The republic., 1851-01-03
Postal Reform.

| Mr.. CHANDLER was of opinion that the pub
lie sentiment had been so clearly and generally
expressed as to leave Congress little else to dc
than TO conform to its requirements. This is
true, so far relates to the reduction of postage
but the adjustment of the details of bill will
call for the patient and intelligent investiga
ton of every member We will make few
remarks upon the various items commented
upon in Tuesdays discussion.
Mr.. HEBARD proposed to amend the pending
bill by making twelve hundred square inches
the limit of newspaper entitled TO single
postage, instead of 900 He remarked that
he did not regard the amendment as of any
great practical Importance, but wished the size
to be restricted within some reasonable limits,
or else that all papers should pass without any
restriction as to their size. We hope his
amendment will not prevail The size pre-
scribed in the bill is large enough, we believe,
to include every bona fide newspaper in the
country and yet not large enough TO admit Of
t,co papers being sent on one sheet for the pur-
pose Of detrauding the Department.
The assertion that the petitions before Con
gress had all originated in the great towns and
cities Mr.. HEBARD pronounced incorrect 81
represent" said he, ''an agricultural district,
and an agricultural State-and State that
pays large excess of postage beyond the ex-
pense incurred-and must here be permitted
to deny for my constituents, what gentleman
from Missouri asserts for his, that the people
who signed these petitions neither knew what
they signed, nor desired what they asked
do not admit that the petitions on this subject
that have presented Were gotten up in the
cities.'
We have been surprised to hear such an OBJ
lection as this preferred by the opponents of the
BILL and by the same gentlemen, too, who ex-
press apprehenslons lest the transportation of the
mails in sparse regions of country should cease
under the operation of cheap postage law.
The reduced rates will greatly augment the
business of city post Offices, while in sparsely
inhabited regions corresponding increase is of
course not possible. The result of this will be
to tax the business of the cities for the facilities
afforded to the country people. This will be
the effect of the law, and this effect is under
stood by the people of the cities and yet they
are in favor oft. Does this look like the exis-
tence of the hostile and antagonstc interests so
much dreaded by honorable gentlemen ?
But the abrilgement of the post routes in the
interior is feared as an inevitable result. This
fear is based solely upon two assumptions
firstly, that the proposed measure will impair
the revenue from postage; and, secondly, that
the Department will henceforth be unaided by
the General Government
The first of these we regard as wholly
groundless. That the revenues will be in
creased by the reduction in the rates, except
during brief transition period in which the
aid OF the General Government of right ought
to be extended. we believe to be as certain as
any future event can be that is assured by the
concurring testimony of every matured expert
ment that has been instituted.
The second proceeds with an ill-grace from
gentlemen who are unwilling to relieve the
Post Office Department of the burden of gra-
tuitous service now imposed upon it, So ex-
cessive is this service that honorable gentlemen
proclaim their willingness to part with the pri-
vilege that they may be also relieved Of the la
Dor to which it subjects them-the labor of pro
fitless correspondence, and of franking mailable
matter Surely, if they can recognise the pro-
priety of this relationship between the Govern
ment and the Department, they cannot with
hold whatever aid may be required to sustain
the efficiency of the latter.
While we protest however against the abuse
of the Department by means Of the franking
privilege-while we maintain the duty Of Con
gress to respond to the demands of the people
in according to them cheap postage-and while,
for the sake of policy, we are in favor OF such
an adjustment of the rates of postage as will
cover all the expenses of the Department-we
do not believe that the exercise of the power
conferred upon Congress by the Constitution,
''to establish post offices and post roads" can
be evaded, even though the expenses entailed
shall quadruple the receipts.
In the bill before Congress, the highest rate
of postage is imposed upon letters, the lowest
upon newspapers. All other packages are re-
quired to pay medium rate. Exception is
taken to this, and we perceive that the able
and distinguished member from Pennsylvania,
(Mr CHANDLER,) is among the dlssenters.
He expresses the hope that magazines may be
mailed at half oScent, prepaid, and thinks this
proposition sin perfect accordance with the
spirit of the law which gives to newspapers
an advantage by weight over letters"
If we appHehend this subject Alright, news
papers are NOT favored in this respect be-
cause they ate printed in folio or quarto,
but because they contain that species of in
formation WSich is essential to the intelli-
gent electors in a Republican Government
They contain, from day to day, and from
week to week, an abstract history of the events
Of the world, political, religious, moral, intel
ectual, commercial, and social. They are not
designed as vehicles through which to convey to
the people standard and elaborate works of sci
ence and literature. Their information is adapted
to influence and control the actions of men in their
| daily pursuits and intercourse. Their circula-
| ic t,al 81 and , b.