Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-02-01
THE. POSTAGE RIII.

Mr.. Rusk, on " Wednesday, from the Committee
On Post Offices and Post Roads, reported to the
Senate the House bill for the reduction of postage
and for the coinage of three cent piece, with
sundry important amendments. The most mate
rial Of these are the following: Instead of uni.
form rats of three cents on all letters wepbipo
not more thsn half an ounce, the Senate com.
mittee propose three cents on such letters if pre-.
pG.d, and gre csntsK not and five cents also for
every additional half ounce. The provision that the
compensation Of no postmaster shall be diminish
ed under the act is exscinded, and the Post Master
General is authorized in case of the reduction of
compensation. TO make such additional compensa.
ton as be may deem proper, provided the addition
do not exceed the compensation for the year end.
ing June 50th, 1851. The committee strike out
the provision that newspapers mailed and delivered
to subscribers, within 80 miles of the Mace of
publication shall be free of postage. Newspaper,
to De weighed in the dry state Uncaled for let.
tiers to remain six instead of two weeks before
being advertised, and the charge for advertising TO
be one cent instead of three for each letter. The
committee strike out the section for establishing
penny posts in cities. And they report the follow
ing two sections to be added to the bill:
He 1t fsrtheT enacted, That, from and after the pas
sage OF this act all publishers OF pamphlets periodicals
magazines, and newspapers shall Be allowed tn intar-
change their publications reciprocailv free of nosr,,.
Prortdef, hat such Interchange shall be confined to
sngle copy Of each pub icalion; and proyded Also
mat sad may enclose ia their publication. bls
Tor Subscriptions thereto without any addtionl charge
for postage.
Be tt further enacted That it shall be the dutv of
Al postmasters TO al stamps attached to letters in
iafao
hfoEga their respective Offices, in such nl.noar
as may Be directed 5y the Postmaster General and any
Postmaster %ho shall fail to perform this dusy shai
oe haei not ess than five more than FIFTY dollar,
IN each case al the secretion ofthe Postmaster General
We are glad that the committees propose to re-
tain the present system Of allowing new.pa per
exchanges 10 be free of postage The change |
propo.edby the House bill would entail very
onerous tax on newspaper publishers which could /
not fail materially to diminish the value Of their
journals to the public. If the "postage reform"
ia dependent on such depreciation of the media
through which the people derive most of their
Knowledge Of what concerns their government and
their interests Of every kind, il had better be let
Acne. We receiveat the Times Office considera-
by more than one hundred papers, and there is
notons afthem from which we do not sometimes
cotAin valuable matter for the information or en-
tertalnraent Of cur raaders Is it their interest
that any Of these 'rals should cease to pour its
tribute into the reservoir from which they lake
TIER dfanghts of the current history of the timesl
The Winchester Virginian, speaking Of the de-
s:ruction Of the residence Of the Ri. Pew Risbon
Meade, Of Virginia, by fire, says
This pace vas the winter retr6st ofths pisbor
after the severe labor to which he devoted ne
mild ssssoE Of the year, in visiting the remotes
parts Of his diocese. and performing Episcopal
rites. To one with his keen enjoyment Of social
and home pleasures, 50 sudden an erection from
cherished retreat and arrangement Of his family
circle, in the dead Of winter, must be no iuconsid
cradle annoyance.
MORE RUIs.-The Charleston Courier sDnoun.
&c. Ibis melancholy fact:
SALE OF RICE PLAsTArIos-On the Is,
instant tie rice plantation on the Cape Fear river,
a sElort 1isancs absV Wilmington, belonging TO
'he'ssizts Of the lste William B. Meares, was sold
.aaa ACTON in this town for $4,000. Mr. Thomas
D. mesres Eas the purchaser. The sale was on
credit 81 one, two, three, ard four years. The
1'snsssicA contains $50 sc :; 3S5 acres in tide
s~sfap, asaFiy The whole culu ztion.