The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-12-12


the Pacific coast an officer Of the greatest know
ledge and experience in mail arrangements anu
| in the principles and rules of the Department
governing the making of contracts, for the pur-
pose Of being there associated with the local agent
in organizing the service at the outset ana piacing
il on a proper basis for the future charge ana
management of such agent If the local agent Is
TO be continued in charge of the service MS salary
should be increased to an amount better CORES
pOnding with the high prices prevailing IN Cali
fornia.
In view of the time required to communicate
with Oregon and our newly acquired territories,
the following modification of the post ONCE laws
is urgently recommended
/. That the contract and fiscal year for the
Post Office Department. in respect to the service
in California Oregon, New Mexico and Utan, De
changed and that it commence ana emu tnree
months earlier than for the rest OF the ohion, 50
that the returns, accounts AMI all oth'r STATE
ments for the last quarter Of the fiscal year IN that
portion of the Union can be made to the Generai
Post Office in Washington, in time, atter Deing
duly audited to be embraced in the annual re-
ports submitted at the opening OF Congress
2 That authority be given to the special agent
in that country to open, at San Francisco 'ne
dead letters returned from the offices IN Jail
fornia and Oregon, and there dispose OF them' as
is now done at the General Post once uhuer
such regulations and restrictions AS the foS'has'er
General may prescribe For this purpose elerk,
or clerks, with suitable salarles ehouiu NC "i0"'
to the special agents
A considerable reduction of letter postage and
the adoption of a uniform inland rate, Is desired
by large portion of the people OF the united
States Interesting and able reports, recommend
ing different degrees Of reduction were made, pu'
not acted upon, at the last session oil Congress
The subject will doubtless again engage the at
tention Of Congress ut its approaching session
and with an earnest desire that our rates OF post
age may be reduced TO the lowest point that IS
practicable without calling for contribution from
the Treasury beyond what should be paid for the
transmission and delivery Of the official and pub
lie correspondence recommend that the inland
letter hostage be reduced to three cents the single
letter when prepaid and be ixed at the uniform
rate of five cents when not prepaid and, also,
! that the Postmaster General be required to re-
duce this prepaid rate to two cents the single
letter. whenever it shall be ascertsined that the
revenues of the Department, after the reductions
now recommended, shall have exceeded its expent-
lures by more than FIVE per cent for two consecu-
tive fiscal years. ! also recommend that the post
age to California and Oregon be greatly reduced,
aud that the postage charged on other seagoing
letters be made more simp Die .aDd nDiform. NV'h
the numerous rates now charged-some with and
some without the addition of the inland rates
confusion and mistake are frequent and unavoid-
able. | therefore recommend that twenty cents
the single letter be charged on all correspond
ence to and from the Pacific coast South America,
the Eastern Continent and its islands, and points
beyond either; and ten cents the single letter on
all other sea-going letters without the superad-
dition of inland postage in any case, excepting,
| however all cases where such sea hostages have
been or shall be adjusted at different rates by
postal treaty already concluded or hereafter to
| be made; and power should he given to the Post
master General by and with the advice and con-
| sent of the President Of the United States, to
reduce or enlarge the sea rates, with the view Of
making better postal arrangements with other
Governments, or counteracting any adverse meas
ures affecting our postal intercourse with other
countries
! also recommend that the provision which i'm
poses an additional half cent postage upon news
papers sent more than one hundred miles and
| out of the State where they are mailed be re-
pealed 80 AS to leave the uniform inland postage
on newspapers sent TO subscribers from the office
Of publication at one cent each.
The postage upon pamphlets, periodicals, and
other printed matter, Except newspapers) may
be simplifed and somewhat reduced, with advan-
tage to the Department. Two cents for the PAM
phlet or periodical of the weight of two ounces
less and one cent for every additional ounce or
| fraction of an ounce, is recommended as the in
| land rate upon all pamphlets, periodicals, and
other printed matter INSTEAD Of the present rate
of two and half cents for the first ouDce) and
one cent for every additional ounce, or fraction
Of an ounce. For the sea-going charge on such
matter and on newspapers, twice the inland rate
to and from the points to which 1t is proposed
that the letter postage shall be ten cents and
four times the inland rate where the letter rate
is twenty cents is deemed just and proper rate
This would in some cases increase the postage
on printed matter sent to the Pacific coast, and
by our other sea lines, where the postage is not
already fixed by postal arrangements but the
postage to California, as above proposed, would
hardly equal the price now charged by private
expresses for the conveyance of the same weight
in packages Of less than one hundred pounds, to
San Francisco.
IL will be perceived that the reduction pro-
posed in the postage upon printed matter is not
large The reason for the greater reduction of
letter postage is found ia he fact that the rates
of postage upon printed matter are now exceed
ingly low, when compared with the letter rates
The average postage on letters is estimated Mt
about three dollars and sixteen cents per pound,
and on newspapers or pamphlets at about sixteen
cents per pound After the reductions proposed,
the average inland postage on letters will be about
50 80 per pound when not prepaid, ana al3o per
pound when prepaid.
The reductions in postage now recommended
will, if carried out, reduce the revenues of the
Department for the first three or four years At
the end of that period, the revenues Of the Depart
ment, under the reduced tariff Of postages, will
probably again equal its expenditures To meet
the deficiency which must follow this reduction
the surplus revenues already accumulated may be
| first applied, and after these shall have been ex-
hlusted an appropriation from the Treasury will
be required, unless Congress shall deem it expe-
| IL ,bo viii n linz
and receiving free matter through the mails or
to increase the annual appropriation now made
to the Department, for the conveyance of part
| of such free matter TO n sum equal to the reve-
nues that would be derived therefrom, if all free
matter were charged with postage.
The continuance of the Thanking prviege-a
privilege which may be properly considered as
the privilege of the constituent rather than OF
the representative-may be dictated by an en-
lghtened public policy, and required by the pub
lie interests aud the same may be said OF the
privilege possessed by newspaper proprietors Of
sending and receiving exchange newspapers free
of postage. But If these privileges are continued
it is respectfully submitted that this Department
should be paid for the conveyance of the matter
sent free under them, by an appropriation from
the public Treasury, rather than by a tax on the
private correspondence Of the country. IL a sun
equal TO the postage which would be charged on
all free matter, were il chargeable with postage
should be annually appropriated and paid to this
Department it ia believed that such appropria
ton and the accumulated surplus revenue would
enable the Department to sustain itself notwith.
standing the proposed reduction, or that the ap
preparation required would be so uncomfortable
IA to interpose serious obstacle to the adoption
Of the measures now recommended
In case n reduction Of postage shall he made, il
is suggested that it should only take effect from
and after the 30th of June next, that it may &C
into operation at the commencement Of the next
fiscal year. This is desirable for the purpose o
enabling the Department to present the fiscal re-
| IL. IL md