The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-10-05
Tho New style Postage s,,m,,.

The Post once Departmental Saturday last,
awarded the contract fer furnishing new post
nsc stamps to the Nationsl Bank Note Com.
pnny Of New York. The specimens submitted
by this company TO tho Postmaster General
were capital illustrations of American art, in
this line, and we do not believe could be ex-
cclled, II they could be oquAlled, anywhere In
the world. The designs submitted by this
company, which will probably be adopted by
the department, are novel In the postal ser
vice. The present Systems nf yiEnctte heads,
prOnl,s or busts, has been Abandoned, with
siuglc exception, In favor Of \ fine miniature
Of Washington, which sjOrns the 1--WE cent
stamps and thus the apparent preference for
one patriot OF olden time over others, sug.
Cestcd by the present system, 10 avoided.
The new stamps are delicate but elegant en-
graving slightly smaller than the present
| once. Three q the set illustrate the postal
| scivrrci the 'wuGru. stamp represents
] priudiyC iuaii.r,rriCr on horseback. such Ms
| as s..H Trccssi,alvd among the sparse popu!a.
lions VI the Vest the thrce-Ccnt stamp shows
| , mail train, Is illustrating the land service,
while the twelyc.ccnt denomination exhibits
steamer at sea, AS an eXempli1cation OF the
ocean mail. The tiyc-ceut stamps bear min
iatufe OF Warrington, being an accurate copy
Of the face Of the Father Of his Country as
shown In Stewards picture at the White
House. The ten and thirty-ccnt stamps are
real gems the former petite copy OF Trum.
| bull signing the declaration" and the latter
Of his surrender at Yorktown" from the ma.
| tional picture at the Capitol No new de-
signs for the other denominations were exhib-
tied among those we Jaw at the department,
but we presume that all the higher Gcnomina-
| ,ions will be copies OF the pictures in the
| Refunds. The lower rates are printed In a
single color, but iuc specimens Of stamps in
| eolors for the higher denominations were also
filed b. the successful company.
great desidcraturu In the postal service Is
q convenient and certain method for tho In.
dcliblc cancellation ofstamps. Indelibie Inks
are abundant; but 1t would be quite impras :
ticab!e for the department to furnish such
inks to the smaller Offices, and there is no
guarantee 1t would be used If furnished. The
ordinary cancellation at the country Offices is
| hy cTasIng the stamp with a PEN and the de-
vice now In use 20 render this cicctunl is in
the chcqucrcd or embossed surface which may
be seen Oh the back Of the stamps in daily use.
This puHcturc or vmbgssIng breaks the nbrc
Of the paper and YcTmIts the commOhest INK
10 form An incIaccGTle union.wlth the mate
| rial On which The stamp Is printed. Butler y
| Carpenter submitted new device for this
/ purpose. Their stamps were printed on the
summ' d eide Of the paper Ipon moIstening
| the stamp, and placing 1t face dOwuwards upon
a letter the raIeF on which the stamp IL
printed can be torn oil, having the engraving
transferred, and plainly visible GU The letter
This plan though ingenious was deemed too
complex for the purposes Of the Department
and the old plan, which Is . patent Of the Ma
tonal Bank Mole Company continues in use
The American Bank Note Company of New
| York submitted some neat designs and fine
stamp work. The stampa submitted by them
showed fUmsacsquc bgs' Of the Secretary
| OF state on the two cent stamps; profile
| o! Liberty is on the thIcc.ccat stamps; and n
| small but superb vignette OF CFawford's
| Freedom, which surmOunts the dome OF the
Capitol mNkcs the twenty-five cent stamp.
q. 7. Jones, Of Philadciphis, submitted u
| specimen Of three cent stamps similar TO that
| submitted hy the American company, but
larger also some OF the most artistic designs
In cOlors ever brought to public attention.
The Department, however, after Il full con-
sidoration of the subject, concluded, MS we
have already stated, to award the contract for
furnishing stamps TO the National Bank Note
Company. This company has for many years
bcea furnishing the pos'aGC.stsmps now in
| use, but which are to be superseded by the
new style as soon As the Department can
make the necessary arrangements.