The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1850-04-20

the deparsment, instead OF being sncc6red
by the general treasury of the nation, is
now not only able to pay all It's own ex-
penses, but last year had actually left an
unaxPsnded balance Of nearly 100000!
the entire amount OF receipts having been
within fraction Of fire ns''ions cfddHars,
a sum greater by about $l50,0O0, than
was ever before received in one year since
the formation Of the Department.
In Great Britain the system Of cheap
postage has been in operation for ten years
and what has been the result! We
find that since the present rates were
adopted, the increase has been almost IN
credIble-the first year, the increase was
from rs millions to 1863 millions Of letters!
and in nine years they had increased
500 per cent, above the number under
the old high rates-and corresponding
increase in this country would give US
tho first year over 1913 millions OF letters,
and in less than five years, 200 millions
which would yield, at 2 cents, the rates
which the friends OF the postal reform
propose for the consideration OF Congress,
Si,0O0,O00 revenue! And who can
suppose, that the enterprise and elasticity
OF our countrymsn, would not even out
strip IN EuGh race, the more settled
habits OF our contemporaries across the
water.
But as the editors of the periodical
press, we would particularly call atten-
ton to the necessity oil a change in the
postage on newspapers. News papers
are the most efficient hoornasters of
the age, and they are doing more to
mould the public mind and heart than
any other agency in existence. 1t cah-
not be successfully denied, or reasonably
doubted that wherever newspapers cir
culate freely, they largely influence the
morals, religion, politics, and social hab-
its of The people; and wherever they
circulate freely they not only give this
bias to the public mind and heart but
they difuse and give shape to the views
and feelings OF the people that contrast
most strlkingly with those portions OF
the country where they do not appear; or
appear but limitedly. 1t ls, therefore OF
the highest importance that all sections
of our country should be Supplied with
the publications of the periodical press.
And to effect this we deem it all-mpor- !
tant that newspapers published within
any Congressional district, should Cir
culatc, within such district, Tree OF post
age.
In all countries there il 4 tendency to
Capitalization; and this Is seen ia bus
mess as we'll as in government. 1t is the
of Repablicaa.sm-i, /, lta only
guard against this. Ditru-
sion. within the restraints Of wholesome
law, Of power, intelligence and wealth
is the great palladium Of true liberty i,
and greatness. The tendency ofthe age !
Is to central ,zation. Our railroads, trle-
graphs, steamboats,, all tend 10 centres
10 build up the cities; and thus there is
danger that without proper guards and
checks those OF our Union may become
like the ancient cities Of Greece, the
dlctaio's Of every measure Of public pol
icy to the nation. Noihing would more
contribute to this, than the
conc entration OF the press in the princi-
pal cities. And whatever tends to bur
den the lccsl press the nation tend, 10
this. The present system Of newspaper !
postage is such 4 burden. 1t operates
against country papers, because the citi-
zen of any Congressional district in Ma
ryland has 10 pay as much postage, or .
nearl as much for one OF his own dis
trlet papers, as for Philadelphia, New
York, OF Boston paper. Besides this,
the large city weeklies are printed In
large editions, they are thrown offby
steam by tens OF thousands, and convey
ed by railroad and steamboat in bales, as
Common merchandise out sfthe mails
free OF postage, to their agents for dis
tribution, while the local paper throws
off ltsfew hundreds, and circulates them
in consequence ofits paueIty OF subscri-
bers, Of necessity lhroug Oh the mails.
, What il the enec, Of this Very ev-
identity TO detraet from local and home
discourage home enter
prise. By a law of our being We prize
hose scenes most with which we are
most familiar, and BY the operation of
our present unequal postage system, eur
peopls are becoming interested in the
matters foreign. while domestic affairs
! se unknown TO them.
In advocating these views we ak for
10 privileges which the necessity OF the
'esrle do not demand. The people in
he sparseIv settled SECTIONS nj IN, caun
ny have right to the public news on
hr same terms As thosn in large cities,
md on the borders of our public tho
'oughfares. With such just and whole
'ome regulation as the one suggested the
ocal press would grow up in healthy
IND vigorous prosperity. Thousand, Of
persons would then take papers that now
eldom see one; and while knowledge
rom abroad would receive no abatement