Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-01-11
Postal Reform.


lose our letters; we all waste precious time
and more precious temper, over the per
petual breaks and defects of our pcsta
system but few Of US are fully convinced
Of the fact, that the existence Of such :
system is disgrace to the country. W.
imagine the evils to be less in extent ant
less remediable than they really are. Mr.
Pliny Miles capital Postal Reform ought
to change all this. Mr.. Miles has resided
several years in London, and he has beer
connected with our own Postofice De
partment. He, therefore, speaks Of that
which he doth know; and the results Of
his investigations ought to scandalize US
into energy.
According to Mr.. Miles, we are now
enduring postal system which worries
government, vexes and Injuries the public,
demoralizes the officials, and pleases no.
body.
At the same time, various European
nations, and especially Great Britain, are
quietly enjoying q postal system which
enriches the government, serves and bene-
fits the public, controls the officials, and
satisfies everybody. We commend these
facts to the consideration Of all our read
ers, excepting .LnOn engaged to deliver
orations on the coming Fourth of July.
In 1854, the expenses of the United
States Post-ofice, for carrying l20, 900, 900
letters, amounted to two millions Of dol
lars orcr and aLore the receipts of the
Department. Of these letters, about four
millions, or one in thirty, died, and were
damned to the flames at Washington city.
In the same year, the expenses of the
British Post Office, for conveying 450, ,000,-
600 letters, amounted to six millions of
dollars LESS than the receipts of the De-
par,ment and Of these letters rather less
than fire thousand finally died, and were
idiu doiuc " dWdit tuc CuduCco VI ICSlSal
In 1854, New York, with population
of three quarters of million, had to con-
tent itself with one post-ofice-and that
a dirty, shabby, inadequate den, far from
the centre of population.
In the same year, London, with popu-
lation only thrice as large, was served by
fire hundred post-offices.
The simple truth is, that some two hun
drcd thousand inhabitants of New York
live so far from the post Office as to be not
much better off, in that respect, than the
people of some small country district which
the mail reaches once week
In 1854, the "drop letters" or those
for local circulation" amounted to
7lo,o ,o0Oj which, at one cent, brought in
revenue Of 1850 dollars!
In the same year, the drop lettors" of
only six cities in England numbered A.
600, 900; which, at penny each, brought
in revenue of s2,225, 900, of which sum
81 800, 900 was clear net profit!
Mr.. Miles states, that in London he has
often sent letter by post to distant part
of the city, and received reply within
three hours. Should we no. think the
at hand in New York if such
. thing conld be said of our post?
Mr. Miles does not content himself with
attacking this or that abuse, the senseless
regulation of compulsory prepayment, or
,ur equally senseless registration system
ne shows conclusively that the only condi-
ions on which we can hope for decent,
orderly, and economical Post Office, are the
l. The abolition of franking.
;. A uniform rate of letter-postage of two
,ents on all single letters; and uniform
method of rating and weighing all letters.
}. Letter-carriers and receiving offices in
Ill large towns. 4. A method of remit
ing money by post.ofice money-orders.
). A prompt return to the owners Of all
etters not prepaid. He calls upon our
merchants, and our leading men generally,
% stir at once in this matter, with decis-
on. We echo his call with all our heart
md, with him, we will not despair Of the
of facts and common sense
Patnam's Magazine.
H. C. HIcKoK, Eso.-The untiring in-