The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-30
MECHANISM.-No. XXI.
BY JOSIAH HOLBROOK.

Illustrations of Nature and Art produced b,
the machinery of the muscle, mind, and soul, il
young Americans and distributed and exchanp
ed among each other by the machinery of tn
American Post Office, might furnish our who'll
country with continued and increasing food
of the light of science, and of the generous i'm
pulses of noble spirits Perhaps a grander
more republican, or more popular mcas,lr,
could not be adopted by our Government, thar
to make each Of the eighteen thousand pos
Offices in our country II concentrating anC
radiating point of scientific light, and each post
master a radiating agent Of such light The
simple thought presents the magnifcence OF
power for the ighcst possible object" GIVING
LIGHT" OF all the machinery Of our National
Government, no part nor indeed all parts could
render service to all the interests of every citizen
in any measure equal TO such service by the
Post Office As it would promote directly and
intimately the Intellectual social, moral and
business interests Of every American citizen, il
would Of course be more truly and universally
popular than any measure which has been or
which can be proposed. Let the citizens q
any town, village, or neighborhood accommdl
dated Mt given post office. have the question
put to Them "Would you like to have your
postmaster authorized by law TO receive and
distribute among you, from young hands and
generous hearts in New York, Washington, or
any other place, specimens showing their in
telligence. skill, and improvement illustrating
mt the same time principles of science applied
to human pursuits especially the two great
pursuits of human beings--AGRIcULruRE AND
MECHANISM" Yes would be the answer from
every voice. Ma one "No" could be raised
through the whole length and breadth of our
land.
Its power "To INCREASE AND DIyrUsE KsowL-
EDGE AMONG MEN, would be greater than
thousand Smithsonian institutions. Indeed, by
making the Smithsonian Institution, now in
judicious and successful operation, the national
centre Of concentration and radiation of light
thus universally diffused the power of its opera
tons might be increased thousand-fold
A cENT-AN-oUNcE" system Of postage, ma
king the mail a COMMON CARRIER would meet
the whole case 1t would also relieve the post
Office of the heavy mass Of confusion, Of in
Vulnerable bair-splittings, Of distinctions with
out difference, now beyond the comprehcn-
sion or the skill Of any human being, imposing
upon postmasters duties burdensome and i'm
possible, and annoying to all whom they seek
10 accommodate
In addition 10 the promotion of the greatly va
ried interests OF all classes Of citizens, beyond the
whole power Of our Government besides, u
"cENT-AS-oUNcE SYSTEM" Of postage uniform
for all matter safe TO be carried, would yield
10 the Government an immense revenue. Let
my intelligent business man look at the Ameri-
can Post Office. m a business establishment
conducted upon business principles, carrying
matter at that rate, and see IL he can come to
any other conclusion than immense profits.
look at facts. A cent an ounce IL sixteen
dollars hundred pounds-three hundred and
twenty dollars ton. On railroads freight
Is taken from New York 10 Cincinnati ut one
dollar and fifty cents hundred. The Govern
mcnt at the rate proposed, would got sixteen
dollars hundred, not from New York TO Gin
cinnsti merely, but from New York to Brooklyn,
simply crossing river, and from each Of the
eighteen thousand post Offices TO its nearest
neiphbor, be II ten miles or halfa mile,
This rate Itself would. be n safcty-valvc
against heavy unmanageabIe boxes and pack.
ages WhiIeit IL no low ~ to take from all
other conyeyances small packages needing no