The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-04-20
unN IAMEs cAMPBELL.

hell on the subject Of international postage, which We
publish to-day is exceedingly practical and weexpressed
and we are not surprised that Il has excited such general
.nprobaton The New York Herald says Of this letter
Prom the N. Y. Herald.
POSTAGE TO FRANCE.
his remarkable that so little attention has been given
Nv the public 10 the subject Of the rates Of postage upon
letters passing between this country and France ny the
,al convention between the United States and Great
RIn Of December Is ls4s, France specially except
"A from the operation Of certain articles Of that
lion securing to our people IN respect 70 their letters from
other countries passing through the British post office,
whatever favorable terms might be enjoyed by the people
~ Great Britain This exception has Injured greatly the
pecuuiary advantage Of the British government while Its
effect Is very oppressive to all persons desiring 10 send
,e,,e between the United States and France And the
RtisA Government has adhered the advantage which
has aNined with the same unyieding enaciy that has
ave- characterized lis policy. The only of redress
reserved 10 our is the right to annul the exist
inc conyentosfnpou years notice
The transit charge now exacted by the British govern
ent for conveying through its territory letters between
this country aud France (which cannot be prepaid and
which il In addition 70 the tweny-one cents, single rate
charged for carrying single letter TO Great Britain rem
ders the rates Of postage upon letters to and from France
eytrryao~tly high in proportion those charged upon
letteis to any other European country Every adminsra
ton in this country since the convention OF December 10
1913 has abored favorable rates for French
letters and has urged that closed mails FROM the United
States 10 France should be passed through Great Britain
upou the payment Of transit charge Of twelve and half
cants an ounce which Is the rate allowed 10 the United
STATES for forwarding 10 Canada the closed mails received
from Great Britain II this reasonable proposition
eeped the whole postage letters 10 France would be
about twenty-five cents and could be entirely prepaid t
ia now 81 TO 81 cents with only the privilege of partial
nre-payment Each administration has threatened to
else the right TO terminate the existing convention upon
years notice-a measure which would be injurious to
Great Britain and which would certainly be followed by
more favorable arrangement for the future; but neither
of them has allowed its Of right far
lis good nature take the necessary step IL sde-
rabe as the British government resolutely persists in the
wrongful eyaction that the attention Of the American peo
pie should be turned TO the subject.
Among the documents transmitted 10 the Senate the
close of the last session is letter from the Postmaster
General to the Secretary Of State, dated July 49, 1853
which has not heretofore been repubshed but which will
be found in the Herald of to-day. 1t is very interesting
statement Of the terms Of the existing arrangement and
OF the efforts which have been made to change it. and is
worthy Of perusa Mr. Buchanan praises il as clearly
and ably presenting the whole Subject and adds in let
ter to Lord Canning, the British Postmaster General that
ia his estimation it satisfactorily answers former letter
OF Lord Clarendon in which the British side of the ques
ton is considered by that to be presented with
great force.
OUR FOREIGN POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS
ESTING TO THOSE HAVING CORRESPONDENTS
IN FRANCE.
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
July 10, 1853.
SIN beg leave invite your attention to the subject
Of our postal arrangements with Great Britain and with
view correct understanding of the whole matter will
take the liberty present somewhat at length the principal
features of the existing postal convention between the two
countries stating at the time the result OF It's pro-
to make it more equal and just in its operation.
This convention between the United States and Great
Britain executed on the 18th OF December lS4S; and
contains provision that it cannot be annuled by either
party except after the expiration of years notice given
TO the other government
The postage charge agreed for letter exceeding
half in weight between any point in the United
States Oregon and California excepted and any point in
Great Britain, and oce versa is twenty-tour cents viz
United States inland
auahtc sea postage
"a
Up to the lst of July, 1851 when the of the prece-
ding Sd OF March went into operation this the British
correspondence the advantage of United States inland
rate OF hive CENTS well under the distance OF
three hundred miles, Oregon and California excepted
whereas domestic letters three hundred
miles were charged with ten cents
Letters to from Great Britain for from Oregon and
California were subject TO the United States inland charge
oorty cents instead of five eentsorty being then
the single rate OF postage domestic correspondence
between the Atlantic States and Oregon and California.
When the letters conveyed the Atlantic by the
United States packet the postage belongs the United
States and when by British packet it to the ben
eft Of Great Britain.
The United States engage grant Great Britain the
transit in closed mails through the United States to and
IRON tne British North American provinces, of the
espondnce at two of the inland rates the ounce with
the addition of twenty-five per cent "o compensate the
loss mat would otherwise be sustained by this mode of
computation Thus the rate per received by the
United States for the conveyance of this correspondence
mas always been and still u.s. under this treaty. twelve and
half cents.
There is similar provision (thus far useess) giving to
the United States the right send closed mails through
any OF the British North American provinces
Inc United States further engage to grant to the United
hngdom the transit in closed mails through the United
states or through any country where the post conmunca
uon may be under the control management of the Uni
yea states OF letters and newspapers forwarded from the
United Kingdom its colonies possessions other
brlsh colony possessions, any foreign country
ana ce versa at two of the inland for letters with
twenty-five per cent addition, above. Transit
each newspaper two cents
ihere Is similar provision giving the United States
ut Hght 10 send closed mails through the United King
ao or through any country where the post communion
uVn may be under the control management OF the Uni
@ hhgdom to any other colony possession Of the Uni
yea States or 70 any foreign country France excepted)
Hu Vcc rersdtwo rates TO the ounce with twenty-five
PEI cent addition on letters and each news
paper oeiHg the transit charge as above.
ehder THIS article closed mails despatched to and
NUN trussla through England at charge of seventeen
"uu ha cents the Including the twenty-five per
uI aadlonl on letters and two cents each newspa-
w. inns pays for transportation through England and
aSross Tue channel between England and 0send Letters
foreign countries other than Great Britain are to
y uee'ed TO the British Post Office free OF all United
es postage whether packet inland and to countries
sCn me letters cannot be forwarded unless the British