The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-08
Our Postal system.

TO THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD.
Out Of evil osensmes good results. Now the time 10
effect change by directing the public mind 10 the subject
Of our postal arrangements.
The question naturally arises, cannot better system
sna sef Sustaining ono BIO substtuteds The answer is
yes and it requires but little argument to prove
l. The great object Of all postal arrangements is to
provide the people with expeditions reliable and efec
tive transmission Of all correspondence between the dh
ferent parts OF the country.
To have tho surety Of this being done faithfully by
responsible parties.
That this be effected at the cheapest possible rate
and that every person should pay proportion TO the ser
vice render ed TO him and no more.
Does the mail under government control and expeadi.
ture effect these obectsS no. for the follow
ing reasons
l. The government is not in any case held liable nor
is It bound by law to any liability for the loss OF money
valuable papers letters when they are registered
entirely with individual who transmits
them aud he 10 compelled by law to send hs letters by
mail unoer penalty Ii he resorts to other modes
The government mail service s the cheapest that
can be oevised, nor the most expeditions.
II Tails heavily upon the public genera ally, and par
tculary upon those who do avail Of IT, or
have few letters, and therefore be considered
unjust tax that should only fall those who
TIE benefit is tax OF SIC 000 third OF the
soous expenditure of the government this falls upon
the people
There upwards Of 20 600 Post oces in the United
States, and 5000 more were 10 have boon added by
last appr opriaton, wbch failed to pass 900
postmssters and Ace times that number or empU un-
der tnem-nore than 100000 men. WHAT army TO
support. These all paid OF the public treasury
aud fed upon public pap They are, with few EXCEPTIONS
political appointments, spread over the entire country
and changed with every What an exten
sive influence they must necessarily exert political
contests either for good or evil and generally the latter
Ano by whom is thus great army appointed and drilled
into obediencef
That the perform the service with security
have only 10 refer to the daily records and have often
faithfully performed wide Col Benton speeches) 10 tho
Transmission Of letters What great and substantial
good would be effected what economy would result from
humiliation Of the whole system, with It's employees
The question then arises this great good be eecsed
and equal facilities, expeditions and cheap
be afforded allowing the expense TO fall upon those VINO
derive the benefit themY answer without hesita
ton and with greater Certainty and full accounta
blty for all matter transmitted. know aud every
Knows has boon and done every day By tie express
companies roush0u the country conducted indlydu
ais OF enterprise who derive handsome profits who are
delivery IL sure, and who carry in the least possible
thing which the postal law permits them to carry,
n.n b ads a.
for How the mails OF tho government carrieds
BY private partes to whom the contracts lot by
government, in addition 10 the expense OF which
the expense OF the General Post OGlco must
be met Extend, then, the carrying Of letters to
private expresses under statute regulations il necessary
and all present postal laws Offices and expend
and you viii truly have sef-sustaining system, and
without dollar OF aid from the government All the 20
vernment would have do would employ their own
agents for the Transmission Of their dispatches
This they do oftentires. It would be but trifng
expense to the treasury.
But IL may be said, this might answer for tho more
popuous parts Of the country, but not for the outlying
sparsey settled Territory Then let the States conr
the expenses induce then perform the ser
for citizens who would pay 1t in taxation Be-
sdes where few letters transmitted they be
REQ horseback speedily and cheapy much less than
now costs the people through the general taxation
The routes would be properly selected and not multiplied
70 the advancement OF political humbugs who load down
wagons wagons with all sorts Of public documents
for their political ends. doubt not every honest
man is willing TO pay for tho service rendered him.
Lot Congress- AT us next session, pay of the debts Of
tho Post Office Department and abolish the Postal laws,
and free competition would be- the result aud the
public better served. II ID well known that few
years ago stringent laws were passed to prevent the
transmission OF letters by express as proved
detraction from the revenue, and believe de-
csed by the Dstrc. Court OF the United States that It
WAS illegal, and Immediately nterdcted. express
paoies competed successfully then, how much greater
would be their advantage now.
Again, letters carried by express would be promptly
Delivered and the expense Of advertising to little purpose
IN obscure newspapers would be and the dc
ter Office would become obsolete Millions OF dead letters
annually consumed, which, under this system,
would be properly delivered. Another advantage would
be gained OF grading the postage to the distance
ing to the teegrapbDs system, the only just method
for the service. They are already employed by the
government for this very service Let present con
tractors be made responsible 10 the parties whom they
serve and their duty will bc well DONE aod to will
the public, 10 whom each contractor will be responsible
ny this politics viii be ruled out OF the postal
vice. the country will be rid OF this great ncubusho
/ Post onse Department and the postal army.