions of dollars.
| He regarded the whole scheme as tavoring the
| monster printing embellishments Of the stern
cities 1t would subject the country to political
md literary servty, to newspapers controlled by
black mail. The Post Office Department should
be SELF sustaining, and the rates of postage should
lie gradually reduced If once a charge upon tie
| treasury, the people in sparsely settled parts Of
| the country would be denied additional mail tac
tiles The post masters in the interior towns
held their offices at public solicitation. Under a
system reducing their present nominal pay, they
would throw up their commissions. Mr.. CARTIER
farther maintained, thatthe examples ofth dense
| ly populated countries ct the old world, cannot
| apply in our own country.
| Mr.. ASfIMUN proposed an amendment pro-
vidmg for uniform system, charging two cents
on letters not exceeding half ounce III weight.
and like sum for an additional half or fraction
! thereof also providing for newspapers any diS-
lance in the United States one cent each and for
pamphlets one half cent.
And one half cent for each additional sheet or
fraction thereof Public documents &c lus un-
derstood by the reporter TO be sent nt Govern
ment expenses.
Some con- ersntion here occurred between the
CHAIRMAN and Mr. AsnNrN upon points of order,
respecting the action Of the committee upon the
several amendments proposed
Mr.. VENA BILE next addressed re commit
| tee, advocating IL reduction Of postage MIR. V.
spoke 50 rapidly after turning himself to address
members at his right and left, that but little of his
speech was heard by the reporter. He was in
| favor Of free postage to country papers. lhe
! nope OF the republic was III lhe Iuiul
! They ought not to depend for newspapers upon
Cities those ulcers upon the body polite. Mr.:
VENABLE argued from the practical operation Of
The present tariff, favor Of reduced rates of pos
tage He spoke with great severity of the char
acter Of many city publications., and passed u
high euogium upon the people Of the country.
lie dweIt at considerable length and with much
eoquence upon the manifold advantages Of mail
facilities, in uniting the people in bonds Of broth
erhood and expressed his willingness to vote lb-
orally for those purposes, maintaining that the
people in every part Of the country were equally
taxed for the support of the syste n
Mr. SACKETT proposed an amendment maxi
ing newspaper postage one cent on those published
out of the State one half cent on those published
out Of the county where delivered, and two mills
on papers circulating within the county where
printed.
Mr. SACKETT addressed the committee,
showing that the effect Of the relating to
country papers, would increase the revenue with
out burthening the great mails. lie adduced