New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-03-25
POSTAL REFORM.

Pursuant TO call emanating from the Postal Re-
form Committee a mass meeting was held last evening
in the New-York University.
The meeting was called to order by Mr. THOMAS
TuEsTos. and the Hon. LUTHER BRADIsH took the
Chair. The following gentlemen were appointed Vice
Presidents Messrs Erastus c. Benedict, Joseph Law
rsnce. Stuart Brown and Royal Phelps. Messrs.
Charles G.. Moore and Simeon Baldwin, were appointed
Secretaries. -
TINT thew had assembled 10 discuss of the most -
portant subjects that could occupy their attention
well adjusted Postal System was especially important
in q country where social and moral intercourse was
SO rapid and intimate as in our own. And, although
in many other particulars are in advance OF the
old countries i must be confessed that in regard to our
Postal system we were greatly behind many countries
of Europe. Among people emneny practical
as ours the Postal System should undergo thorough
review, and by judicious and practical reform be
brought fully up to the highest perfection of which the
System is susceptible. fundamental error IN our
system lay in the general principal upon which the
system was originally established and had been
hitherto maintaned-an attempt to make it
source of revenue at least to the extent Of
supporting itself instead of considering 1t, as 1t
really was one of the great institutions of our
country not only subsidiary but vitality essential to all
it, interests system which should be maintained at
all costs 1t was to consider this subject that they
were now assembled.
The Secretary of the Committee then stated that be
had received letters from Gov Clark, Lieut. Governor
RAYMOND Senator Fish, Senator T0ombs Senator
Wilson, Samuel Hincks, A. II. Rice, Mayor OF BsUti-
more; Edward +. johnson, Mayor OF Middletown,
Conn; Neal Dow, Mayor of Portland: Robert l.
Conrad, Mayor Of Philadelphia; the Hon. Messrs
Spinning and Parker of New-York; Lieut. Maury;
Messrs Haven, Horace Greeley Robert &. Winthrop,
Edward Everett, and Samuel II. Valley lie read
portion of these.
Mr.. THOMAS TILEsros then read Address to
the People of the United States reported by the Com
mtee appointed for that purpose at the late meeting
in the Merchants Exchange.
The Address, commencing with the Importance, &c,
of a good postal SYSTEM states that in France and
Switzerland twice many letters are written In pro-
portion to the population a. IN the United States and
IN Great Britain four times many The statistics
of every country show that whenever postage has bees
reduced the revenue and profits have invariably in
creased II advocates uniform rate OF two cents for
single letters and thorough revision OF the charges
on printed matter for which we have now over 100
rafes-cbarging two cents per four ounces and above
two pounds by the pound, 10 reduce ths number
OF rates as much possible. The Address advocates
free delivery in cities Ii speaks Of the tranking pny-
ilege follows
of mail matter the Government has
important bearing the condition cf the postal
NE Is the only Of the General GOvernment
singled for sefsuppO The number OF letters and
the oasnty OF public documents seeds &c. that ere sent
through the mail have Tor several e4Is greatly and
large portion OF the mails IL must De al
iied that the practice OF taxing The correspondence OF the
citizens SUPPORT this portion q the expenses
anomalous and unjust There can be no reason way inc
cOespOndeuce Of the people should be taxed for THIS purpose
than pay for transporting troops, government
stores or munitions The actual Of transport
g md delivering the mail matter OF the Government for many
ysrs has been estimated at from O GOO or SS 900 snnu'
ally and cannot De les than sZoo instead % nse esng
deficiency officially reported AZ the close OF each hsca
year tie Government the PotOice than $1,000
Tor TRANSPORT mail matter during the las, fifteen years 10
addition all the appropriations made for dehcieneie and en-
Ieod Whether Cngress shall decide continue the system
ranking carried on or rot there can Dc on one
opinion tho justice having all the expense derayed by
AZ appropriation from the Treasury That appropriation or
The actual the Government eorrespondeee sh9
have increased much faster ths private ma
- H. Derar1fnL viii ever bring Post Ofce 10 the point
Of self support long a. IL subject 70 tas On
Touching on Ocean postage, advocating money OF
defs deprecatiny compulsory prepayment, ana pro-
poeng the Of all dead letters 10 The wrter the
address comes 10 this conclusion;
w. hsy. thus rapidly stated the Irncipe defects IN our
present syseu and the mode N which we tak sey eoS o
reeed We submit the matter 70 the wisdom OF Con
rres invoking s behalf the mpathes aud energies on e
people themselves for the matter PTnpay 'ne Inc
costly sppsDces will fall be kept az ply supped with
tie intelligence they require bet the fnesP mru and
phAteay the Institution Of the ncdn and poorer
OF uauitJ The fact psten ana an etner De
evsec denied that with all boosted fepuOeeIs snd
nerry ard soctude for OF the people tae old
postal fac es which they provide Tor the subjects dfns
ever oy the dasrenees OF climate ard the tenoa
~ OF the uferory postal
ten must be admitted be derogef0y reputation
viror practical god ard capacity E government
II with the people Of the United states ssy whether
III, reuroaeh shs longer continue They know knOs',
Ls il only ecesssry that their viii shoai be inteisenty
md theoretically command obedience n every quarter
TIE Hon Luther X. MARSH rOse 10 support the
resolution. We had had bat one improvement ID our
postal system, the reduction Of price. Great detects
still existed, anc not to 90 10 those VINO na1
the control Of the mails at present 20 get
for amehoration. The examination oI The bn;!Sn
Postmas;ers during the investigation into tne Engisn
system showed that they were al snguariy satlsnec
W. fE4r ff