The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-15


House in favor having 2lcent coin struck the Uni
ted States mint in eonnexion with the reform in the rates
MIR. POTTER said that il was important TO investigate
the subject by facts and hgures, by way OF answering
the objections the reform proposed The objections
lar stated from States falling short N post once
revenues. Maine, New Hampshire, MASSACHUSETTS,,
Connecticut, New York, Pennsy ono, Wisconsin,
Missouri, Louisiana, and Iowa paid IRON 100000 10
S45000O from hostages than me mails IN
them cost. II was presumed una. '"sy would furnish The
He desired the reform so enacted deprive any
Stale of mail facilities He had been sIieved 10 find
members from surplus postage paying States taking
Here followed conversation between Mr. p and
Mr.. CARTIER not heard distinctly by the Reporter
Mr. POTTER (contnuingl went on to show that TO
make uniform rate OF five cents for all distances would
be to decrease the postal twenty hive per cent
the aggregate He accounted for this by showing that
much OF what should be post office from short
routes absorbed by the express companies who
Iyink the mail letters Tor two cents routes on which
the government charged 1--WE, obtained the business ~
spite OF the laws Tor the prevention OF such things IL
proposed to put down the rates on short routes TO
three cents, really TO compete with these VIOLATIONS
OF the law
Mr. P. next turned TO the objection that it was the
purpose of the department to lessen the mail service In
States failing to postage revenue equal TO the cost
of the transportation OF the mails, which he argued 10
dispove He was willing that the surplus OF revenue
from Ohio should TO the support OF necessary mail ser
in non-Iaying States II had been alleged that the
reduction in the rates proposed would bankrupt the de-
partmen This and lis assertion showed the
want of information the subject on the part OF those
entertaining the idea. He had been challenged 10 bring
the proof that the proposed changes would not make
the department charge on the treasury He would do
From 1899 to s49 the receipts and expenditures of the
% q T sas o.
caused the enactment of The change the law
IN that the postage being less than
the expenses OF the department Subsequently, under the
operation Of The law OF ls43 the had increased
and the effect of that law had been directly opposite TO
he pvDarf TAT nf mn n lfs kTO
TO 40 the number OF letters had been increased from
twenty-fouT to sixty-fve millions. He had no faith in
the argument that the people not for the difference
three and five This result proved that was un
sound Now the department, under the reduced system,
had revenue sufficient from hostages to support itself
the postal experience OF England criterion for US
This position he controversial, and then proceeded to show
that in reducing her rates for letters to penny England
from postal charges. This being so, the gentleman from
Ohio went to show that this country might safely
rely what had occurred in England in this connection,
guide 10 the United States The amount of
IN this country from newspapers and pamphlets
considerable item, which, in England failed to go to the
credit of the department From this source he thought
could not al future to get considerable increase
OF postal revenue Mr.. T. then argued to prove that
were destined to get greater rata increase OF revenue
from the reduction OF hostages than Britain had obtained
giving his length for entertaining this i'm
preston He held that the changes in the proposed
by the committee in simplifying the business of local post
Offices would decrease the labor required in them and of
the expense OF conducting them also would il
decrease the expenses of the General Post Office Depart
ment in lessening the number OF clerks required he
explained at length.
He had objection 10 letting newspapers go twenty
miles free OF postage. He OF advocate for
the real interests of the country papers, and submitted that
they would flourish most with postage enough compen
safe the postmasters for attending to them Ii had been
SAID that II was not proper for the United States to adopt
the system of other governments He (Mr. P.) not
an advocate for rejecting all experience of ohershe
good as well as the bad.
Here the portion Of the hour OF Mr.. POTTER remain
tn him -siaua yhnn
Mr.. STANTON, Of Tennessee, moved that the com
mittee do now rise: agreed 10.
The chairman of the Committee OF the Whole on the
state Of the Union (Mr. BuRr) then reported
tas THE AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY
After which Mr. STANTON, of Tennessee, moved the
suspension of the rules accord to the American Colo
nzation Society the use OF the Hall for Friday evening
next.
Mr. JONES objected
On motion OF MIR. BURT. the House then adjourned
PETITIONS PREsENTED UNDER RULE.