The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-03
-u1RTY-FIFTH CONG ESS,
Second Session.
Thursday, February "a, 1859.
SENATE.

H..
y ,royiding for furnishing members of Con-
with stamps in lieu theref to the amount
..lip The right of Thanking documents is
"a TO the Postmaster General, his First
l,,ant and Chief Clerk, and to the Auditor
H.. Post Office Department and his Chief
y - and to certain ex-Presidents of the
T.5,ad States and other special cases are pro-
IA Car by enactment. The amendment in
..es The rates of postage from three to five
~. for distances under 5000 miles, and to
.ents for over that distance. For double
"a treble letters the amount is proportionally
reosed. The rates for drop and advertised
.,.rs are the same. For newspapers, the
'-,,ant for transient papers in the United States
~. cent. Papers are entitled to free deliv-
- IN the county where published, to actual
.urcribers.
Tba section provides that printed envelopes
ur,rpers for Government documents be
.1,i.h.d by the Washington City post Office,
"a The said postage to be charged to the par
liar Department forwarding the same.
The third section provides that all matter re-
.s%.d al the Department and by members of
IN ,ress. unpaid, shall be charged to the said
H.artnent receiving the same, or the appro-
,r5ate branch OF Congress-.
,ser shall be weighed in bulk, and charged
!, the rate of five cents per ounce for letters,
,,d r. cents per pound for printed matter, and
,Lr none of the above provisions shall apply to
me transportation or charge for mail matter for
N. Government, except such as shall be re-
,,atd or sent from the post office in Washing
loa u. c.
Mr.. Yulee then proceeded at length to ex-
e a ,1x.,o
!. reported he did not promise to make the
bsarment selfsustaining one, but pointed
"A where the expenditures might be greatly
diced He thought that some of the Pacific
rt service ought to be paid for out of the
Treasurr specially. The committee propose to
nlse in this bill. compromise between the
att If ISIS and 1851, regarding the license of
rrs rates OF postage. Since the passage of
ne act Of ISL, there had not been an increase
m tie revenues of the Department commensu-
raj, with the increasing population of the coun-
Ut.
Nessrs. Dixon, Mason, Hale, Iverson, and
s,hr, then addressed the Senate.
Nr IverSou, in the course of his remarks,
read curious document, showing how many
d bis speeches each Senator had folded and
mailed from the Senate's folding-room at the
expense Of the public. They were folded, mail
Il. and ranked, but not printed, at the public
charge.
The reporter could not obtain access to the
loclment; hence, there may be few inaccu-
nie, in the figures, but the following state
m't' !; in the main correct:
Mr. Allen sent 300; Mr.. Bates, none Mr..
81. boo; Mr. Benjamin, IL, 200; Mr.. Bigler,
jlto0; Mr.. Bright, $4,000; Mr.. Broderick,
-ooO; Mr.. Brown, $4,000; Mr.. Cameron,
looa0. Mr.. Chandler, PA, 900; Mr. Chestnut,
none; Mr.. Clark. 800; Mr.. Clay, 1850:
W. CIingman, 2l,500; Mr.. Collamer, 5000 /;
W. Crttcnden. 10000; Mr.. Davis, 5000; Mr..
bsoIiitle. 1000; Mr.. Douglas, $4,000; Mr..
burkec. 5000; Mr.. Fessenden, 1850; Mr..
Fitch .ll,OOO; Mr.. Fitzpatrick, 1900; Mr..
Foo. 1000; Mr.. Foster, 1000; Mr.. Green.
i9on0; Mr.. Gwin, 1880; Mr.. Hale, $4,000 !;
Nr Hamlin. 10000; Mr.. Harlan, 10000; Mr..
Houston, 1000; Mr.. Hunter, 1000; Mr.. liver
su, 1000 Mr.. Johnson, of Arkansas, 5000 !;
Mr. Johnson, of Tennessee, 1000; Mr.. Jones,
4Utl: Ms Kennedy. 1000; Mr.. King, $4,000
NJ Mallory. 5000; Mr.. Mason, 1000; Mr..
Pafcc, 5000; Mr.. Polk. $1,000; Mr.. Pugh,
40m Mr.. Reid, 1000 Mr.. Rice, 1000; Mr..
S,bastian. 1000; Mr.. Seward, $1,000; Mr..
Shields, none; Mr.. Simmons, $500; Mr.. Sill
ddl. 200; Mr.. Stuart, $4,000; Mr.. Sumner,
leln Mr.. Thompson, of Kentucky, none; Mr.
Thomson. of New jersey, 1000 Mr.. Toombs,
sOoO Mr.. Trumbull, 10000; Mr.. Wade, 1000
Mr.. Ward, none; Mr. Wright, 1000; Mr.. Yu
b.. 1000.
@ssrs. Mason, Toombs, Cameron, Hale
Reid. Fessenden, Smith, and others, spoke in
hyor Of the total abolition of the ranking priv
ieee
lhssrs. Davis. lverson, and others, favored
u.' pa modified shape.
NJ. Houston would retain the Thanking priv
drge, but'raise the rates of postage.
Mr. Hale moved an amendment, providing
that from the lst of July, ranking as per
,ua privilege, shall be abolished, and thai
PERSONS now entitled to frank shall receive theil
mail matter free. Lost by yeas 10, nays u.
Nr. Davis moved an amendment, that frank
ng. excepting to specially privileged persons
shal bee abolished and that the laws which re
quir. Prepayment shall be repealed. Lost by
sea; l. NAYS %.
NJ. Trumbull moved to strike out the clause
which retains the ranking privilege to Elk
Presidents. Lost.
Mr.. Hale moved to strike out the frankine
privilege from the Post Office. Carried BY
.ess l.. nays l6.
Mr. Coamer moved to insert clause to re
zeal 50 much Of the acts of March, l847, anC
Marin. l-jl. as make appropriation to defray
the Expenses of the ranking privilege. Agreed
%.
Mr. Fitzpatrick moved to strike ont the
clause which restricts the Postmaster Genera
io-couirctng for the conveyance of mails, not
passengers. Lost by yeas Is, nays 26.
lr. Pearce moved an amendment, that M
new. routes be established, unless they will pa,
expenses. Lost by yeas 3, nays 35.
Nh. GWm moved to strike out the clause tina
lmiti the pay of postmasters to box rents
Lost ly yeas -, NAYS -.
Mr. Wilson moved an amendment, that lette
poNage be three cents for distances under ant
I'VE Gents for distances oyer twenty-five hun
drei miles. Lost by yeas l6, nays "a.
Va. hing moved an amendment, that lette
postage iorall distances within the United State.
he 'he uniform rate of three cents. Lost by yea.
ie. nays 81
he Committees amendments were then car
red.
be- bill was then reported to the Senate and
'ead a rLird time but the yeas and nays being
,N'sl upon as passage, no quorum was found
'obe PRESENT
- lf1z-MeSSrs. Benjamin, Broderick, Brown
N@Y FITCH. Hunter, Iverson, johnson of Ten
ne.Ste, Johnson of Arkansas, Mason, Reid
SEBASTIAN. Shields. slidell, Toombs, Ward, anC
lulee-l7
n NgyS-NeSSrs. Chandler, Clark, Doolittle
ipoielas. Foot. Foster, Gwin, Hale, Harlan
M Mgs' Lane. Seward, Smith, Trumbull, am
Nlson-l5.
AFTER considerable delay in trying TO come Il
an agreemont to adjourn, Mr. Brown moved I
al % the Senate. and the Sergeant-at-arm'
ga sent to summon the absentees. Arrange
Deur however. was made, that a vote be tskeI
I'm The ball tomorrow. without debate.
me Senate then, at Il o'clock, adjourned.
HOUSE.
i"e fost Office appropriation bill was takeI
Il. NE question was taken upon concurring il
Of the w -