Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-01-22
CIRCULAR.
OCEAN PENNY POSTAGE.

MIR. EDiToR-Let me beg you to admit
into some corner of your paper, few
thoughts on Ocean Penny Postage a subject
which must interest, directly and deeply,
many of your readers, and millions OIL both
sides of the Atlantic. Perhaps you are
aware that the project of reducing the transit
charge on letters, from any port of Great
Britain to any port beyond the sea, to one
penny or two cents, has been mooted in this
country for several years. II has now as
sumed the character of II measure OF urgent
necessity, and vnst importance and is about
TO be brought forward in Parliament, backed
by almost the unanimous sympathy and
suffrage of all political parties, and of all
classes of society. In fact, no opposition 10
this great postal reform has manifested itself
in any quarter IL seems at once to concili-
ate and win to ITS advocacy all interests
The sudden and immense emigration to
Austrai1 within the last few months, with
the old gulf stream of human beings, flow
ing with undiminished current toward
America, has brought the subject home TO
millions, during the last year, who thought
it did not affect them before. The poorer
aud industrial classes of society, who supply
the largest tributaries Of this swift running
river OF emigration, look for the realization
OF Ocean Penny Postage as boon of ines
timable value. The commercial class of
com1unity begin to understand its Import
ance, and TO urge its adoption. Every inte-
rest, every influence, every disposition and
tendency of the times, is in its favour. But,
to make an Ocean Penny Postage universal,
co'ex,enslve with tho globe, the sympathy
and concurrence of the people aud govern
mcnts of all maritime countries in Christen-
dom are requisite. For, to realize complete
" the system proposed, whatever be the
distance or direction, or under whatever flag
letter may be conveyed, the single service
OF IFS mere transit from any port of one
country TO any port of another, must be per-
formed for one penny. II the British mail
packets perform this service on letter from
any port of Great Britain to uny port beyond
the sea at which they touch fos ons penny,
the American mail packets, must do the same.
The French steamer, that conveys letter
across the Mediterranean, or the German
across the BaItic, or the Danish across the
sound to Sweden, must each perform this
single service for a penny. Several Govern
nients aud nations, then, must move in this
matter, before the whole scheme is consum-
mated. But Great Britain and the United
States can establish this system over more
than threc-iourths of tue globe, without the
aid or concurrence of any other governments
whatever. England can alone establish il
between Liverpool and Halifax, and will do
II, doubtless, ere long, and between her and
all her colonial ports, beyond the sen, ia
every direction, and TO every distance. And,
IT she can convey letter from Liverpool
10 Halifax, or TO Hong Kong, or to Australia,
for penny, cannot the United States trans.
port one from New York TO Liverpool, Ilayre,
Bremen, or Havana for the same? What a
singular anomaly il would be, If the transit
charge on letter from Liverpool to Quebec
should be ttoo cents, and the same service on
one from Boston to Liverpool should be
three cents II is proLably the fact, that nine
tenthS OF ali the correspondence of the world
that crosses the sea, is conveyed ia British
and American vessels. II, therefore, these
two Governments can be brought, by pres
sure Of public opinion, to unite in establish
ing an Ocean Penny Postage, so far us il lies
in their united power, they could alone con
fer the boon, almost 10 the full extent of its
blessing and benefcence upon the family Of
man. Yours sincerely,
ELIHU BURRIT.
London, 30 Broad 81. Buildings, Nov. 5, 1852.