The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-11
DOUBLE POSTAGE DUES.
Pecuniary Lash for nliterate Letter writers-
How the Authorities Look After the PEN
mics, Hoping That the Pounds Will
Take Care Of Themselves.

II ID one OF the 1ncOmprenenSlDlo phases d
shOrtsighted and parsimonious ruling on the part
Of the general government that the HERALD II
compelled to record to-day. The exaction Of q few
cents from the poorest Of our poor classes by an
administration rolling in dishonorably acquired
wealth attracts an attention as broadspread as Is
the humble character Of the people 1t most reaches
1t is well enough to say that those who write and
receive the most letters are business men, who can
well afIord to pay for more than the postage the
government requires, but the great mass, to whom
Q correspondence Is luxury and bless
ing rather than q necessity-bringlng father
and mother, sister and brother together
over hundreds or thousands OF miles OF country
they have been compelled to YEARLY travel-1nd
every cent expended In letter-writing deducted
from the amount laid by for grocer and baker.
These classes exist. In spite Of the laugh Of clowns
or the eers OF cynics they form the class greatest
In q literal sense and often in more restrictive
yet liberal one-antthe as 1t may appear. 1t
Sn IN S Of the 6ns Of
and are poor-so poor, indeed, that every coin has
to them value richer than their own blood
for ' the governed, and they who ride on the
crest OF es wave care little for the half submerged
their fowl own deliverance that they may not be ex.
peced to pause and think over the fate OF their less
lucky companions In the wreck that life produces.
Washington made a ruling from the haphaZard
laws OF Congress that
A letter deposited for mailing weighing over half an
stamp, Should be forwarded marked due six cents"
be collected on delivery
This was referred too as taken from sections ISL
and 162 OF the CODE Since then the following notice
has been cOnspicu0usly posted In the general Post
ONCE IN this city
DISTRIBUTING DEPARTMENT
New YORK Posr OFFICE. )
the proper charges on mail matter by the letter
"APPoRroNMENr OrrIGE,
"WAsHiNGroN, d. O., August "A, 1872
letter weighing over half an ounce mailed your office
paid three con!s and charged three cents due.
Dc! -
sSeaS be doa6ea and CO eoscssd On
"Acting First Assistant Postmaster Generai.n
B. T. MORGAN, Assistant Postmaster
masters office, but found only Mr. Morgan
the Assistant Postmaster in charge. The last
named nam. gentleman, however volunteered to to
regard to the odious ruling above referred to, and
stated that the order had been In force about ten
days day Many merchants ts and bankers sent BY
to inquire why such double weight letters as they
received with a single stamp were marked due
an explanation was made, however, they seemed
well enough satisfied. Mr.. Morgan added that the
merchants of the city had been for years &C.
custOmed from their foreign correspondence to
accept the English ruling In similar cases. English
charged twenty-four cents, and Canadian letters
the postage being cents, are charged ten cents
when not prepaid.
1t is claimed that the money Is exacted only In
the sense of fine, that correspondents may be
taught to prepay correctly and save the Oflcals OF
the Post ONCE Department world OF trouble. up
in the plum tree" however, 1t only seems to be one
of those penny wise expedients for which pound
foolish people have long been famous