Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-03-06

prations reported m amendment TO the bill as
follows
Provided, That all I2ws and paris Of laws Iernting
tic transmission I mail of any free matter whatever
be, and the hereby repealed. from and after
Jane 20, 1873.
Aud the Senate, on February u, 1878, agreed
TO the provislon-hyes ~, noes not counted.
The bill having been returned to the House on
February "a, 1873, Hon. Frank Palmer asked
and obtained unanimous consent from the House
to have the bill taken from the Speakers table
and referred to the Committee on AppTopria-
tons.
On March ., 1873, Mr. Palmer reported the
bill back, and asked and obtained concur
| renee in the Senate amendments, and COM
mittee Of conference was ordered.
So that it will be seen the House refused to
adopt this amendment of the Senate.
Upon the 81 of March, 1873, the last day Of
the session, the committee of conference, ap-
pointed az before stated, made report as follows,
(see Congressional Globe, page 209i
The committee OF conference on the dslgrseing votes
Of the two Houses bill (1. T. No. 3i9s) entitled
"An act making appropriations for ihe service OF
Post-oihce department Tor the year sndug JGne 20,
1874, would respectfully report lsf having met, Ter
full and free conference thereon, have agreed 10
mend, and do recommend, that the House recede iroIn
their dstgreement to the amendments o the Senate,
numbered l. ., 4, g. and TO- and agree TO the s-me.
That the Senate recede from is amendments num-
bered and 2.
Tnat the House rrcsde from it's disagreeuent 70 the
amendment OF lne Senate numbered S, with amend
nent, follows:
Line l. page s. strke out all after the words 10 vii,
down 20 the word ,ha:, in line G. and ugre" to the
same.
The previous question wus seconded and the main
question: ordered; and under the operation thereof the
report adopted.
Thus, under tho operation OF the previous
question, without word of explanation of the
nature of the amendments, in the closing hours
of the session, this important amendment vas
adopted, adding another TO the long list of
wise laws tnat have been passed through legsla-
tive bodies upon the eve of an adjournment when
| sufficient time could not be taken for their con-
sideraton.
That this Congress will correct the error By
the passage OF this bill have no doubt. There
never was any good reason for the enactment of
the law it proposes to repeal, which could only
be regarded imposing unjust tax upon in
telligence and am glad to find that the Post
master General, in recent communication,
takes occasion tn express his approval of this
proposition os the committee and gives he pow
erful aid of his official position and influence in
its support.
At the dawn of the Revolution there were but
thirty six newspapers published in all the land.
In New Hampshire, one Massachusetts, six ::
Rhode Island, two; Connecticut, four; New
York, four; Pennsylvania, nine Maryland,
two; Virginia, two; North Carolina, two !;
South Carolina, three and in Georgia, one.
Il circulation of 1O,5gi,64 We had, at the
same time, 57+ daily papers, with a circulation
of 2,60l ,5i7; 101 tri-weekiy. and lis sem-week-
ly newspapers, making, with the monthly and
quarterly publications, a grand total of 5,S1,
with q circulation Of 20, S42, ,475 and the enor-
nous aggregate of l,50S, ,54S, 250 copies issucd
annually.
The history of the newspaper press il This
country, and of its steady advancement and
mag snifcent success, wOId be but the history of
the country itself Defending, educating, or
leading public opinion, it has, as ii rule, been
found in the advance in all measures of progress
and reform, and who bold rs To venture 10
conjecture how much this country is to-day in
debted to this agency, fostered, encouraged and
protected by the people ami the Government as
it has been in the past, for our national great
ness, prosperity and renown.
These weekly newspapers, let me add, reach
ing they do every freside, every workshop,
every abode of civilized life, and shedding their
rays Of intelligence even in the remote and waste
places not penetrated by other means or agencies
of education and information, exert an influence
Mt once too powerful to be neglected, and of far
TOO much national Importance not to command
and receive the respectful consideration of the
representatives, of the American people.