The New York herald., 1851-12-03

mail service, andthe increased expedi.
tion Of the great mails. .......,... 10000 90
Cost Of new routes Let during tho
present quarter, and probable cost of
putting in operation the new routes es-
tablished by Congress ct tho last Sos
sion, and now under advertisement. 29,323 90
Expenses equal to those Of tho last
year, under the heads of compenss-
tion to postmasters, wrapping paper,
office furniture, advertising, mail.
bags, blanks, mail-locks, keys aad
stamps, mail depredations and
special agents, clerks for offices, (ef
postmasters) and miscellaneous
items, with l2a per cent added,
(such expenses necessarily increas-
trsnsported) -: -. ss7Srss7 So
cost of mail locks and keys, by
changing the same. e................. 5000 %
Cost Of publishing laws and reguls-
tions and list of post offices. 10000 90
Cost of postage stamps. ........... $4,000 90
Total estimated expenditures for the
current year. ,l23 AS 63
These expenditures are to be met by the balances
now standing to the credit of the Department, the
receipts from postages, and the appropriations
Sd of March, 1851.
These will be more than sufficient to meet the
expenses Of the current fiscal year. but further aid
from the Treasury will be required for those Of the
succeeding year.
The accounts of psstmasters for the two FIRST
quarters under the act Of March last, will not be
settled by the Auditor, and the aggregate of their
receipts, reported before April or May next. Until
the accounts for the two quarters at least are set
tied, no reliable estimate of the revenues of the
current year can be made. L. believed, ho wever,
that the whole amount which 1t will be necessary 20
draw from the Treasury in aid Of the revenues de.
rived from p0stages, will not much exceed, for the
two years ending June 80, 1853, that which would
be collected upon matter now free, if such matter
were charged with the ordinary rates Of postage.
A carefully prep ared report, from William A.
Bradley, Esq, postmaster Of this city, and which is
hereto annexed, estimates that the free letters and
other free matter sent from and received at his office
for the two years ending on the first day Of July
last, IL chargeabe with postage at the rates then in
force, would have yielded the amount of 2i0 $40,
in addition to the actual revenue Of this depart
ment, and that If charged with postage at the
present rates the amount would have been $40
IL will be remembered that this does not include
the free letters and other free matter sent from
received at other ofsces and that during these
years (between the years in which there is Presi-
Dental electionl tho free matter sent from the
Washington Post Office is much less than in the
year when that slection occurs Nor doosit include
Of Ss
Of newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. by
way Of exchange, between publishers. II all the
free matter nav carried in the mails. were chrged
with postage. even ct the present rates, from one
million to two millions Of dollars vould bo added
annually to our receipts from postsges.
In my last annual report recommended certain
reduced rates of postage, under the operation of
which, it waa fore seen. large deficiency of revenue
for q few years would occur. Il was supposed that
If those rates ware adopted, tho accumulated sur
plus to the credit OF the revenesof the department,
and an annual appropriation from the treasury,
equal &c the postage, at the usual rates ucon the
matter then free, would DO required to meet this
deficiency, and would be naarly or quite sufficient
for that purpose. My accommodation was. how.
sage Of the act Of Marcks 3, 1851
The rate recommended for ordinary inland letter
postage was adopted, but six cents when prepaid,
and ten when unpaid, was made tho single rate Of
letter postage to California and Oregon, instead of
twenty cents as recommended. Tae rates Of post
| age on most printed matter was reduced much be-
low the rates recommended; weekly papers were
allowed to circulate free OF postage In the counties
Of their publication; and the free exchange of
papers, periodicals, Sc, was greatly increased
The reduction in the rates TO California and Ore.
| gon will greatly diminish the revenues from that
| source. A statement of the Auditor shows that
the number Of letters received and ssnt by the New
York, New Orleans, and Chagres line, during the
month Of September, 1880, was ll2,0Sj, and the
| postage thereon Ga $50 90, and that the numbel
letters received and sent by the same line during
the month Of September, 1851, was llS93+, aad
the postage thereon, under the reduced rates only
II was supposed that the reduced rates OF postag
on printed matter recommended In my report woulC
diminish the revenue from that source about twC
hundred thousand dollars per annum. The rate
adopted, with the free circulation Of weekly news
the very great extension of the privilege of free ex
change between publishers, will, IL Is believed, d
minish that revenue ut least five hundred thousand
dollars per annum, unless the quantity Of such
matter be increased more than is now anticipated.
Notwithstanding this diminution beyond tha,
which would have resulted from the adoption Of the
rates recommended, no change in the present rates
OF letter postage Is deemed advisable.
IL was recommended in ny last annual report
that uniform inland rates, without regard to dis
tance, should be establhhed on newspapers and
other printed matter. IL was imme diately urgeS
that the postage recommended would be unequa
and-unjust, and that newspaper carried fifty mule
only, should net be charged with the same postag'
as one carried twenty. five hundred miles. Th
force Of this objection was felt by this Department
and by Congress- AID the experiment Of numerou
asss ssdus;sd according dssnss has 0ssI
satisfied that there should not be than two, o
at NEST three, different rates Of inland postage OF
newspapers sent to actual and bona de subscribers
and that those on periodicals and other printed
matter, including transient ne eHspspers, shoulC
be reduced in number, and more nearly assimilateC
to the ordinary newspaper rates. II is difficult I.
astign sufficient reason for charging upon suci
periodicals as the reviews, the numerous magazines
and theological, medical, and law journals, NOR
than three times the amount Of postage charges
| for the same distance on an equal weight OF news
papers. Such periodicals. are less ephemeral thai
the ordinary newspapers, and certainly not les
beneficial in their influence The Same rates o
postage, according to their weight, would be JUS
and equitable, would simplify the accounts Of tn,
department, and relieve 1t from the perpexing anC
often invidious duty Of discriminating betweer
different publications, and declaring one news
paper, and another not . newspaper, Ia cases wher
little difference can be perceived, and where th,
changed character Of the next number Of both nigh
render IL proper, in respect to such numbers, Il
| reverse both decisions.
The rates Of postage on all printed matter can b
rendered more uniform and less complex BY The
adoption Of suitable rates, without diminishing
very materially, the revenue Whenever newspa
pers and periodicals be sent otherwise than in
the malls at cost less than the postage established
By law, such cheaper modes Of conveyance are gene
rally adopted. For this reason, If graduated rates
be established, they may be comparatively high fol
short distances, where the means Of conveyance
cheap and rapid without being oppressive or seri.
ously Objectionable.
There is disposition manifested In certain quar-
ters to urge further reduction In inland rates
of letter postage before the results oil the last
/ ductiou pyoparlv aaeert ainad