The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-04
m. Po., omos .na IN. Malls.


following interesting communication. We cannot read
over its statistics without feeling establishment at The
phenomena which he develops We may well call our
selves what General Washington, in his address to the
French minister. styled the French nation in the first
outbreak OF lis revolution" Wonds.td psopte% What
astonishing evidences does correspondent produce oil
the 60 ahead character OF enterprisng counymen
What rapid augmentation in the number OF letters
nually transmitted the number of miles added to the mail
the immense and increasing which goes into the
Golfers of that department the reduction OF the
OF postage What encouragement to perseyere In
system OF reduction
We expect avery interesting report from the new Post
master General, Mr.. Hall We have understood that he
means to prepare sliding scale of reducton--three
cents at present lelersand when the receipts should
exceed the expenses OF the establishment by FIVE per
cent, the postage is TO fall cents The opera.
lions Of the department in relation the California
mails are wonderful First the receipts began with only
Ave hundred dollars per monhnow they to upwards
of thirty-sx thousand dollars; and the whole
received from that since the acquisition Of Cafor
MIA amounts seven eight hundred thousand dollars
II il said that the Postmaster General will propose reduc
ton Of the postage on those letters from forty cents 10
sixteen the present being much too high for the
interests of the department. because the high postage in
duces individuals seek for private conveyances far
even as TO induce persons establish agencies for the
purpose of sending large bundles Of letters for certain
compensationsa fifty dollars The effect Of the change
would be to turn the stream OF conveyance almost
tirely into the government mails. We afraid Mr..
Hall 10 about in fixing the price OF newspapers at
four cents II is high, and is calculated to prevent
the citizens Of young State from awaiting themselves
a. freely they ought of the light Of public jour
nails
For the Union.
OBJECTIONS TO CHEAP POSTAGE,
obec, 10 cheap heap postage which vii lord to every class
in the community the inesimable privilege OF holding
with their friends, however widely separated
without feeling the postage TO be an onerous tax No
elects which they fear will follow Is adoption What
are the objections raised Let examine them with
candor and if they are found be ienabe. we will set
our faces against the measure with as much zeal as
objector
cessarily followed by dmaulion OF the and
then many OF the unproductve will be dlscontin-
ued This is urged by many OF the southern and west
members Of Congress, and is the only and principal
cause OF their opposition Let u.s. first, look at the
suits of the reduction made in and secondly con-
slider what will be the probable effect Of the reduction
l. The act of 1S43 reduced the rates from g. 10, 12i,
1885, and IS cents single piece OF paper, however
small, 10 anu ~ Cents per nail OuHCe lnis was d
much greater reduction than the proposed and
what has been the RESULT Have the post-outes been
diminished 10 consequences No they have increased
Of the mails bess cualed MOI they have been increased
nearly xpsn milions OF mes. Has the number OF post
ofbcss decreased! Far from III they have been In ~,
that the Post Office does not support itself Nay,
verify; il has more than supported itself for The
last three years, and there is now surplus Of more
fallen OF in 1899. from thirty nine TO twenty four NIL
lions and the department lost neatly six hundred thou
sand dollars On the contrary the letters have increased
10 seventy millions the past year. and the revenue 10
much larger than collected since the estab
lshment Of the Post Office Department These are the
tons urged against the reduction in ls45
now offered by the opponents OF cheap POSTAGE bu, Time
has sieneed them ALL and the results show that the
dueton OF postage has produced an increase OF the
2. Letu now consider what will be the probable re-
suit Of the reduction asked for BY the petitions OF the
cheap postage contend that ii The postage reduced
two cents prepaid. il will ultimately yield the depart
S n . y % as
will be done the first the second year after the reduction
But believe the effects will be these; that in short
time the letters written will be frebied and those which
are written will all be sent through the Post Office rather
than by private expresses. Millions OF letters
sent BY other conveyances than the Post Office, because
n two cents and they viii all be BY the mails in
preference 70 any other mode OF conveyance And
what VIII De the enectf why, In less IMAM nve
years, shall have hundred millions OF letters,
which, at Two cents, will yield four millions OF dollars-a
LANCER amount than has heen collected letter post
ags All this will be admitted by the obecor but he
says In the time privileges will be curiaied and
the sparsey settled PORTIONS Of country will be of
IRON the benefits OF the Post Office. BY no means To
the immediate deficiency there is million
surplus and there is indebted the Post Office another
million, whchft has paid into the treasury time past
These, with appropriation OF million, will be amply
sufficient sustain the department until the from
letters amounts 10 equal TO its ordinary expend
lures What reason, then, there To fear that the postal
facilities will be diminished in any portion OF country
in consequence Of the reduction OF postage II there
any danger-which there s notthe Postmaster General
might be required TO continue the facilities which are
now enjoyed.
This believe is about the only specious objection 10
cheap postage which s made, and hope is satsac
torily answered.
ROWLAND HILL
1.-THE above article was prepared on Saturday We
yesterday laid the Official report before readers who
Of course will be able to correct any into which we
may have been betrayed-UMoS
OF Governor McDowells speech, the Spectator says:
would give great pleasure TO lay before our readers
the speech Of Governor Mcdowell Governor Gilmer
said OF himself, he every inch whg We say in all
candor and Justice