Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-10
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

The House resumed the consideration Of the bill to
amend act entitled An act to reduce and modify the
rates Of postage in the United States and for other pur
poses approved March 3, 1851, reported by Mr. OLDs
from the Committee the Post Office and Post Roads,
Tuesday last the consideration Of which had been post
poned until this day The question upon the amend
ments reported to the bin by the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads.
The first amendment Of the committee to strike out
the words in [brackets] in the following clause:
Each newspaper, pamphlet periodical, magazine book,
scpon of printed matter with any manuscript
writing, and Of greater weight than two land hall
ounces shall be charged with cent postage and one cent
for each additional fraction Of ounce for any DIS
lance under two thousand miles,
Mr.. BROOKS said this bill st section had in 1t two
bad principles, the first Of which was limiting the maxi
mum weight Of newspapers 70 two ounces Inc max.
mum weight now allowed BY Jaw Was three ouncee but
this bill reduced the maximum one third The effect Of
such provision upon existing sheets weighing over two
to make publishers use thinner and lighter
paper come within the law to the great damage OF the
art Of printing and to the greater damage yet OF the eye
and eve sight of the community 1t was advantage
to any body but the spectacle maker and that advantage
was purchased by the sacrifice of all others was wise
the public 10 encourage rather than to discourage the
publication of large sheets with abundant reading matter
in them but this bill seemed TO say, You shall have
nothing that cannot be crowded into under
unless you win pay for 1t enormous POSTAGE Extras
accompanying newspapers sometimes indispensably
necessary 10 publish what every should know espe-
but the bill said, If yor printed such extras, il must be
done either paper that will sacrifice the oversight, or
the reader must pay extra postage for it, Policy prece
dent especially in father land where journalism is
carried to the greatest perfection declared that publish
should be left Mt liberty to the size Of their sheets
and the number of their extras.
Mr. b, said that it would be impossible, in ncwspa
per weighing not over properly to publish the
debates Of Congress- and 1t for want Of such publ
cation that was 10 be attributed much Of the section
aism existing in the country nasmucb as the North at
present read only what the North sad and the South the
South that the two sections taught to grow up
dstrusng each other This limitation Of the weight Of
newspapers would perpetuste that kind Of feeling and
increase IL. III itH Ht
Mr. then stated that though whatthe people asked for
cheap postage this bill raised the existing rates
newspapers in the settled parts Of the country and thus
when the people asked for bread this bill gave them
stone Mr.. g. then read table showing this fact thus
The operation Of the existing laws upon newspapers
sent subscribers 10 shown below in the usual type but
the italics show what would be the operation under the
bill reported The computation is for quarter Of
year: