The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-23

1. Three cents, for all distances, on letters
weighing not more than half an ounce, which may
be prepaid or not.
g. No post Office to be discontinued, and the
compensation Of no postmaster to be reduced, on
account Of the passage Of the act, and new mail
routes TO be continued in the same manner as
under the old system
3. One cent on newspapers, magazines, pamph-
let's and all descriptions of printed matter,
weighing not more than two ounces; and bound
books, lot exceeding thirty ounces, mailable
matter.
a. Newspapers delivered in the State or Ter
ritory where printed, at half ofthe foregoing rates
delivered in the county where printed or thirty
miles from the place of publication, free of post
age 30 per cent. to be deducted from postage on
magazines when prepaid.
3. Three cent pieces TO be coined at the mint
Of the United States, three-fourths silver, and
one-fOurth copper.
G. Counterfeting, altering, or forging letter
stamps made felony.
7. Letters not called for in two weeks to be ad-
vertised once in the newspaper of the neighbor-
hood having the largest circulation.
Aad be Il further enacted, That it shall be in
| the power of the Postmaster General at all most
| offices where postmasters are appointed by the
President of the United States, TO establish most
routes within the cities or towns, to provide for
carrying letters to the post Office by establishing
suitable and convenient places Of deposite and by
employing carriers to receive and deposte then
in the post office and at ell such offices il shall
also be in his power to letters TO be deliy-
cred by suitable carriers, to be appointed by him
for that purpose, for which not exceeding one or
two cents shall be charged, TO be paid by the per-
sons sending or receiving letters and all sums so
collected shall be paid into the Post Office De-
partment: Propided, That the amount of COM
pensston allowed by the Postmaster General to
carriers shall in no case exceed the amount paid
into the treasury by each town or city, under the
provisions of this section"
The bill is not, of course, acceptable in all
points to the friends Of Postage Reform. IL
adopts the three, instead Of two cents, rate. II
does not require prepayment. IL does not abOl-
ish the ranking privilege or transfer the cost of
it to the General Treasury, but it really extends
it, by burdening the mails with vast quantity
Of free printed matter in every county or range
Of thirty miles where a newspaper is printed
S1outG the cost of carrying mail matter there
fore be increased, it viii be the fault not of the
Postage Reform so long urged by its friends, but
Of an ,jppArfent hijl Dor can thsS be blamed
should there be larger deficit than they pre-
dotted from the operation of cheap postage, with
out the franking privilege.
Still, we rejoice at the passage Of the BILL de-
fective as ii is in some respects.
1t is great step in the right direction.
The Senate will soon take it up and efforts
will doubtless be made to amend it, but we hope
the friends of Postage Reform will do nothing
that shall endsnger the measure, or subject it to
the hazard of defeat by final disagreement be-
tween the two Houses.
Saturday, the Senate did not sit, and the House
was employed in Committee of the Whole on the
Private Calendar
Monday, Judge Berrien, from the Committee
on the Judiciary, to which had been referred the
bill and amendments respecting private land
claims in California, reported substitute, which
was made the special order for Monday next
The day was occupied mostly with speech from
Mr.. Hunter of Virginia in opposition to the
French Spoliation Bill.
The House resolved to devote the second Tues.
day in February to the bills relating to the Dis
trct of Columbia An unsuccessful attempt was
made by Mr.. johnson of Tennessee TO induce the
House to fx day for the consideration of his
bill, to give lands to the landless; the Honse
then, under a suspension Of the rules, proceeded
to the consideration Of the bill introduced by Mr.
Robinson, to provide for the.prompt execution OIL
the Bounty Land Law. No conclusion was ar
s;vea al, when the HOUSE auJourncu.
Tuesday, Mr.. Seward spoke at length on tn
French Spoliation bin in the Senate and tn
House disposed of considerable business on tn
Speakers table, referring to appropriate commit
tees, &c