The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-29
Complaints Against the Post Office Depart

The Troy On. W Wing publishes a brie
official correspondence between General S. d
JACOBS, First Assistant Postmaster General
and Mr.. w. L. WILLARD, postmaster at Troy
in order to show that certain decision Of thu
Department., in relation to the 'office of publ
cation" Of a newspaper, Under the postage law
Of August 80, 1852, is "inconsiderateIy veal
and mischievous." Wequote from the Whig
"The Post Office law Of 1851, section 2. (not re-
pealed or altered by the amendments of the las
session, } says:
"'All newspapers not exceeding three ounces in
weight, sent from ,hs office u. publication to actua
and bona fde subecrbers, shall be charged with
postage us follows, to witt (Tren follows the rates
discriminating between regular and transient La.
pcrs, the regular being those to bona fdc subscri
bers from the Office OF publication '")
TO show the reliablcness Of the writer's in
formation, as the basis Of grave complaint
against public officer, it is only necessary tn
cite a section from the law of August last
which reads thus:
"SEc. 5. And be IL further enacted, That go much
of the ,econd section of the act entitled An act to
modify and reduce the rates of postage in the Uni
ted States, and for other purposes approved March
third, eighteen hundred and ffy-one, relates TO
the postage free circulation or Transmission of
nerspapers periodicals., and ofhr printed mattfr and
all ohr prop'ions Of ln,D inconsistent ,oih the pro-
ri'ions Of this act are hereby repealed
The Wing will find on closer examina-
ton Of the subject that the trainers of the
new law have studously avoided any allu-
sion to "offices Of publicatnn." The pro-
yicjo in I'd in ba ,l1 l.,
elusive, unjust, and yet easily evaded. Pa
pers printed in one place We're dated at
several places, and thus dcfied The law
Besides, there was no good reason why an
individual. receiving and paying for a news
paper, should not have the privilege OF for
wardng it by mail at fixed rate to- any other
individual. The new law was prepared with
a special reference TO this matter. and is in
terms so plain that its meaning can scarcely
be misunderstood. Here is an extract bearing
upon the point in question:
An act to amend the act entitled can act to re
duce ana modify the rates Of postage in the
United States and for other purpos's," passed
March third, eighteen hundred and fifty one.
BE IL enacted by the Senate and House IF Repre-
sentatrSs HE Uri'd States Of America in Congress
assenbtd That from and after the thirtieth day Of
September, eighteen hundred and fly two, the
postag e upon all printed matter passing through the
mail Of The United States INSTEAD the RATES
NOW CHARGED, shall be IA fellows. to VT: Each
caspaprr, periodical, unsesl"d circular, other
atticl" OF printed matter, not exceeding three
ounccs in weight, shall be cent 10 my part of the
United states for ono cent, and for every add
tonal ounce, or fraction OF ounce, one cent
additional shall be charged; and when the postage
upon any newspaper or periodical il paid quar-.
terly or yearly in advance at the [postl office
where the said periodical or newspaper is dcliv-
cred, or is paid yearly or quarterly in advance at
the tpostl office where the same is mailed, and
evidence Of such payment is furnished 10 the
office Of delivery in such manner the Post Office
Department shall by regulation prescribe,
half only Of those rates shall be charged" &c.
Another complaint preferred by our Troy