The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-18


eral subject Of cheap postage. stating that it's ef
isct would be change the treasury, and Ultimate
~ 10 deprive kxtreFne points Of the country Of
Their present tacities. lie was understood as de-
elarlng Me faHkng privilege TO be one for the
Mr.. VEN ABLE stated that he should not vote
for a uPifor rate Of three cents, because he
shoughtst too harsh an experiment, aud il might
make the system of cheap postage unpopular.
lie was for postage Of three cents for short dis
tances, and five for long, and would vote for moth
ing which prevented the extension of proper mail
facilities TO all parts Of the country Mr.. v. was
not disposed to abolish the ranking privilege.
lie commented upon the course of gentlemen who
voted m epey freely for the establishment Of a line
OF steamers for the benefit OF free negroes, while
denying mail tse!!ltsss 10 our own. people.
| Mr.. CARRIERS amendment was rejected
| Mr.. w. J. BROWNS bill proposed Ms sub
stitute to the bill. which hud been acted upon in
COMMITTEE, was then rejected. Ayes SO, noes 81.
Mr.. PUTNAM then moved an amend ment to
the original bill, authorizing the Postmaster Cen
eral, IN order TO insure the services Of competent
postInnsters under the reduced rates Of postage, to
increase rates OF commission when he shall deem
it just and equitable. Mr.. P. addressed the com
mittee IN support Of his proposition, but his re-
marks were not heard by the reporter.
Mr.. +. p. STANTON. referring to the attacks
of the gentleman from North Carolina, upon the
proposed line of steamers to Africa, said that II
he was eager for the fight, he (Mr. 81 would take
an early opportunity TO move to take up the bill
providing for thai object. He hoped for the as
sistunce of the gentleman from North Carolina
IN getting the subject before the House. He
would then challenge him to the controversy.
Mr. PUTNAMS amendment was not agreed
TO. 4siei ~s1s- nr T'715 b -
Mr. POTTER moved that the committee rise
and report the bill to the House. Carried.
Thersupon the committee rose and reported ac-
I cordinoIv
MIR. POTTER moved the previous question,
which was sustained by the House.
Mr.. HALL of Mo, moved to lay the bill on
the table and called for the yeas and nays. Neg
atived. Ayes 81; noes 1879.
i The House proceeded to the consideration Of
the LIST. section of the bill, reported by the COM
: mittee.
II provided that after June 3Oth, 1851, uni
form rate Of three cents should be charged OH let
ters not weighing over half an ounce, and three
cents for every additional half ounce or fraction
thereof Also, that no post Office, nor the SER
vice on eDy post route, should he discontinued by
reason ofthe passage Of the act; also, that shall
be the duty Of the Post Master General to estab
: sh new post Offices and post routes the same as
if the act had not been passed, and TINT no post
masters compensation should be reduced on ac-
count thereof. N
I The question being put, it was decided in the
affirmative. Ayes l2l; noes SO.
AyEs-Messrs, Alexander, Allen, Aston, An
drews, Ashmun, Beale, Bell, Bennett, Bingham,
Bokee, Booth, Breck, Briggs, Brisbin, Brooks,
a Carolina, CALVIN, Campbell, Casey, Chandler,
Clarke, Cleveland, Cole, Conger, Corwin, CrowelI,
Danner, Deberry, Dckey, Doty, Duncan, Dur
kee, Elliot, Evans of Maryland; Evans of Ohio,
Fitch, Fowler, Gerry, Giddngs, Gilbert, Gill
more, Colt, Gould, GrnnelI, Holloway. Ham
mond. Hampton, Harlan, Hay, Henry, Hoag-
land, Holmes, Houston, Howard, Howe, Hun
ter, Jackson of New York, Johnson of Ken
lucky, Julian, Kaufman, King of New Jersey, ].
A. King, Preston King, Letter, Littefeld, Mann
of Massachusetts, Marshall, Malteson, Nc
Donald. McGaughey, Mclean, Meacham, Mil
Oge, Olds, Otis, Peck, Phenix, Pitman, Potter,
Putnam, Reed, Reynolds, Risley, Rockwell, Root,
Rose, Ross, Rumsey, Sackett, Sawtelle, Schenck,
Schermerhorn, Schoolcraft, Seldom, Sylvester,
Spalding, Sprague, Stetson, Taylor, Thompson
of Pennsylvania, Thompson Of Kentucky, Thur
man, Tuck, Underhi, Vnton, Walden, Waldo,
Wallace, Wentworth, Whittlesey, Wright and
| Young--l2l. iff
Il NAYs-Messrs. Alberston, Ashe, Averett Bay,
Bayly, Bocock, Bowdon, Bowie, Boyd, Brown
OF Mississippi, Brown of Indiana Rullard, Bur-
rows, Burt, Cartier, Clingman, Cobb Of Ala5ama'
: Colcock, Daniel Dimmick, Disney, Duer Dun
ham, Edmundson, Ewing, Featherston, Freddy,
Fuller, Gentry, German, Hall, Hamilton, Haral-
son, Harris of Tennessee, Harris Of Illinois,
Raymond. Hilliard, Holiday, Inge, Jackson OF
Georgia, Johnson Of Tennessee, Johnson of Ar
kansas, Jones, Kerr, LaSere, Mann Of Pennsyl-
vania, Mason, McClernand, Mcdowell, McKs-
SOCK McLanahan, McLane. McMuen, Nc
4 Queen, Meade. Miller of Ohio, Mison, Morri-
son, Morton, Orr, Outlaw, Parker, Peaslee. Penn,
Phelps, Powell, Robbins, Robinson, Savage,
Shepherd, Stanley, Stanton of Tenn, Sweetzer,
/ Thomas, Thompson of Mississippi, Toombs,
Van Dyke, Venable, Watkins, Weborr, White
and Williams-s3. lr
The question then taken separately upon
the following sections reported by the committee,
and they were agreed to: saU
Sec. 2. And be IL further enacted, There shall be
charged upon each newspaper, pamphlet, period-
cal, magazine, book, and every other description
of printed matter, which shall be unconnecled
with any manuscript or written matter and which
II may be lawful to transmit through the mail, Of
no greater weight than two ounces, cent and
for each additional ounce, fraction Of an ounce,
one cent. Bound books, not weighing over thirty
ounces, shall be deemed maable matter under
the provisions Of this sections Propided, That
newspapers delivered IN the State where printed
shall be chargeable with only one-half the forego
ing rates, aud prorided further that postage shall
be charged upon any newspaper mailed and deiv-
cred within the county where printed, or within
thirty miles of the place where printed. sis i.
Prorided further, That the free circulation of
newspapers within the county where printed, or
the distance of thirty miles of the place where
printed, hereinbefore provided, shall be CON
fined to actual subscribers receiving their papers
from the Office were printed.
Prorided, Further, That fifty per cent. shall be
deducted from the postage on magazines, when
that postage shall be prepaid. Uf aeL
Sec. 3 find be IL further enacted, That il shall
be lawful to coin at the mint of the United States
and its branches, piece of the denomination and
legal value Of three cents, or three hundredths Of
dollar, to be composed Of three-fourth silver
and one-fourth "copper" and to weigh twelve grains
and three eghths of grain; that the said coin
shall bear such devices shall be conspcuousy
different from those of the other silver coins, and
Of the gold dollar, but having for its inscription
"Uned States of America" and its denomina-
ton and date; aad that it shall be legal tender
in payment OF debts for all sums Of thirty cents
and under.
Sac. A. Ind be il further enacted, Ii shall be the
duty Of the Postmaster General to provide and
furnish to all deputy postmasters, ard other per-
sons applying and paying therefor, suitable
stamps of the denomination Of thee cents, to ia
cililate the prepayment of the hostages provided
for in this act. And any person who shall coun-
terfe, alter, or forge any letter stamps, or shall
\ kpnvytpoly hav in bis false