The New York herald., 1851-12-23

entire reorganization OF the Material
and Discipline OF Post Ohiees proposed,
by which n Saving OF over si,soo,ooo
Per annum Is effected, besides securing
greater ceIerfty In transportation and
Delivery, with Rates OF Postage consi-
A~r.bIy Reduced and simpli fed.
Sra.-A great deal has been said, during the last
few years. the subject of cheap postage. The sub
sot has been discussed very extensively in Congress
rs we'll as by the press throughout the country,
while in some of the large cities, organized bodies,
with authorized agents, TO carry ous snd promui-
gate their views, have assumed particular control
over the entire range and details of the cause
have, myself, not been an inattentve spectator of
the various discussions of the subject, nor have
been wholly disinterested one.
Pretending, therefore, Gas think mayD to soma
practical knowledge of post system, am of she
clear opinion that no law contemplating reduced
rates. can or ought ever to be carried out under the
present defective and very expensive discipline of
the Department. And while ooncsds the necessity
for low rates, Gn country like our own, psrticu-
iarly,) believe that very few of those who have
been active in their advocacy of their favorte policy
really know anything about the most practical and
prominent point involved If they do, they have
reorganization, on a more economical and supe-
rior basis, of the entire system of Post Ofcs &C.
counts, mail transportation, distribution aud dsli
very Ii is in references these points, that our post
system Is defective, and, quenty, very expen-
siye. To saddle cheap rates upon such system,
were only to sink the Department into debt, at the
sane time that we destroy all It's emalning ener-
gy A wise physician will restore his patient TO a
healthy condition, before allowing him to assume
additional labors and responsibilities no
practical good could flow from reduced rates OF
postage, when the department is not placed il
q condition to improve the character Of It's
transportation, distribution and delivsry.-for, il
these to depreciste Gas they certainly must,
under the prevailing system in proportion to tho
reduction of the rates and the amount Of additional
matter such reduction creates, no useful end. u
seems to me, can be achieved. The advocates OF
low rates seem never TO have thought of this, for
the whole drift Of their argument is this, that
whereas, the cheap postage rates OF Great Britain
work we'll, ergo, they will work well IN the I ni;ed
States. This argument always produced its effect
upon the unthnkiDg and the statisics otths British
post Office are presented with an air of triumph bat
have any ef these writer's ever analysed tbs ma
chinery of the British pest system, or have tasy
ownl Ii they had, they could not fail to have
been struck with the entire and complete dwimi-
larity Of the tive systems-a dissimilarity which
no effort eff legislation could overcome, and which
no ingenuity could harmonic In England there
are but few hun irsd post ofices-probably not
ever 500. There are few mail routes, OF course,
and they cover but very small area, probably
not more than an amount equal to New lS'k aud
the one checking upon the other-and the mails all
radiate from the centre. which is the General
Post Office Of London. Ii is, therefore, acentrs
fugAl ~ we'll as . ceA.repetal system, requiring no
nail distribution, and no syste Of sccouats Ike
our own. Any post system, Ia such . small area,
could be managed with esmparatiye ease, and with
very little expense; bu. 1t is far otherwise IN
thS United Statss. Here we have over twenty
thousand Uost Offices, scattere over the length aad
breadtb ." whole boundless continent" forming
. vast ~ work Of mail routes over seven thousand
IN number embracing every description and grade
of service, aud varying in length from one mile to
one thousand miles Our post system is BY far the
most complicated sraHch of the general govern
mont, and il probably employs twice the number
of agents Of all the other branches put together,
including its entire military and naval service
The accounts, while they involve the smallest in
dvidual items recognized by law, are nevertheless
the most intricate that could be imagined the
most difficult to adjust and the most exposed to
the Liability Of error. They are conducted, OF
course, In . wretched manner as in addition to the
complexity of the ac,ounts. It IL notorious that at
least one-thrd Of those engaged IN the service are
wholly incom mpetent-unAble to spell or TO cypher,
much less to make q creditable report Of their
efhcial duties to the proper accounting officer. !
do not state this with any disrespect. God forbid
merely repeat what (sad rather not) know, and
what the present POSTMASTER General appears
very much to lament, for he some time ago urged
this a. the most serious obstacle he had TO contend
But, however ignorant and incompetent many OF
the agents of the Department may be, they are.
nevertheless, required 70 make reports. Every
postmaster, no matter how trifirg or unimportant
his ofhce may be, has to keep account current,
in which entered all the letters and papers re
csived ss we'll rs those sent. He has to pos. bill
all his mail matter, Of course while many have 70
Keep mail registers, lrecevisg extra compensation
rhcrefore) as well ~ make miscellaneous reports
arising from q general supervision over the mail
service in their respective neighborhoods Ona fair
average, every postmaster makes st least I'VE re-
ports, Of kind another. every quarter, which
gives twenty per year, making aggregate OF four
hundred thousand accounts, each one embracing
from twenty TO thirty parats and distinct items,
and each item divided into departments, divisions,
and Subdivisions in the auditors ofice, before a
proper settlement Of the whole can be effected
There are numerous other reports, not. however,
peculiar to every post Office, which are not em-
brsced in the above estimate, but which present,
in the aggregate. number scarcely less imposing
There are reports of distributing Offices, collecting
oficer, and large Offices generally, such ~ New
York, Philadelphia, and Boston. These reports
and correspondence necessarily involve tremendous
expense-frst, the General Pest Office itself costs
annually over two hundred thousand dollars for its
clerical force alone and, secondly at least an ad
dtional hundred thousands is consumed In the paper
printing, blank books, and labor required in max
ing out these reports-for IL must be borne in mind
that such reports (as the quarterly sccounts) are
merely copies Of the account current, and other &C
ceuns kept in each Office, that Though one report
only IA sent, employing from three to six more par
GELS Of paper, at least many more parses remsinn
tue ottee Now, ! put down the whole amount
actually expended in repairs originating under the
account current, with the cost Of auditing them.
at two hundred thousand dollars. whioh, under the
reforms hereafter proposed, will be reduced to less
than hity thousand dollars per annum.
Post omess, a. nov conducsd d, may be divided
into several classes, though all precisely alike Ia
respect to accounts. The hrst and most i'm portaat
Offices are those whose net proceeds exceed one
thousand dollars per Annum, and whose incun bents
are therefore appointed By the President, Of such
there probably not over four hundred altogether
The secondary Offices are those neat in importance
but whose act proceeds do not reach oae thousand
dollars per year embracing probably Ave thou.
sand o6hoes, and situated in fourishing towns,
ceiving daily or tri weekly mail The third class
are those whose ipcumbents receive less than one
hundred dollars compensation per year and the
fourth and most numerous class, embracing over
ten thousand ofices,) may all be called Especial