The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-04-20
NO. 1.
From the Washington Union.
The Democratic bearing of an Ocean
Penny Postage.

SiR:-IIav;ng, as hope, demonstrated TO the sat-
sfacton Of the majority Of your readers that
penny postage will pay, permit to advert briefly
to its hearing upo the well-being Of millions Of hard
working and women in this country who were
born in foreign lands. Their number be less
AT this moment than three millions. And still they
come. AT the rate Of nearly thousand day. from
, ~ the oppressed populations in the Old World
The three millions that have already dispersed them
se'vcs>pver the Union, from California TO Canada,
have leN behind, in the lands OF their BIRTH least
fifteen millions of relatives and friends, TO whom they
are bound by the strongest ties of nlture and atec
uon. The Irish. German, and other enigrants from
Europe IN this country write and receive tuli one
hall the letters that the Atlantic; and, IN
sequence of the poverty of their friends the
sea- they pay the postage both ways; for, Nr. Ed-
Tor, how can poor agricultural aborer III Saxony,
whose wages do not average more than te', rents a
day. pay nuty cents postage letter from his son
IN Wisconsin, Ii Is iJct that the Isish and Ger
mans IN this country pay The postage on their
rennt'ances of money 10 their parents relatives in
Europe, not only that their gifts uf affection may
ht diminished by iarthing, bat ;ha, those who
to receive them may not be obliged to go around
among their peasant neighbors TO beg or borrow,
penny by penny the shilling or twenty. four cents
charged on the letter, before they may take il from
the office. The social sympathss the attachments,
The vearning hopes and affections that these
sca-divded millions, do honor to human nature
The traveller in Ireland or Germany NAV at al
most every hour OF the day, n pathetic evidence of
the strength Of these sentiments. have witnessed
many OF these affecting speciaces both countries,
~hile eDdeavoring To elicit an interest IA ia7or Of
'his cheap ocean postage. have seen hundreds OF
All ages weeping and waiIIng at the windows and
doors Of the railway car-, which were bearing away
from their midst two three OF their number, bouud
10 America. have seen the brakemen away
by main force, dccrepid, haggard old men aud
men, from iheir desperate clutch at the window
through which they takiug their last look of
friend, At the hazard OF their lives Nor are these
transient sentiments. They live ia the heart Of the
Lish emgsant in America thev ill II with ih,ol,-
bin, rerembrancss II home by dav nght--in he
,nine aud mountain, field and forest. The Irsh
housemad over her wa>htuh, her brother, having
beneath the hod, in the hottest day of summer
member the clay cabin home Of ;heir childhood, ts
wants and sorrows; and portion Of their daily
ings laid by 10 minister "a The comfort of their
distant parents u ar, proof he asked Of this, let
the fact speak, that d,fng The year 1852 the Iri,h
emigrans ~ this country than $J 900 900
I" Their relatives and friends ireland, Iu pro-
baby averas sirg above $50 per re,n,t;ance.--
Thus il required 250 ,00j letters merely convey
ih,s vast sum e. az many hou.es in IIeisnd. The
other hall Of the letters that the Atlantic be-
loug chn t1y commercial correspondence. They arc
ihe communications that pass between rich merchants
in America and Europe, Nho never pay the postage
or them ont Of their own pockets, tut charge It
the goods they sell their custotucrs. I nus the
merchant receives back the hoe postal expense on
this commercial correspondence, both principal and
interest, and profit, too; ior he expects aud ought
to expect, make much profit per OF the
money he pays in postage, from the same amount
OF expenditure IN any other direction. Sol think,
Mr. Editor, iha, readers VII u, clearly, that
neafl, the whole direct, sens bic tax tor the trans
mission of the mails between the United States and
turope Is imposed upon the poor, hard-wnTking
and women who have been eSpatriated to thiS
ty bv poverty and oppression IN The Old World
We ask government tr iiit from the In'ercOra-
fnunion ot these sea.divided millions thar cy tax
that iet,eTs its Current that u may he cai,cr
fail and free. We ask foi them ponr, post
age, that cver, Of their number who yrarns TO
send thought Of loving remembrance across The
rnlnv and iEipat the luxury, at a cost which
viii pinch single meal Of the poorest - them
ali We ash u rs act Of denuoratic equity and
Justice, which would do io promnio .he social
happiness aud the gratitude at the foreign born
inhah,tanf OF the mon than anN other singe mea.
snre which uur goreFnBeut cHn conS;ltuirnay be-
stow u,oa them. inS would lie Democrat
ic because would be universal Ia ITS bencfts.--
" h,ist It advanced the great interests of conperoe,
az d JeueGited, bcyond description, the mercantile
community, would bc unsp"akahe boon TO tia,
great and growing OF o,w population "ho come
E ON fyregu lands l.. IS.