Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-05-17
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
THE LATE POST OFFICE REGULATIONS.

TIE LATE POST OFFICE REGULATIONS.
The instructions of the Postmaster General to
Deputy Postmas.ers on the subject Of DISTRIBUTION
published in this paper last week, bear the strong
impress of discrimination, judgment, and Of such a
renovation of the present system as will ensure in.
creased accuracy in mailing, conbined with greater
regularity in the transmission Of all matter consgn-
ed TO the care of the Post Offices In this improve
men the entire public have deep an interest that
we are induced to take glance at the details OF
the order.
We notice that the first Injunction IS for a
careful asserting Of all the letters and newspapers
deposited in the Post Offices. This implies, also,
that every person who sends letter or paper by
the mail shall have taken care that such letter or
paper is properly and plainly directed.
Every Postmaster within the boundaries of the
New ENGLAND STATES is required to make up di-
rect, with post-b, all letters for any Office IN
anu of those States. This abolishes the entire
system of distribution there, which can be done
most advantageously, in consequence OF the thlckly
settled population and great number OF post offices,
all closely united by railroad and steamboat con-
veyance, with travelling agents accompanying.
Postmasters of every other State or Territory
are to mail and postbil direct all letters for offices
within their States and Territories respectively
They will thus be dispatched by the quickes
modes Of transmission.
In addition to this regulation, all Postmasters will
make up and postbil, direct, all letters destined
for other States or Territories which should not
pass through distributing office on their proper
route to the place Of delivery. This will obviate
many double delays, where letters have passed the
very offices Of their destination, under cover to
distributing Office, 10 be brought back by return
mail. -a-
Beside these, the desire of any acriter, who
thinks his letter would be thereby expedited, can
now be gratiGed by having his letter marked mai
direct" before deposi.ing it in the post office.
Having thus disposed of the New England States,
and prescribed certain rules for mailing tn each
State calculated in the cases specified to secure
ceerty of transmission better than through dis
,rbutins office, the regulation directs that all other
letters shall be postbilled and mailed to the first
distributing Office on the route to the Office of deli
very.
This portion of the Regulation will diminish. to
very great extent the labor Of Postmasters, lex
ceptat the distributing Offices )-abors which would
otherwise be, greatly augmented by the increase Of
letters under the new postage law while, by the re-
duction Of postage, their compensation would be
very materially currailed.
The mailing branch Of duties at each distributing
post Office are plainly expressed.
All letters addressed TO places within the State
or Territory in which such distribution Office is
situated or within distance of one hundred miles
therefrom, or which would not pass through dis
trbuting office on the proper route to the Office 0
delivery, "shall be mailed direct" II, however
the office of delivery is beyond one hundred miles
from such distributing office, and the letter shoult
properly pass through one or more distributing Of
fees, such letter shall be mailed and post-bed to
the last distributing office on the route to its place
of destination.
Postmasters are reminded of the great importance
of plainly directing each and every package, with
the name of the post Office, as well as of the State,
to which it is to be sent Bundles containing let
tiers for distribution should be plainly addressed in
the same manner, with the addition of the letters
ID. P. O." (for distributing post office after the
name of the office.
This new scheme of distribution also possesses
important advantages in another point of view. By
bringing the letters to the nearest distributing office
and sending them thence to the distributing Office
in direct connerion with the Office Of destination
in large packages, greater security is afforded
against loss and depreciation, well as against th
irregularities arising from mistakes during the hur
ried examination Of numerous little bundles at tn
different offces-mistakes which are greatly in
creased by the multiplicity of these small packages
With these few illustrative remarks, we anne'
the official order entire, for general information