The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-22

hereto shall be charged but hall cent Tor each ounce OF
ing rates"
The amendment agreed to-
The second amendment was then read follows:
In section 2, line 81 after "maliable matter" insert
And shall be chargeable with postage at one cent an
for all distances under 600 miles, and Two cents
cent shall be added la all the shall be
sent without being prepaid
This amendment relates to the postage upon books.
The amendment was agreed to.
No further amendment being offered. the bill was
ported TO the Senate, and the amendments were concur
MIR. HAMLIN. There is another amendment which
desire TO have offered IN relation to another matter
Mr. CHASE. | will read the amendment, and move
that it be inserted at the end OF the first section:
Provided farther, That the Postmaster General may
prescribe by general regulations what matter, other han
specified in this act shall beaegarded malta
Bile which snail be sent at the Same rate OF postage
as books"
The object OF this amendment is TO all horticulturists
and others 10 send small packages OF seeds to distant
paris Of the country, which cannot be accomplished in
| MIR. HAMLlN. desire 10 say that il was the in
tenlion OF the Post Office Committee TO offer precisely
that amendment 1t some other cases besides that
mentioned by the senator from Ohio. and it meets the
appreciation oil the Committee on the Post Oice and Post
| Roads.
| Mr.. BORLAND. am disposed TO relieve everything
proper TO go through the mail from any unnecessary bur-
den; but really this seems to me to be opening the way
for making The government common carrier; that
anybody having any article OF merchandise even can
send through the mail How will it be possible 10 dis
| crminate in the administration OF such provision
this Ii allows horticultursts to send-what II does
not specify Ii does not define the articles Any man
who has garden may gather up all his produce and
send through the mail, unless have misunderstood the
amendment shall be compelled TO ask the yeas and
nays upon that amendment.
The yeas and nays ordered.
| Mr.. HAMLlN. desire to say one word in relation
TO this amendment The bill now provides that publishers
of books may send them at prescribed rate OF postage
therein
matter such shall be designated by the Postmaster
General, shall be maabe matter and shall be sent at the
same rate as books Now, sir, will pay 5000 ton for
transportation and will be source OF revenue 10 the
department. II will allow different merchants, between
our large cities, TO transmit samples of their goods, with
out encumberng the mail IN any way so as to be objection
| able. know OF no way IN which afford
great facilities TO merchants as would result from this
provision; and it would pay the enormous price OF
$500 ton. It would increase the OF the depart
ment to extend these facilities to merchants, well
| TO the publishers of books.
MIR. BORLAND asked for the reading OF the amend
ment
The amendment was accordingly read.
MT. BORLAND. perceive that the amendment is not
quite Objectionable | at first supposed | can well
understand how central region of the country, such
region that from which the senator from Maine, the
senator from Ohio. come, may be benefited by such
amendment as this but at the tme it way be very
bnTdensome and troublesome TO other regions OF the
Try Now, if you open the mail TO carry merchandise in
this way what is to become OF the region of country
which live and other sparsely settled portions of the
country, where the mail is carried horseback Why
sir, the mail will soon be loaded down. We owing
to the of facilities the spasey -seled portions OF
The counry, have our mails lying from week TO
week, because the means OF transportation not sui
Gent TO carry what is sent And when apply the
Post Oce Department for oil service we are
told that cannot be allowed because the not
sufficient 10 pay H. now, you add TO letters spapers
and books other matters OF merchandise OF various kinds
the mali VIII become, as have SAID, the
oil the country; and In those regions OF the country
where we have only horseback transportation or small
two horse wagons, we shall not get our mall matter at
a hay malta Land Tar tha
the different Offices We already very much troubled
in this way. This amendment / fear, will more than
double the difficulty, and cut us of from mail facilities
| altogether
Those who live where the mail is carried by railroads
or steamboats, will not meet with this difficulty; but in
sparsely seted region OF country, repeat such as thai
IN which live. where now have limited means of
transportation, shall suffer Inconvenience that will
| become inolerable.
MIR. HUNTER. | hope we shall be allowed 10 have
vote upon this bill.
Mr.. CHASE, by unanimous consent modified his
amendment by inserting the words or the act amended
thereby" after the words specified in this act" As
modified the amendment reads:
"Propided. farther, That the Postmaster General may
prescribe, by general regulations what matter other
such as spected IN this act the act amended, shall
be regarded as malabe matter, which shall be sent at
the same rate OF postage as books"
Mr.. SHIELDS | think that this is opening very
wide door II we adopt such amendment as that That
which is OF an intellectual character. which goes 10
tighten the country may very well be through the
mail; but here seems 10 be wide and unlimited power
very much abused.
Mr. CHASE. | wish TO say a single word The bill
already prescrbes that newspapers weighing three ounces
sent through the mail 10 any portion OF the country,
shall be charged one cent agree 10 that, because am
in favor of the greatest possible diffusion OF information
But will venture 10 say that all the maabe matter
Guiding all The samples sent by merchants, and all the
seeds sent by hortcuturisis will not be equal in bulk,
or in weight, to the issues OF one great newspaper
establishment; while have no doubt that IL will be OF
twenty times the value, and will produce twenty times
the revenue.
Mr. BRADBURY Twill suggest an amendment that
may relieve the amendment proposed OF the objections
urged by the senator from Arkansas | move 10 insert
after the words "malable NATTER" the words "nol 10
exceed one pound in weight :" 10 guard against
abuse and yet provide for the objects desired by the SEN
aior from Ohio, 10 authorize hortcuusts send their
seeds, and merchants their samples, through the mail
Mr.. HUNTER 1t is IL o'clock, and il is very evil
dent that there will be debate shall be compelled
TO move to postpone the bill
Mr.. RUSk. ] hope may have few minutes more
We can dispose OF il in few moments.
MIR. HUNTER. Very we'll
Mr.. TOUCEY. hope the Senate will vote down the
main amendment. Ii is transfer of the legislative
power from the Congress OF the United States to the
MIR. CHASE. With the unanimous consent OF the
Senate will accept the amendment OF The senator from
Maine.
Mr.. BORLAND. I will say that that does not mend
the matter at all. | must object 10 it,
The amendment to the amendment was agreed to.
The question REQUIRED upon the Amendment as amend
ed.
MIR. B0RLAND. | wish merely to state tolhe Senate
that The amendment 10 the amendmen does not improve