New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-18
posCOEEICE IMPROVEMENT.

to think that tntre is yer! llttlc ncca VI iNi
alteration in our postal laws. Weprofess to be
pr progressive people yet there has beeness i'm
tIovement in our postal system-Tith the enc
exception Of lowering the rates Of postage-than
in any other branch Of our Government and
lees than there has been in the same department
in any country of Western or Central Europe,
Spain alone excepted. The Post.Ofhce and
POSTAL legislation in Great Britain during the
last eighteen years show US examples OF I'M
provsmeut which we are entire strangers
to, and which as much as Ne beast OF our
progress" goes ahead of everything In
the way of improvements in our POst-Oifice
for three. quarters Of a century. We may
pass an act for special purpose now and
then. patch I'D our system little here aud lit
tie there's but the foundation is wrong, and TIL 1t
is entirely remodeled We shall be subject to III
con7eniencies, losses and delays in the delivery OF
our mail matter. Ttis is in every respect USE
less and uncalled for; but il is not seen in its
true LIGHT except By those who have been &C.
ausinted with better system. If there Is
thorough and enlightened legislation soon, there
will be much lees difficulty in getting the new
order of things established than If we wait till
our "a, 900 post-Oflices have become 5O,OOO, and
our population increased in like ratio. The
machinery of our Post Office, vast as it is, is not
so unwiedy as to be manageable, but with the
numerous rates of postage, the hetere geneous
regulations and the conflicting laws, if not soon
in int xtricable confusion, will cOnduce more and
more to irregusrity, delsy and Inconvenience to
the ,ubc
The postal laws of Great Britain arc an ex-
ample Of what can be done by thorough leglsa-
laton at the right period. The great era of
postal reform in that country commenced ia
1857, one year after M Rowland Hill published
the first edition of his pamphlet on Postage Re-
form. On the 10Th of July, 1887, an act was
passed repeating, by one stroke OF the pen,
nnety-rine acts and parts of acts of Parlia-
me nj relating to the Post-Ofice, some OF which
had been in force since the commencement
of the reign of William and Mary in 1858.
This act repeating the others (lst Vic. cap. 32),
was accompanied by another of the same date
Ost Vic. cap. 36), Consolidating the Post
coffee Laws" and "explahng certain terms
"and expressions used in those laws" An act
relating to the conveyance of mails by railway
Aug. IA, 1882 followed, and on the 18th Of
August, 1889, the great act was passed that
abolished tie frankiLg privilege, and established
the penny postage throughout the three king
doms. Several acts have since been passed,
bringing their postal system to greater and
greater perfection; and last year (l85i) COM
nittee wss appointed to make q report on the
Post Office, and that committee recommended
most in poI tant alterations 10 the General Post
Ofict-in fact almost entirely remodeled the
DEPARTMENT Several Offices were abolished,
and some new ones created the great objects
gsin. d being more simplicity and uniformity.
Our Post Office Department needs just such an
Oyerhauling. We need one Office in our Depart
ment-the same as that held by Mr.. Rowland Hill
in the British Post Ofice-that of Secretary
From the position that our Postmaster-General
holds in the Cabinet, as one of the constitutional
advisers of the President, it is impossible that he
can attend personally to al the business OF the
Department that requires the duties OF a general
head and superintendent. His first assistant acts
for him in his absence but his particular duties as
head of the Appointment Office are sufficient for
enc man. Then, too, from the fact that our Post
master General is political appointment, there is
necessarily change at every new administration
and no man, however high his abilities az states
man. can be sufficiently acquainted with the details
Of department like the Post Ollico TO act in the
most efficient manner and give specific Instructions
TO all subordinntca.
An officer holding tho position Of Secretary to
act In all cahca M head If tho Department during
The temporary other abHcncc OF tho Postmaster
General. 10 highly necessary Such an ofieo
should bo held by some ono acquainted by export
with Tho details of tho Department hls salary
and position should bo superior Ia that of tho
Assistant Postmaster tlenersl Tho hoptpiaty
would ia great ostent he tho virtual heai oi tho
ros once aud vnui ,ulia,e tho l'pstmaster
uene,sl of gieat deal pf tho ani i,udseiI
he 10 obliged 10 60 through aud ei which he
as q tabinet pfn.o,. shsuii 30 believed Anr ena
accustomed !. i" business AZ tho tpst pdioe
Department t.-rs that ths t'"s &c ths tNstmasts,
,i..s.ai -Lis "st .tts"ai.s ,iatiass mostiass. 10
g.. 49, ''"st r"'1 t"bs" ~ !. rs.ssssi Interviews
vi,L 80 ......le.. ~ us.s,ass ..i ..Ls,s -hs ta'S
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