Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-01-30

Resoi1ed, That the draft of q Circular aud
Petition, prese nted at this meeting. be approved
and adopted, and that the Corresponding Secre-
tary and Treasury be authorized TO have the
above resolution and circular printed and circu-
lated throughout the country.
SILAS WOOD, Chairman, pro tenn.
ISAAC WISsLow, JR. Rec. Sec'y.
CIRCULAR.
To each friend of Cheap Postage in the United
States.
/ SIK-The New York Cheap Postage Associa-
ton requests your immediate attention to those
few hints, in relation to public object Of great
moment, which is in situation to require YOUR
individual and earnest atten ention
The Report of the Postmaster General has dis
appointed the fre nds of Cheap Postage. With
most prosperous condition Of the Department;
with rapid increase Of business; with an Income
Of S3,SS2 go frou letters alone, and $el9 ,OlG
from newspapers; with clear surplus in hand
Of S691 ,Cs2, which will be increased by the 3Otl,
Of June to 81 ,o33,7IO; and with thn6neopIe ex-
pecting the adoption of proper syS sf Cheap
Postage, he only recommends a reduction u a
uniform rate Of five cents per ounce.
On the great mass Of letters this is no reduc-
ton at all. On calculation, which is certainly
large, he supposed it may reduce the revenue
s775,OoO which will not nearly absorb the sur
plus. Bat if it should have the effect which all
other reductions Of rate have had, THE INCREASE
OF LETTERS WILL MORE THAN COMPENSATE FOR THE
PRESENT MARK.
The expenses Of transportation Of the mail to
this country is $2,577 407, and in Great Britain
it is 50 ,220, ,.CS, which shows that we can carry
letters cheap England. The whole cost of
our Post Office is i.479,043, of the British ST.
0l6.250 which is ALL By THE PENNY Posr-
AGE. Our 81 millions of people, with the same !
privileges, would write many letters in pro- |
portion as their p millions, which wou Id give us |
go millions TO their 346 millions. At the low
est calculation Cheap Postage would more than
double the number Of letters the very first year
1t did SO in England. where the weekly number
Of letters, which in lo40 was 2, l02, ,2Sl, became
1 $50 ,237 in 1871. This would give l2S mil
lions. yielding S2,560, 900 the very first year,
The postage Of Congress, if charged at present
rates, the Postmaster General says, would n
mount to $792, 100, besides what is paid to Post
masters for delivering free letters at two cents
Zach, amounting to nearly 100000 more, all
4
tngent fund.- To this add $3.50, 900 for newspa-
Der postage, and you have 81, ,222, TOO Then let
he expenses of the Ocean Steamer rs be transfer
ed, Us it ought, TO the Navy account. There
;an be no doubt that by the time the surplus nov
IN hand is exhausted, the vigorous increase of
postage would enable the Department to support I
tself out Of its current receipts. {
Five cents is not "Cheap Postage" This is
technical form well understood, and is applied I
o the philosophical system invented by Row {
aud Hill, and which has been in use in England I
or ten years. Penny Postage, or two cents, is I
What all mean by Cheap Postage-carrying let
ers for what il is worth, and not taxing letters S
0 pay for other objects. The experiment in T
'reat Britain proves that the service can be af-
orded for two cents, aud therefore that is the
My just measure Of its value-money's worth n
'r the service performed. To charge five cents r
to impose a tax Of 80 per ce mt. for other pur-
oses To charge three cents is to impose a tax
ONLY so per cent.
WHAT Is TO BE DONE ABOUT 1T? 1t is very ev- y
ent that something must be- done, we shall =,
OF have IT. Providence never inte nded that a y
ee people should obtain 50 great a boon with -
1t an effort. Cheap Postage is "for the peope:''
I'D if the people wish for it they must saw so. =
What then shall be done about il? If some- 81
ing is TO be done. some body must Go it. Whose "
'siness is III Everybody's. In one sense. il ~
everybody's business, because everybody is tn :"
be neftted by it, impartially, ~ thev wonld r.
sweetening the air in time Of pestiIepc.- VI
at 'what is everybody's business j, nobody. r
siness," and if left there, it will no, be don. "'
on must do lit is YorR business
"What shall do?'' What is wanted is an az. ~
ession Of the peoples wish, so that Congress 9
mot mistake, and will not disregard it. This -,
done in three ways, some or all Of which ara Co.,
thin the power Of each and every reader OF 7,
ese lines, and therefore roc are justly respon n,
lie for so much. These measures are: =,
l. Publishing articles in the newspapers and le
sgazines. Let every Press speak. or
2 Writing letters to members of Congress P,
not personally acquainted, you are represent tn
by some one, and have a right to address him b.
matters Of public concern.
PErIr.oss.-The multiplication Of the Pc
ions il the main reliance now. II million 50
titiens can b seat to Congress before the 6rst tn
February, We shall hare Cheap Postage tic
aItipiy them.
Its efficacy depends moro on the pumber Of ~
Iitions than on tho number Of names to each. ~
'vidsd each is signed BY respoa sible per- III,
IS. fh1
Petitions should not only b nsmereus, bui tn,
mid represent the wishes Of all the yarious in CT
ssts, classes, and divisions that are found In rel
iety-trade. learning, humanity. sdse.t;sa.
igion, agriculture, &c, &c. Let %, by vav
example ena0sEats ssne elaaDes Or diyiie.e fro
a which petitions may come: 90