The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-09


Of the gentleman from Illinois Mr. RicnARDsosl be
printed.
The question suspcndng the rules was taken-ayes
a motion was made that the House meet at 10 o'clock
tomorrow morning
Mr.. HOUSTON was DESTROYS that for this week at epst
Pending the motion with regard to the time of meeting
The House adjourned at halfpast four o'clock.
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POSTAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND COMPARISON OF THE
BRITISH POST OFFICE SYSTEM WITH OURS.
TO the Editor Of Tie Unioa
SIM: You published portion of artcleon our
tiona post Offices and postal REFORM from the New
York Quarterly for April and pleased to admit the
validity and weight of the facts and arguments there adj
yanced. As the author Of that article, wish to make
through the columns Of your paper and the Boston Post
further statements the subject Most persons
who advocate areiorms"-and their is legion-are
set down enthusiasts, and they often thought and
truly too, only side of subject They want,
for instance cheap postage and while advocating that
measure often forget that there sides the que
ton; that it is great financial problems and that il we
have letters carried the service must be paid for and
that the system should stand its bottom and sup
port itself Now shall try and not fall into the error
deprecae know the financial condition Of our Post Of
fee Department, and that the Postmaster General as
well as the Committees the Post Office and Post Roads
in the houses OF Congress- must feel that they not doing
their dnty without devising plan whereby the depart
shall sustain Itself As have lived some years in
Great Britain and received thousands ofeters through
the British post office coresponded considerably with the
officers ofhc English Post Office Department and obtained
their official reports and many occasions advocated
many of the improvements which they have in their sys-
TEN, and which lack, will ask that the facts and
gumens that shall advance be received at just their
value and The figures statistics, and financial
statements shall all be from official reports which
produce and my ibgcal deductions not correct they
will be open to criticism Some will tell me- and am
often with the remark that cannot justly compare
their system aud its operations with ours for country
is much larger that their populaon--quite name
ourss dense being in two small islands
while a continent As far necessary,
in all where they cannot justly be compared will
make the admission the start asd obige every by
bearing the momentous fact-our great country "in
mind When they tell me that hundred Million any
other number OF letters be transported and distributed
to twenty-five million people in State the size Of Great
Britain far less cost haa the be done in the
United States admit il and ready say that be-
eye cannot at present have low OF postage
with selfsustaning departmenas they But there
many things where the relative sizes Of the two
tries nothing do with the principles Of reform that
advocate and where parts Of their system just exactly
appieablet this country that Wewant loW and
rate Of POSTAGE free Letter dcey By carriers in
the constant employ n he PoSt Office Departments az
large and cies and ehod ,eaig money by post
office money ordrs' hoi shall sustain aeb and a peyy
small per centqge Jsrnsh ray hat money Be reDied
BY mail rihoa possibility Of loss By shpwreeks mail
robLeyies or other causes
These sir viii contend need as much the nhab-
ants Of Great Britain do and there is existing
either in the extentof the country political and
cial system why cannot have them readily they
and the last-pos-ofce money orders'-we need, from
causes apparent every one Ear than they do
bag letters cannot be carried from Boston 10 New Orleans
oheapy from London to Liverpool but the popua-
ton is dense in the cities Of New York aud Philadelphia
in London and Edinburgh; and will you tell one
single why local mail delivery cannot be had in
place easily and cheapy in the otherY
fused returned dead letter in Great Britain Is sent
back tho writer in from three six days From tho
great Of country could do il here under
two, three more weeks general rule But Is that
any why should not adopt the English system
and return them expcdi;iousy possible rather than
have delay VIC now do Of from four 70 eight mon tbs
Sir, not blind advocate Of cHEAP POSTAGE
and constantly reiterang many are that becaas the
British population have penny 1.-TWO cents) postage
might could would or should have the same | be-
leye II be plainly shown that present Of post
age with little modification will pay and that the
million dollars deficit staring the Post Office De-
psrment in the face be wiped out and enough surplus
profit made in short time 10 give all requisite msi ae
ties 10 most distant and scattering settlements.
know that the motive that scuates the able chairman
Of Post Office Committee in the House Of Representa-
tves in advocating return to higher Of postage
most laudahe one but believe be readily shown
that there are legitimate Of revenue within Our
postal system that win accomplish all the results desired
without return higher The voice OF the eoun
try am sure be almost unanimous against il and
without the greatest necessity be shown for such
course majority Of representatives cannot be in favor
OF il While our letter postagedrop letters and those
California and Oregon exccpcds three cents aud the
English letter postage penny sterling two cenis we
imagine that II costs transport letter in that country
twothrds much il does in this That one Of sew
eral great alaccs that labor under shall show YOU
plain Mack and white that their letter postage costs
but onequarter what does and they have their let
tors delivered while have TO go after ours or pay for
them to be brought from the rost Office Yes sir the cost
OF letter postage in England is less than hapenny
and here II is very near, II not quite, four
But do not wish TO make my letters lengthy and cali
ing this merely Introductory, win commence unfolding
my ahudgetr-makng up the financial statement7-in
my next
Very respectfully, yours,
PLINY MILES
wssmseros Cry, May 9, 1854