The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-03
THE POSTAL REVENUE.

The Postmaster General has sent to the Vice
President long letter in reply to resolution
of the Senate calling for specific suggestions
as to the best mode Of making the Department
selfsustaining. 1t is but a restatement of the
propositions contained in his annual report,
which we reviewed at length, few weeks
since.
1t will be remembered that we concurred in
several of the proposed reforms, while we dis
scented IN toto from others. We agree with Mr..
Brown, that contracts for carrying the mails
should be made strictly with reference to that
object, and that the contractor should be al
lowed to determine for himself the mode of con-
veyance. On the present vicious system, it
often happens that two or fourhorse coaches are
required by the contract to be run, merely for
the accommodation of travellers, where the
mails could be conveniently carried on horse
back, at one-tenth Of the expense In such
cases, also, the terms of the contract require a
daily or tri-weekly trip, where the revenue
arising on the route would not more than Justify
weekly mails. In this way the expenses eff the
Department are augmented in ten or twenty
fold ratio, without any increase in the receipts.
This gross misapplication Of the revenues of the
Department should be abandoned; and one
way to make the Department selfsustaining is
to lop of these splendid stage lines, which
are now upheld, not with a view to the transport
alton Of the mails, but of travellers.
Another abuse which should be correct,
ed is the franking privilege. We stated our
objections to this system at length week or
two since. It's abolition would save the Depart.
ment the inconvenience and expense of con-
veying mail matter, which, at paving rates,
would bring in revenue Of million and half.
according to the estimates of the Postmaster
General; and allowing for a material diminu-
ton of the amount of matter sent, if the privi-
lege were abolished, he estimates that the De-
partment would be benefited to the amount of
half million.
But the main recommendation of Mr.. Brown
we hold to be unjust to the great majority of
the American people, and impolitic in other re-
spects. We allude to his proposition of raising
the postage on letters to the uniform rate of five
/ cents. We think that in our former article we
made 1t apparent to every candid reader, that
the effect of the proposed change would be to
tax the people of the older and more settled
/ portions OF the country for the benefit of the
South and the frontiers. If the franking priv.
ilege were abolished, and mail contracts were
let solely with reference to carrying the mails
the threecent rate of postage would more than
pay the expense of the Department in all the
free States. Indeed, still lower rate would
suffice for the New England and Middle States
Then, is it not manifestly unjust that FIVE cent,
should be exacted of the people in these sec
tions, for the accommodation of the slav,
States2
We protest against the sectional Injustice
and partiality of the proposition of Mr.. Brown
If it is thought expedient to extend posta
facilities to the people of the South beyond the
point which the postal revenue in that section
viii justify, the excess Of the expenditure should
come out of the National Treasury, and not ou
of the pockets of the Northern people directly
Indeed, we are not disposed to deny that, to {
certain extent, the sparsely- peopled sections o
the country should be thus accommodated be
yond the revenue standard of the Department
but not on Mr.. Browns plan Of an increase o
postage; and we feel assured that the letter
writing classes in the South and West wonld