The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-12-27
Cheap POSTAGE.

In the articles in our last two publications
we endeaVored to present to our readers state
ment of the present position of this subject be
fore Congress. We have now to perform the
less important duty of expressing our own pre-
ference for a particular scheme.
The charge of two cents, pre- paid, for single
letters, Is, in our opinion, adequate and no let
tiers should pass through the post office not pre-
paid. Whoever writes letter expends as much
as two cents in ink, pen, paper, and envelope,
and much more in the time consumed in writ
ing. Will the payment of an additional two
cents detera any one from mailing letter thus pre-
pared for despatch? We do not think il posi-
BILE. So small charge will greatly augment
the business of the post office revenues, suffi-
GENTLY, ii is believed, not only To prevent any
diminution Of the revenues. but, on the contra
ry, to greatly increase them.
Prepayment being universal, the cash trans
actions of city post-offices, where alone such
arrangement is important, will be limited to the
sale of stamps, and will thus be greatly simpli-
fled and abridged. 1t is proposed by the Post
master General, for the present, to make the
pre- payment three cents, and to ask five when
paid by the recipient Of the letter; and " to re-
duce the prepaid price to two cents, when it
shall be ascertained that the revenues of the
| Department, after the reductions now recon
| mended, shall have exceeded its expenditures
by more than five per cent for two con-
secutive fiscal years" The object here
aimed at appears to be TO submit to the
people to choose, in the first instance, be-
tween pre-payments and postpayments and
when, as we doubt not the result will show,
they by common consent adopt the usage of
pre- payment, and in its practice demonstrate its
| advantages, and the advantages of the reduced
rate, to confirm the usage by legislative enact
ment, and at the same time TO make the further
| reduction that experience will have demon
strated to be warranted by the business of the
Department We cannot withhold our APP
proval of a scheme 50 wisely and prudently
leading 10 the accomplishment Of much de
sired end. 1t will secure to us, though at a
more remote period than we had looked to- the
blessings of cheap postage, and il will at once
dlspel the apprehensions Of all who now oppose
this measure.
The Postmaster General recommends uni
form charge upon newspapers proceeding from
their offices Of publication of one cent. This
appears TO us Just in the main, but is liable to
some exceptions.
Under the existing laws, newspapers are
conveyed, outside of the mails, as freight II
It is incumbent upon the Department TO tax
letter-writers with high rates, in order that
facilities may be afforded to newspaper pub
lIshers, and their readers, then is it equally
incumbent on such publishers to conform
TO the terms laid down, and to send their pa
pers through the mails. But this duty will
not be remembered by publishers having hun
dreds OF subscribers at the same post office, and
means Of direct communication Herewith.
We would therefore advise, firstly, that the
same prohibition should be applied to this as is
applied to the transmission Of letters outside
OF the mails and secondly, that publishers pre-
paying the postage on their papers by the year,
hali-year, or quarter, may be permitted to do 50
at discount of forty per cent The postmaster
at the Office of departure could give certif-
cate Of such payment, 10 be transmitted in the
first paper sent to the subscriber, to be by him
retained for exhibition, or filed at his post office.
One Of the effects Of this would be advantageous
TO the publishers Of newspapers for it would
encourage the practice of repayment to them
by their subscribers. as few men would expect
them to forward their papers, and pay the post
age, without first being paid themselves; and
! they would soon learn to Judge with accuracy
OF the responsibility Of their subscribers, since
honest and reliable men would not permit de