Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-02-04
NATIONAL INTEALIGENCER.
POSTAL REFORMS.

AhSiS - scatooiy Any Ssehoy Poiiolmou W eno
Government which more intimately concerns the
comfort and convenience of the people, or which
more directly reacts the business facilities Of
the country than the regulations established with
regard to the transmission and distribution of pri-
yate letters aud printed matter conveyed by the
mails The reader will find in another part of to-
days paper interesting table containing state
ment of the manner in which letters are distribut
ed in the principal countries of Europe, and also
the mode in which postmasters receive their COM
pensation in such countries. 1t will be seen that
the carrier system universally obtains, and that
this service is in most cases performed without
fee-the exceptions being confined to localities
where the sparseness of the population justifes a
departure from the system The generality Of the
rule, however, shows the direction in which postal
reform under this head has steadily tended in
Europe
We are indebted to the present efficient Post
master General for the partial introduction of this
system into the administration of our postal SER
vice The law authorizing the free delivery Of
mail matter by carriers took effect the first day
of July last About that time the system was put
in operation at forty mine of the larger Offices with
. competent corps of carriers to each, numbering
in the aggregate four hundred and forty-nine at
an aggregate annual compensation Of S3OO,6SO
While we cannot hope, with the present distribu-
ton Of our population and the extent of our coun
try, to attain the point reached by European Gov
ernments under this head, We may at least mark
the progress they have made indicating re-
form which should be adopted wherever the con-
ditions of it's existence found We have the best
reason to know that Mr.. Blair is disposed not only
70 Dive the system in our country fair trial, but
IA promote its extension far as practicable
Ample but well guarded provision to this effect
b>s been made in the revised code of the laws re-
,st;ne 20 the Post Office Department, which was
submitted by him at the last session of the Thirty
seventh Congress, and to which the attention of
Tho nresept Congress is again invited in his last
annual report
There is also in this proposed revision of our
nostal laws (which is for the most part but digest
of existing legislation, the provisions of which
would be but slightly affected by the notifications
sugeested) another recommendation as to which
Abe practice and experience of Europe may be
stu5;ed with advantage We allude TO the mode
= ,biob postmasters are remunerated for their
..rvice., It will be seen that it is every where
regulated by fixed rates in the shape Of salary,
and not lett to be ascerained by calculations based
IN the number of letters received and apparent
amount Of service rendered This latter method
involves the keeping Of cumbrous accounts for no
other purpose than to ascertain what is to be paid
In snny given case, when in point Of fact the De-
n,rtn,ent can readily arrive at the approximate rate
of paymeat from the average revenues Of the post
Office during series Of years. Hence Mr.. Blair
nrono,e. in his revised code to divide post Offices
and the compensation of postmasters into five
classes. and to fix these classes according to the
annual average of compensation to the postmasters
during four years last past, with provision TO
meet the cases where returns may not have been
received for each quarter, and combining the ave-
rage to less period when revenues are increasing
IL is not proposed in any to change the present
amount Of pay The first class comprises all Offices
where the annual pay has been between $4,000
and "a, 1000; second class, between $4,000 and
s8 900; third class, between 81 600 and $4,000 ;
fourth class, between clVO anu Sl,oVoj nithJ Tess
than 800 Salaries thus ascertained by the annual
average for four years to be fixed in even sums
but in no case to exceed the average.
The advantage of this change, whether regard
be had to the convenience of the Department or to
the satisfaction Of postmasters, would seem to be
apparent There many other provisions Of the
revised code which strike US as being judicious,
and we hope the suggestions of Mr.. Blair may re
ceiye at the hands sf Congress the attention to
which they are entitled.
There is one point to which, in conclusion, we
would particularly advert We allude to the re-
commentator which the Postmaster General has
renewed in his last annual Report, that postal
money order system be established to facilitate the
transmission Of small sums of money through the
mails, which would not only prove great conve-
aience to civilians and soldiers, but would almost
entirely obviate the loss Of money letters, the
great majority of which enclose small remittauces
The present Congress has just shown itself pro-
perly mindful OF the comfort Of soldiers in the
field by providing that articles of clothing comprised
in package not exceeding two pounds in weight,
ddressed to any non-commissioned officer or pr
gate serving in the armies Of the United States