The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-01

asw,nss . 90 free Of postage 30 miles from the once
Mr. Y said: Ny object 10 offering that amendment is
to remedy very serious which exists as
ihe bill now stands Many newspapers are published on
in my State printed within ten rods OF the county lne y
would Dc very unjust for sush newspapers TO 30 Tree to
Subscribers on one side OF the lice, and no, TO
on the other side Besides, opr counss are yety s@al
win the counties ~ the new States oi Ae es
ana Sonthwest seems 10 me perfectly fair ana
aasnash y there are 70 many
should have rKhtSto circulate within the counys iof
d.'a9ss Of 80 miles from the place where published
MI kVSk., i hope the amendment VIII mol oe
adopted It is Of the smallest sort Of amendments
and they produce unlimited confusion in the bill and make
u nonsense II is very nearly nonsense as 4 Is now
they 10 be carried free The effect OF This amendment
Is 10 draw another line OF thirty miles radius Tor the
+ viii Se se difficult for The
postmaster make his calculations, because the increase
for other distances depends upoa the distance established
uPHaMs M iso object nea wss Ss 70 make the bill
sensible, reasonable and just. is for the
Senate TO decide whether was right or wrong. roI
The qaeslion being taken upon the amendment, II was
Mr. CHASE | move to amend the bill by striking
out three and inserting two before "onnces, 80 as
to make the BILL with regard 10 the weight of newspapers
originally reported by the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads II leave three ounces, we
shall burden the mails with an enormous weight for the
accommodation of two three newspapers. 1t seems TO
me that ought not to be done.
Mr. RUSK / hope the amendment will not prevail
ne wspapers only IN the United States because only one
two papers weigh two ounces and they go but
small fraction over two ounces-so that the matter Is Of
but little consequence, with regard TO the additional
weight thrown into the nails beyond what you'd be
II these papers came up just 70 two ounces Inc great
objection to striking out Is this, that makes more
complicated thing which is now PLAIN The advantage
to the Post Office Department will be very nconsderabe ;
but striking it out will make another rate OF postage
The postage now upon some OF these newspapers runs
piv Iolia nd stylkp
double it, tta Aa
Mr.. CHASE The simple proposition is this to carry
not hs we We bsve
gone beyond that II we increase the weight to three
ounces. burden the mails it to me- unnecessa-
rily We hold out an inducement not merely 70 the
multiplication of these mammoth sheets, but to throw
into the mails iamense quantity OF wet matter, which
will burden the mails to such an extent in some sections
Ohio j. mistaken in This lie paper will be as large it
now the amendment prevails G ou. at, w se on ma
size at ali, bl will use poorer and lighter quality of
paper bring the weight down TO two ounces; thus re-
doens it value. The obec, should be to encourage
printing upon good and heavy paper hope the amend
ment Of The honorable senator will not obtain, u
The question being taken upon the amendment, re.
| sulted-ayes l5 noes not counted. .a
| So the amendment did not prevail
The question recurred upon the adoption OF the subst
tute reported by the Senate committee as amended.
paravs M merit. Of u4 tbese M wo bill. % for arranging the
hostages OF the country ;but wish for single
TO call the attention Of the Senate to some very exaor
| dnary provisions in the House bill which l will now
the Senate The honorable senator from Caii.
forna he's told usand believe the suggestion has
been made by other members OF the Senaie-hat we are
moi to deliberate upon this subject We not to en-
teran any judgment. or to give any expression TO our
opinions whatever they may be because, II is sad un-
less we pass the House bill exactly as 1t came IRON
that body we can have no reduction Of postage at the
present session of Congress Now, sir am among the
number OF those who do not believe that such will be
LIZ ado lrnnF mad systn n
posaxes beeve that il any bill passes the two Houses
of Congress At the present session, this bull Is more like
than any other to receive the favorable consideration
of the House OF Representatives, But II l believed
otherwee-if believed that the House OF Representa-
tives would not permit to exercise judgment upon
this subject, and give expression 70 our % ,,Ie Dpnons
sacrifice the bill, and surrender an object which con-
ceve TO be Of very great Importance 10 the country
Without sns I Os oa %s ea n 1ee m
would very gladly do if had timel wish to call the at
,en,ion of The Senate TO some very extraordinary pro-
visions contained in the first section oil this DILL Will
read them 10 the Senate
"Tha from and after tbs soh day OF June, 1851 all let
tcrs carried in shall be charged with postage
follows Upon each letter not weighing over one-ha ounce
three cents and each additional haliounce fraction
Of half an ounce Propd,d That office
in existence shall be discoanned nor shall the mail
service on any In Of the States or Territories
be di diminished OF dimi-
sS q as % aa a :. ss s ay @ s
General establish new post offices, and place the mail
service nov msroues estabhshed, or tbat may mere
established n the same manner as though ihs act
had not been passed hnd povdsd, further, That the
OF no postmaster shall DC diminished IN eohss
quebec OF the passage OF this act
Here are broad provisions tba, the Postmaster General
shall 20 on and administer his depariment-no matter
what The revenues are, matter how inadequate they
are for the maintenance OF the departmentas II thus
ducton had taken place, The bill provides, IN the
frs, place, that he shall discontinue any post oce
matter how insignificant Il may be- or how inadequate
the revenues may be- but shall continue every single cost
office that exists in the country In the next place.
il provides, only that he shall not diminish IN the
slightest degree any OF the existing mail facilities IN the
country, but shall 90 and increase the operations OF
the department. although the department may be bank
rup--although there may be great deficiency m the
revenue he shall go on with the present scale oil ex-
pendture perfectly reckless Of the consequences to the
department the government 1t provides that he shall
establish post Offices, although the revenues may
turn out be Inadequate he shall grant additional AL
facilities exactly in the same manner as u THIS bill pro.
yided adequate TO tue department; and then
comes this extraordinary provision That The compensa-
,ion of posna shall be diminished IN consequences
of the passage OF this Under the existing laws OF The
country, we all know, postmasers are compensated Tor
their services by certain rate per cent. we know
tina, this bill OF the Senate will diminish the income that
accrues 10 the postmaster more or less ana he OIL
passed by The House will greatly diminish The amodn OIL
ihe per centage which the postmaster ~ entitled
Rnd on record the report ot the Postmaster Genera al
the commencement OF the present session. tha tne com
pen sal,on of posnastes during tue last hscal year
be for the current fiscal year, do no, knowprobaby
considerably ,han IL during the last year so
that this bill provides that although their per cenia{e un'
der the existing laws may not amount 10 mon ana
half they shall receive thai full sum al all events de
sire know whether the Senate IS prepared 10 enter ato