Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-03-01

! striking out the representative populaliolc i'uSe
of the Kansas act. was rejccted-yeaS IL, nays
%. AS follows: .
YrA.-MeSrs Frederick. Cameron, Chandler, Clark; Cot
lamrr. Dixon, Dooli,i.e. Douglas, Durkee. Fsssend'n, Foot,
Poster, Hale, Harlan, King. seward. Trunbu!I' Wade ana
S.rs-Me.sr. Diyl.r, Chestnut. Clay. Clinrman, Cri:,en'
den. Davis, Fitch. Fitzpatrick, '.reen. Gwin, Houston, Hun
ter. lver,on. Johnson o. Arkan,s'' Johnson @, isna ss,,-T
Kennedy. Lane, Polk. push' Read Eiee' Sebastian s'is"'
Smith. Toombs, Ward and iulce-2'.
The bill was then pasSed-yeaS D, nays IL.
The Senate at midnight adjourned.
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY ~, 1888.
SENATE.
Mr.. Fitch. from the Committee OF Printing,
reported in favor Of printing 5000 extra copies
of the report of the Board Of Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution, provided that 1t Shall
not exceed volume Of 500 pages, and provided
that no plates shall be used except those now
in use bv the Smithsonian Institution: which
was agreed to.
Mr.. Hunter called up his resolution, fixing
the meeting Of the Senate hereafter at II a m;
which was passed. -.
The consideration Of the Post Route bill was
then commenced by the reading Of the bill at
great length and the various amendments OF
routes therein were discussed by Senator'S from
the States in which they were located.
Mr.. Yulec then offered his amendment abo!-
ishing the ranking privilege, and providing for
furnishing members Of Congress with stamps in
lieu thereof to the amount Of $3.50. Ihe right
of franking documents is reserved TO the Post
master General, his First Assistant and Chief
Clerk. and the Auditor and his thief Clerk Of
the Post Office Department, and certain en-
Presidents of the United States and other spc-
cial cases provided for bv special
The amendment increases the rate OF postage
from three to five cents, under 5000 miles;
over that distance, 10 cents. For double and
treble letters, the amount is proportionate!y ill.,
creased. The rates for drop and advertised let
tiers are the same For newspapers, the amount
for transit papers in the United States Is ono
cent. Papers are entitled to free delivery III
the county to actual subscribers where they are
published.
The act is TO take effect on the lst Of July,
1859.
Mr.. Dixon then offered his amendment as a
substitute for the bill, by aboliShing the frank
ing privilege, which the first section proposes
to do.
The second section proposes printed enve-
lopcs and wrappers for Government Documents
and correspondence, such to be furnished by the
Washington CITY post Office, and the said postage
10 DC CtlaI ECU W llc par lilU!di u'I"is'"N"N va
warding the same,
The third section provides that all matter re-
ceived at the departments and BY members of
Congress, unpaid, shall be charged TO said dc
partment receiving the same, or the appropriate
branch Of Congress.
The fourth section provides that all mail
matter shall he weighed in bulk, aud charged
ut the rate Of five cents per ounce for letters,
and twelve cents per pound for printed matter.
None Of the above provisions shall apply TO
the transportation or charge for mail matter for
the Government, except such rs Shall be re-
ccivcd or sent from the post-oflicc in Washing
ton, ID. g..
Mr.. Yulec then proceeded at length to en-
plain the provisions Of the bill and amendments,
Us reported. He did not propose, nor did the
department, to make it 4 self.sustaining one;
but pointed out where the expenditures might
be greatly reduced.
lie thought that some of the Pacific service
ought to be paid for ont Of the treasury specially.
The committee proposed to make in this bill q
compromise between the acts Of 1915 and 1851,
regarding the increase Of rates of postage
! Since the passage q the act of 1851, there had
not been an increase in the revenues OF the De-
partment commensurate with the increasing
population Of the country.
Mr.. Reid said that part Of the bill relating to
the adjustment Of the frank;ng privilege was
defective. lie contendcd that money was taken
out Of the treasury to pay the postage on the
mail matter of members Of Congress, if the
ranking privilege was abolished; and therefore
nothing was gained 10y the Post Office Depart
nent, but an additional expense was thrown
upon the treasury.
Mr.. Mason advocated the adjustment Of the
franking privilege, and also gave notice that he
should move to strike out the appropriation OF
$3.50 10 pay the hostages Of members. His
postage, he thought, would not amour, to one
half of this amount.
Mcssrs. Hale, Davis and Mason offered
amendments, and the question OH the order Of
the admission Of these amendments was de-
bated at length.
Mr.. %Ivcrson gave notice that he should intro
ducc a substitute for that portion OF the bill
relating to the adjustment Of the ranking
privilege,
Mr.. ~fverson, in the course of his remarks on
the bill, read a curious document showing how
many Of his speeches each Senator had folded
and mailed from the Senate f~olding.rooin ut the
public expense. They were folded. mailed and
ranked. but not printed at the public charge.
Mr.. Allen sent the fcwcst and Mr.. Douglas the
most. Mr.. Allen sent 500, Mr.. Douglas BIZ. 600.
Mcssrs. Mason, Toombs, Cameron, Hale, Reid,
FesSendeh, Smith and others, advocated the TO-
tai abolition Of the ranking privilege. Messrs.
Davis, lvcrson and others. favored its con-
~tinuancc in n modified shape.
Mr.. Houston would retain f~ranking, but raise
the rate OF postage.
Mr.. Hale moved that from the first Of July
next Thanking. as a personal privilege, be abo!-
ished, and that persons now entitled to frank
shall receive their mail matter free. This was
lost yeas ~, nays 81.
Mr.. Davis moved that Thanking, except to
specially privileged persons, be abolished, and
that the laws which require prepayment be re-
pcaled. Lost-yeas IS, nays &c.
Mr. Trunbull moved to strike out the clause
which retains the franking privilege to EXPIRE
, sidents' list.
Mr.. Hale moved to strike out the ranking
privilege from the postofhce. Carried-ayes Is,
nays IL.
SIR. Collaner moved to insert a clause to re-