The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-06

stamps, or they will not be forwarded. No
money will be received for postage on let
tiers that are distributed through the country,
but the regulations respecting foreign letters,
letters to officers of government, members Of
Congress, and others who are entitled to re-
ceive them free, will remain as they are now.
The condensed instructions on the subject
amount to this Money will be received in
payment of postage for letters going toforeign
countries, for the registration fee on letters
that are registered, and for the postage on
printed matter. The mail matter absolutely
required to be prepaid in stamps consists of the
letters going through the mails within the
country. Letters to postmasters who are en-
titled to the franking privilege-those whose
commissions amount to less than $500 year.
to members of Congress, and officers of gov
ernment-the latter to be marked official
business"-can go without prepayment. Let
tiers to foreign countries must in some cases be
prepaid, and in others it is optional, the regula-
ton being according 10 treaty with the differ
ent nations. With some of the leading Euro,
pean countries we have no postal treaty what
ever. In some cases this is no inconvenience
and in others, particularly France and Spain,
this ia great desideratum. The British gov
ernment insists on charging such high rate
of transit postage on matter going between
the United States and Continental Europe that
now is favorable time for all parties inter
ested to make an equitable arrangement. Be-
tween England and France letter postage has
lately been reduced from twenty cents (ten
pence sterling, aud franc respectively to
eight cents. The mere transit price for letters
to and from this country and Continental El-
rope is twenty.four cents to Great Britain
alone, just for letters passing between Liver
pool and Dover, while letter goes between
New York and Bremen for ten cents, aud fifteen
cents to any part Of Germany. When our
postal matters come up for discussion, as they
will during this session OF Congress, the subject
Of ocean postage must receive attention. Oar
mail transportation between this country and
Great Britain is punctual and rapid, but more
frequent service is needed. We have shown
what American enterprise can do. We have
the swiftest steamers, and make the shortest
passages of any vessels ever launched; but VIC
need more frequent service Had the Collins
line Of steamers never been started we should
now be at the mercy of the British govern
ment for our ocean mails between New
York and Boston and Liverpool. If con-
tractors ever earned their money, they
are i. X. Collins & Co. If postage
were one-half the rate that it now is
between this country and Great Britain, and
we had two steamers a week regularly to
Liverpool, correspondence would be quadru-
Pied Letters from emigrants here to their
friends in the OLD World would go far oftsner;
more thorough republican spirit would be
infused into the down-trodden masses in the
old despotisms Of Europe, and as o necessary
consequence emigration would be far more
rapid, and our hidden mines, our vast forests
and unploughed prairies would yield their trea-
surcs to the labors Of man. The most liberal
postal arrangements that can be devised will
produce better national return than almost
any investment that can be made. 1t must be
conceded that since Mr.. Rowland Hills IA
nous postal improvements were introduced,
the British government has looked on the Post
Office as necessary institution, in CONNER
cial and social state, and Of far more conse-
qucnce. when considered in that light, than as
means Of revenue. In the report on
postal affairs in 1889, the Commissioners of the
English Post 06ice use these words: 1.-THE IA
cility Of frequent punctual and quick commu-
nication, which the institution of the Post
Office was calculated to secure, may be justly
classed among the elements of profitable CON-
merce. 1t is essential to the purposes of go
yernment, and subservient to all the ends of
national policy"
Let our own Legislators aud administrators
look on the Post Office in this light, and
we may have postal system worthy of the
country, the age in which VIC live, and in keep
ing with the progressive spirit 0! our rcpub-
lean institutions. 1t strikes us most forcibly
that at this time, as Congress has lust assembled
Tor long session, there would be far more
reason in the people consulting together, con-
sidering what they desire, and in framing in
structions for their members of Congress, than
in merely finding fault and heaping abuse ON
the Department or the Postmaster General.
Judge Campbell undoubtedly wishes to meet
all the reasonable wants of the people. If the
postal law is not as good as it might be, it is
not his business to frame another. He IS the
administrator Of the law as 1t stands, and the
power to make new or amend old ones rests
solely with Congress The people depend too
much on the head of the Department, who. In
orr political system, is a man called from the
masses to take charge of the postal business for
certain period. Purchase postage stamps,
prepay everything you mail, and if the laws
are not satisfactory, ask the members of Con-
gress to overhaul them.
TIE GOVERNOR or ALABAMA Of Corrox-
FIRING UP roR DIsUNIoN-Governor Winston,
Of Alabama ultra Southern rights Democrat),
in his inaugural message, thus holds forth on
cotton, slavery, abolitionisn and secession -