New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-10

"a
!" 49, boxevtr Halted 10 their financial re-
p eop- tor solow al not TO yield remunerat1ag
rvrit TO the Department Il ls paying an ample
fres ht for the transportation OF tie etters ana
I sufficient fee and commission for the LABOR De
slowed UPON them. This tariff Of postage has
been tried for ten years in England, snd dss been
found to furnish not only sufficient means % sup
port g expensive Post Office Department ont TO
/ yield & surpl1s revenue of more Than tour ana
halt millions OF dollars per annum.
/ IT will induce the people TO lesrn 10 Wnte' ana
those who can already, TO write more tfeqaentiy.
I 1t has been empbaticsliy called the Self Eduns-
tor Of the People The yourg vii commence
early in letter writing, because tbs payment oil
POSTAGE will oppose nooostsce TO their correspond
ence 1t " III create in them habta o. thought re-
hection, and observation, and lead them 70 exam
/ Ii more closely and accurately, the language they
use 10 describing their thoughts L ord Bacon trQ
/ ly raid, "Yeadiog makes = earn ed man, speaking
/ ready man. and writing correct man.
T Wo cents rate will bring all the letters Whcu
are written, into the Post Office The old rate oil
postage WEE cents for 80 miles and under; noW
il ia FIVE cents for any distance under 300 mles and
it ia proDosed 10 continue this whsn the postage is
unpaid This iscompRratively noredocton. rive
cents mil mt bring the letters on short distance
into the Post Office. They will still be sent by
Penny Posts, and private expresses Millions Of
letters are sent by private expresses ana osoe
merpg of conveyance, because the people VIII not
paw five cent? Who, for example, will ssnd his
Ietters from New York city to Brooklyn !" lIlians-
bureb Jersey City, 30, through the Posi- once,
and pay FIVE cents postsge and two cents to the
Letter Carrier, when he can have them carried
and delivered to their address for two cents! Inc
Pest Offices In those places are but little over
nile apart, separated By narrow river. Thishigh
rhte operates ia like manner upon other cities and
their adjoining tQWna IL if pretty certain, THAI
nineentbs of the letters passing TO and from those
towns, are now cent by private expresses OF
which i! is said 240 leave Boston every day Should
the rates be reduced to two cents nearly GIL tnose
/ il t,ere would be sent through the Poss Once IN
preference TO any other mode OF conveyance
II is the cheapneas of poEtage, which Will In
crease the nu mber of letters and consequently the
What has caused toe number Of letters in Great
g,tsjn to increase from rs to ESQ millions per
pun? Cheap Postage What han augmented the
letters in our own Post Office, from 81 TO g. millions
in four years. Che Reduction OF the rates OF poht
age. W hat induces hundreds and thousands OF our
people, who never before left home, tc travel 1t
is the chaapneas Of fare on our Railroads, Steam
boats and Canag.
Why are there published in the United States
more newspapers, periodicals and pamphlets, than
in all the world beside 1t is their cheapness
Every person must be aware that it is principle
Ia trace and commerce. that whenever an Rrtlcie OF
utility or elegance ia reduced 10 price, it increases
the demand for it; and this increaae of demand
augments the profits. This is further illustrated in
the case of Railroads, Canals and Ferries. Mr.
Flagg former Comptroller OF the State OF New
York has stated that the reduction of tolls on the
canals of that State, was uniformly followed by an
Increase of revenue. Ard Mr.. Stevens, owner Of
the Hoboken Ferry in New York, who was sstho
rZed by law to charge twelve and halt cents each
passage reduced the fare to six cents and realized
greater profit than when be charged twelve and
hall cents. He has recently reduced the price to
four cents, and will no doubt find his Ferry more
productive than under either of the former rates.
lake smother case in point, one that is under our
daily observation. We allude to the Union Line Of
OmnibqseS, running from the Capitol TO George
town. The proprietors we Learn, established this
line only about year ago, with bat nine coach.
es leaving the Capitol nce in every eight minutes.
They reduced the fare to ax cents that being only
hall the amount charged by the Old line. They
have now seventeen coaches, leaving every six
minutes, with an Increase OF business 30 greatthat
the company has resolved TO increase the number
to twenty five, 80 as TO leave every four minutes.
The petitions referred to by your Committee not
only ask for q uniform rats Of two cents, but thRs
the postage should be paid in advance, or pre- paid
They do not ask for two rates nor that If the poat
age s not prepaid, that the innocent receiver OF
the letter shall be mulcted in penalty OF ave
cents in consequence of the neglect impertinence
of the sender They have asked, that in all cases.
the postage Oh letters should be pre.psid. Nor ia
there any thing strange or difficult IN adopting this
measure Under the present law, no circular or
Office hoet being prepaid, and the postage on
al newspapers 10 required to be paid in advance.
Why should not the postage on letters, when re-
duced to this low rate, be required to be prepaid,
as well M circulars and newspapers
NThere are various advantages resulting from pre-
payment, which will suggest Themselves to those
! who reflect on the subject Ii will prove saving
on dead letters TO the Post, Office Department OF
at least $1,000 900 per annum; it will be saving of
! time and labor to the Post 0 flee, especially if
stamps are universally used, as they will be If pre-
payment is required; it will be q guarantee both
to the public aud the Department that the postage
| iB paid for the sale of stsmps would be the sim
plest and surest mode Of collecting the Post Office
revenue as well az great convenience to those
| who do businesB at the Post Office The loss Of
time in paying for letters received or deposited in
our larse towns. is severe tax upon men OF busi
ness whereas prepayment by stamps would eff
| fectualy obviate this inconvenience. Every Post
nsBter should be required to have on hand stamps
| for the use of the public.
An objection to this low rate OF Postage has been
| made, because in many sections of our country
copper coins are not in use, and therefore there
/ would be an Inconvenience in paying the postage.
To obvate this difficulty, it has been proposed to
/ have small silver coin made for the purpose. a
| three cent coin has been proposed provided the
/ postage is reduced to that rate There are how
ever, objections 10 the use OF a three cent coin,
which will suggest themselves TO those who reflect
| on the subject. Three cent coin is not the Gliquo
part of any Of our present coins Six and twelve
and half cent coin OF foreign denomination
and are being fast banished from USE aE not pos
sesslns the intrinsic value for which they pass
ed. There is no American coin in use for which a
three cent coin can be changed, without the use of
cepts, so that to adopt this denomination there will
asill be necessity for the use ofcopper coin. You
cannot change dime, or half dollar, or dollar,
| with three cent coins; to give the fall change
cents must beuaed But TO two cent coin thers are
busfew of these objections. A twocent coin could
be alloyed sufficiently to make 1t nearly the size of
FIVE cent piece ard il 1t were found necessary,
hole could be perforated in the center, which
would distinguish it from present coin of FIVE
csnfs.
Most Of the petitions which have been presented
this seGson to Congress- have asked only for the re
Il