The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-16
CONGRESSIONAL.
sPEECA or Nh. MAT rEsON,
OF NEW YORK,

80 lla .usl sPEECA or Nh. HAT rEsON,
y. ~ = t'.''t sa1 OF NEW YORK,
On the Cheap Postage Blu deiiuered in The House of Rep
v rsssalatsvss. Saturday. January II, 1851.
Mr.. MATTESoN said have no desire to go into
elaborate discussion OF the subject before the commit
~. Points are disputed, however, which conceive
demand attention from me- and TO those shall conhne
The whole country--at least the NORTH the East, and
the West-are appealing 10 Congress- not to debate this
topic. but to act upon and, really il seems if Con-
gress has made up its mind 10 crafty itself in the
way Of speaking the subject TO deah rather than to satisfy
the country BY, enscng this postage reform. so gen,
orally demanded II has been urged in the course OF
the debate that the whole movement is but the
ninglydevised scheme Of certain parties located prnc
oas 1sls IT, asss
this floor who has not received petition petition in
favor Of lower postages from all parts Of his district
are expression OF the views OF the duty Of the gov
ertan have also been requested By the legislature Of
the State have the honor TO represent in part on this
hOor to submit certain joint resolutions to the end
PASSED at their last session, which have remained in
my de.k, only because as yet no suitable opportunity
for their presentation has offered, Now, feel sure that
not only my constituents and my own Legislature have
moved in this matter OF their accord. but that all
who have up similar petitions for reduction OF the
rates Of postage have done without being influenced by
the extraneous efforts OF any combination whatever
beg the honorable gentleman from Ohio, [Mr. SWEET
SER who has raised this objection, 10 understand
that my constituents in their desire for the reduc
ton Of postage and tor free newspapers did not take in
srucons from any ASSOCIATION in the city OF New York.
elsewhere they acted for themselves. upon their
own sense of pIoprety, believe other con-
stituencies have done | conceive that, in reducing
the rates Of postage and extending 70 the rural press
such mail facilities justly their due, all the really
unnecessary The Post Office Department should
be dispensed with think considerable saving might
b. made for instance in advertising the letters remaining
uncalIed for. entertain idea Of disseminating the
advertisement OF such letters The reform design to
propose in this particular embraces at least equivalent
Tor the service to be rendered by the newspapers which
thN tiataA
newspapers to be sent tree in The mas Tor any distance
within forty miles, with The exception OF small charge
annum weekly issues. twenty cents on sem-weekly.
thirty cents on r-weekly, and nifty cents on the
dailies. This privilege, together with that Of free
exchange now enjoyed the continuance OF which my
substitute for the Dill and also the payment
of two cents and hall each advertised letter that
may be called for, would afford ample compensation
for the publication OF these lists According to post ONCE
statistics which have obtained, S44 900 are annually
paid for advertising such letters while not more than
third of that is returned in the way OF postage on
the letters advertised My object is to relieve the depart
ment from this expense. submit that this charge
upon the funds of the department without cor
responding benefit; that it nures to the beneht OF no
one but the publishers OF the papers IN which the
lists are inserted. While the department is dealing
literally with the press it is not asking too much OF the
press that should yield something in return for that
liberay. 1t may be said that press will publish let
tiers for the compensation proposed. ] doubt this,
inssmuch the papers in which lists OF letters are
published will be more sought for for the OF such
publication But even il am incorrect this the remedy
propose is to provide that If any press refuses to
make the publication, the postmaster may designate
some other press, and that the press refusing shall be
deprived Of The benefits Of the ac-fres circulation within
forty miles, and free exchange.
Rever,ing again TO the small charges which propose
make upon the delivery of newspapers within forty
miles Of their respective Offices OF publication suggest
those in order OF newspapers and theif
prompt delivery to subscribers and 10 aid In increasing
the circulation of country papersn fact to compensate
postmastes for performing this duty These charges are
small but in the aggregate they will amply compensate
twill be seen that while have been very liberal
with subscribers to papers, have, at the same time
protected postmasers and placed the country press upon
such footing that i will not as heretofore oe SUP no
eraly patronzed city daily press aided oy government
favor.
There is no justice or equity in com ling daily
paper carried ve en twenty, forty miies IN the mails
10 pay the same postage which is charged upon paper
carried two hundred and fifty or three hundred miles
So long a. the same amount OF postage is exaced
10 long the country press will suffer, to the great detr
men OF the people In many instances this direct and
paPabe avosm 10 the press OF large cities has resulted
in the destruction OF country papers, which, bad postage
been charged them only pro rata for the distance they
were transported in the mails, would undoubtedly have
Aourshed
Itrust shall be excused for dwelling on this point
for it is of importance. When at my residence
distant from here about 500 miles, and $50 from the city
OF New Yofior few days during the late session IS on
evening paper Of what had iranspued in these halls
during that day. and this information, through two
uAy morning papers on next WAS
ted to the remo,est corners Of the disc, represent
These papers were furnished at an annual subscnp-
ton OF IS, while the postage in all cases, matter how
short distance they were carried in the mails amounted
on each TO 80 1874 annually charge nearly equal to
the subscription price OF the paper. lhis was the ma
charge where the paper carried many instances
only four miles, seldom over forty miles. AT the same
time, papers from New York city, distant $50 or
800 miles, and double the and weight OF the Utica
daes, paid only the postage. Is not this gross
injus,icel Is it not wrong upon every principle oil
dealngp
be compelled to submi, not only TO fair competition
but to struggle with the aid OF the government
extended virtually 10 the city journals against them IN
this manneri Ii IL well known that city journals pos.
great advantages country papers IN Their very
large local and government advertising patronage and
great local circulation; and certainly these consdea-
lions should induce Congress 10 withhold peculiar
iavoa from them. The government should not, al
all events, by favorsn like this, aid in cnpping The
the country papers chargeabe in supplying eaty
with very great expenses for teegraphng facilities
Now, what objection is there 10 permitting the copn
try papers to almost free within forty miles OF the OF.
nee OF publication can conceive of none. II was
marked the other day by the honorable gentleman from
Pennsylvania, Mr. STRONG, that the law OF as permit
ting papers TO 90 thirty miles free in the mails, re-
pealed because postm received compensation for
their delivery. This objection is provided against in
my substitute.
1t has been alleged. in the of the debate that
the expnse Of the mail service would be increased by
permitting papers tree within forty miles; but think
other wise could speak, in this connexon IRON knowl-
edre ACQUIRED in my own district. As matters in that
respect are now managed, the postage charge is 40 high
that very few, any, local daily papers are carried in
the mails and therefore very little or no revenue :