The New York herald., 1851-12-02

NEW YORK, November 70, loOi
To THE Hon N. X. HALL, PosrMAsrEs GENEn1L
since the antidifusion OF knowledge isw known -
the New Postage Law, passed BY the Last Ccagress,
hes been In speration, virtually and de Iado ex-
S.v. saa in % to
pare memorial ON the subject, to be submitted 70
the people, through the press, for their approbac
tion and signatures, and then, with their tens OF
Thousands Of signatures, 10 havsi presented TO Con-
gress; but the announcements, in the newspapers in
this city, Of call Of meeting Of the Cheap Post
age Association, caused me to abandon my inten-
tions, and waited with no little anxiety for the
publication Of the result Of the meeting.
The account Of the proceeding of that meeting,
and Of the resolutions adopted, is now before me;
most heartily concur in them, (psrdon my ego
tism,) and unite my voice to swell the mighty echo
rate through the land.
While the principle Of cheap postage, as recon-
meDded BY the resolutions adopted at the meeting
approved Yet is manifest that the association has
not ful6lled all that was expected Of it. The do
sire to have the last postage law reviewed. and re
solutions recommending such action to Congress,
thing more than the adoption Of those resolutions
would have been the legitimate business of the
meeting, Why did not the preamble set forth
the means by which the government could.
age' Why were not the abuses Of the pre-
sent contract system exposed? Why was it
not made manifest that the enormous sum of
money now paid to contractors for transporting the
mails were at least five times too large, even to
allow them PROFITS larger than can be expected from
any other legitimate business Had these questions
been discussed, certainly the result would have
proved conciusiyey that saving of at least seventy
i've per cent could be made. / will endeavor to
answer these interrogatories; but viii preface my
remarks with prayer for indulgence for the errors
must commit, for do not pretend to be fully ade-
quate to the task; but hope that few good sug-
sestions may be found among the many may
make.
maintain that mail contractors are paid extra
VACANT prices for transporting the mails, aud to
prove this, will select the maI route most expen-
sive to contractors and sho that the mails can be
carried for about one fifth the prices now paid.
| select the U. s. mail route via Chagres and
Panama to San Francisco, distance of 5,600 miles
BY sea, and "a mile. BY inland navigation and land
Messrs Berford & 20 have been carrying letters to
and fro between New York and San Francisco since
the st day Of july 1851 for three cents on each let
ter of half an ounce weight, and they have gene
rally delivered their letters in less time (sometimes
eight days. than the u S. mails and that the most
incredulous may be satisfied, will give the actual
data of receipts and expe nditures BY Messrs. Ber
ford and Co. They use but patent Indie rubber
rams than the U. s. leather bags. The bag msa.
sures three cubic feet, and, when empty. weighs,
with chain and lock, 81 lbs, and viii contain 60 lbs
of letters, properly tied up Single letters average
perience it is proved that 40 letters win weigh one
pound. We then have 400 letters in bag, which,
Ut two cents each, prepaid always, viii yield BIS.
The expenses of transportation, even at the enor-
nous rates on the steamers, and across the sthmus
Bag Of 24to letters, 8 cubic feet, at 70 cts. per
Bag Of asOs letters, Si ii: At i6 ct. per- iS
Bag Of 24oO letters, ccbo feet, ct "a 90, to
San Francisco ................... 75O
slasi
which, deducted from receipts, $43, will leave $23
loo to pay office expenses for receiving, stsmping,
mailing, and expense of bags, of looks &C. on 400
letters; and will venture to assert that Adams
and Co. or Berford and Co., and hundreds of
others, would be willing to contract With the
Government to transport the United States
thirty:fve cents per lb., and deliver them in less
time than Is now occupied By the United States mail
contractors.
From official documents learn, that the number
of letters received at the New York Post-ofce from
San Francisco, during the quarter ending Juno 30,
1851, was 1874; number sent, ia 1858 making
total of 2Sa3Z7 letters and the postage collected
for % % one Quarter, making % Al that % rate. Ss7s
20 postage received for letters to and from San
Francisco, during year. And will ask what was
paid out BY the Post Office to contractors, mail
These %, ,32T letters would weigh $3.50 lbs add
400 lbs for weight Of mail bags, the total weight to
be transported would be 6,260 lbs. and 800 cubic
feet In measurement
100 bags containing 2s4,227 letters, measur-
ing 300 cubic feet at s3 @................ $3.50 90
loo bsgs. containing 2s4 s2s letters, weighing
200 lbs, ct 10 cts per looi "
sl,osl 60
The postage on S27 letters, at two cents, would
be $4,6e6 81, Leaving q balance for ofdce expsn-
Ileave il for others to show that this surplus is
not sufficient to defray all the ofice expenses at
tendant upon these letters. Such are the incoRtro
IA feat tab oot, nf fkA
art of transportation Of letters between the two
most distant Post offices in the United States, ever
route at least ten times mere expensive than any
other new known. l will venture to assert that q
bag of 20 lbs weight, containing 400 letters, would
be taken by Adams and Co., to and from the Post
Offices in Philadelphia and New FORK for dollar
The postages on 400 letters, ut two cents, would
be sS deduct 81 for transportation and there isa
balance Of S47 to pay office expenses.
Herc we have the most expensive mail route
yielding over and above transportation expenses
t2S IL on every 2,4OO letters, and the cheapest
route yielding S47 on every 400 letters to meet
the office expenses. now come to newspaper post
age, and will lay aside all cant about 'diffusion
OF knowledge" educating the people," &;., and
treat the matter as q matter Of dollars ard cents.
Take the route between New York and Phila
delphia A bag weighing 40 lbs, measuring three
cubic feet. will contain 200 double New YORK
HKRALDs; and such bag can be taken between
cent, would be s7, thus leaving q surplus, for
Office expenses, Of So; and this would be the ave-
rage surplss on all newspaper mails from Bangor
Maine, by the line Of railroads aud steam boats,
whenever they are bound to New Orleans. Igrant
tn At ails to many small towns situated in the in
terror and Western states would not pay for them
selves, but it remains with you, sir to show from
statistics in your Office, whether the great mail
routes would not more than make up the deficiency
Daily experience proves that letters are more
safe in the hands Of responsible express companies
than in the United States mails, and such is the
public sentiment. IL an express agent loses let
Tar gar. MI val a ad
II, as too frequently happens, . letter containing
money is deposited In q post office and lost, the
only answer given, upoo inquiry At the post office
for the missing letter, is "no such letter In the
Office ?"
viii close this letter, already too long, With a
synopsis Of postal regulation, which respectfully
submit to you aud the members Of Congress -
1 Let all substances, not detrimental to paper
writings, be transmitted through the mails.
2. All postage to be prepaid b. stamps