Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-01-04

the State of New Hampshire for the services Of her mlis
and for disbursements for military purposes during the last
war with Great Britain which read twice and referred
to the Committee on Military Affairs
REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.
The House went into Committee Of the Whole, (Mr.
STRose Of Pennsylvana in the chair aud resumed the
Of The ball reduce and modify the rates of pos
Mr.. POTTER (Mr. HEsAnD, who was entitled to the
floor, yledng notice Of his intention to press the bin
under consideration to its final disposition. should not be-
lost at the last session. in of the rules of the
House giving the general appropriation bills preference
this bill special order He intended with the permission
Of the House, close the debate ION this subject on Monday
next and gentlemen who desired to discuss this question must
do between this time and them He had pressed this
matter during the hoydays great number Of its friends
absent with their families but be hoped there would
be full House by Monday, when he desired its sense
on the various propositions submitted to the committee.
Mr.. HEBARD then concluded his remarks commenced
some days ago, in advocacy Of amendment which he in
snded hereafter to having for its object that newspapers
delivered in the State where published and than thirty
miles from the place Of publication, shall pay half pos
ta and that newspapers delivered n the State where pub
shed and not more than thirty miles from the place Of pub
lication, shall 90 free of postage.
Mr. CHANDLER was opposed to any distinction in the
rates Of postage between country and city newspapers The
rates should be uniform, and editors themselves should
pete for patronage Country papers usually dependant
assert that the latter better conducted than the former
He knew brilliant examples Of both He gave notice Of his
intention, iheproper tme tomove amendment reduce
postage magazine literature, which had obtained con-
siderable portion Of the favor Of the public His proposition
would enable the publishers of magazines send their pub
caions forward half the rate Of postage, paid in advance
and would also enable them TO transmit their magazines by
mail asseed Of h5 arF~saAa.. -Aich Aad produce
an increase OF revenue.
Mr.. WENTWORTH though& that those who enjoyed the
advantage of cheap postage should pay the postage
padv ha tha
and publishers. There was way which the pos-oce
lost much the coicon Of postage newspapers.
He would encourage the editors both of city and country
pers, and he would say that his proposition should
pass would ente and the members OF the House
to the thanks Of every editor in the country dc without
distinction Of party. The proposition he intended to offer
was to the effect that whenever shall exhibit evil
dence postmaster that he has paid one postage on
newspaper not more in dimensions than nineteen hundred
square inches he shall receive such paper fifty per
annum when printed without the State its publication and
Twenty-Five cents within the State of its publication and
cents within the county. On magazines one-hai
ounce for any distance provided pomases may send money
to publishers from subscribers free Of postage and
their own papers and periodicals without charge.
Mr. FOWLER desired uniform rate Of two cents on let
ers and was surprised at the objections urged against the
ducton Of postage TO two three cents and that many
gentlemen were in vor Of five cents and nothing less He
was in favor of reduction Of postage two cents for all dis
ances being confident that this The true point at which
they should aim at the present time All the petitions sent
here were without exception, far he knew, for
reduction of postage to two cents and he believed that such
request reasonable If postage fixed cents,
it would thereby bring all matter in relation to letters within
the post sce and do away entirely with private expresses
besides securing at least half million of dollars regard
this single item. BY such reduction they could larger
revenue than by reducon 10 three five cents The pre-
dcons made when the last reduction took place. that such
reduction would throw the Post Office Department for sup
port the Treasury had been fulfilled, and the De-
Pansnb was more prosperous now than heretofore If post
age should now be reduced to two CENTS tho wisdom and
hor
than three years He for the abolition of the anking
privilege, by which reform they would realize million Of
dollars He hoped they would pass the to-day, and
thus wind the FIRST half century by the passage Of such
noble act.
Mr. OTIS glad to bear that this measure was to be
pressed for the action of the House, and he for immediate
action Gentlemen thought that because they acting
under special order to be continued from day day until
disposed Of there danger Of delay but he would in
form those in favor Of measure and in earnest that they
may not be they thought Two years ago bill
OF this kind was made the special orde and while
der consideration the appropriation bills reported The
question then up whether these appropriation bills
peseded the special order not and decided by the
Speaker that the special order superseded by the general
appropriation b which decision sustained by the House
He hoped them that the proposition close the debate when
offered would be sustained House. The people desir
ed cheap postage He did not by cheap postage
five cent rate That would be reduction Of POSTAGE but
not cheap postage and would be very far from being the
measure Of reform asked for by tho ten thousand petitioners
who desired reform ia postage He was for the
advocated by the gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr Fow
LER.) Such that would carry into the mail all
the correspondence Of the people of the country, and
of this kind required such reduction should be
made in the of five years there would be sufficient
venue to carry the Department in effective state at
the me and that whoat reducing any remote post
routes or the compensation Of the postmasters
Mr.. FEATHERSTON then obtained the floor, but gave
way to motion that the committee rise which being agreed
to, the committee rose and reported progress.
And the House adjourned to meet on Friday next.