Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1875-03-25
Packages by Mail.

pound packages of merchandisey &C.,
70 60 tbrough the mails They were
not successful in that.objeet, yet they
or some other influence succeeded,
during the dying hours of the ses-
sion, in tacking on to the Funding
Civil BILL a very small amendment,
which makes a very large and impor,
tant change in the postal laws. And
the change is as sudden as It's IN :.
portant. The amendment was to
strike out two words" two ounces
in an existing postal law, and to
insert the one word ounce N their
place. This amendment, small as 1t
looks, has revolutionized the rates OF
postage on what is known as third
class mailahle matter. Without
mentioning money at all, it just
douJlcs tie rate of postage, on every
one Of the following descriptions OF
articles: Books, pamphlets, maps
prints, engravings, transient masa-
9ines, periodicals and newspapers,
circulars, handbills, posters, occasion
Il publications, prospectuses, book
rnanuscripts, proof-sh cts, corrected
proof.sheets, blanks, flexible patterns,
SAMPLES Of mercandise, sample cards,
photographic paper, letter envelopes
postal envelopes and wrappers, cards,
plain and Ornamental! paper, cuttings
| bulbs, roots, sci0ns, and AL other az
ticles usually sent by mail, c.ccctot let
ters ard newspapers and periodicals
mailed by the publishers. As the
,law stood prior to this httle amend
ment. anv person could send the fore
going articles by mail at the rate OF
one cent for every tigo ounces; now
! the rate is one cent for every ounce
The rate is doubled, an& the addl-
jonsI cost to those who use the Post
Office for sending these articles runs
mp 10 millions o; dollars every year
Bat this enormous and unexpected
increase in the rate If third-clasS
postage is not the only Objectionable
feature in the matter. The operation
ot this change in the law is extreme
jlv inequita6le. The publisher of :
paper gan send to his regular sub
sscribers, through the mails, a package
containing one pound Of newspaper:
for t,yo cents, but the laboring maj
or woman who wishes to send to
distant relative a single copy OF
newspaper has TO pay two cents 10
that single cory. Here the persol
; who cannot afford to. pay heavy post
age is obliged to pay as much ior al
o9ace alad q qaNutea' as the publisher
vino cqAs afford TO pay, is charged 10 10
a whole pound. The rate was snfl
: GENTLY unequal before the changG
! and now the inequality is increase
two-Iold. The same injustice rest
$ upon ali The transient senders {
magazines and periodicals, who pn
4
i .;alsl ISL and despair. No pack of jaclals
I Scenting the carcass ever made night as
hideous We give q few specimens in
our legislative proceedings.
The opponents of the bill rcfrained
from speaking, being convinced that
they were strong enough to sustain the
veto, with votes 10 spare. The debate
came to an unexpected close OH the point
| nf order that the bill had been retained
| -,n 1o,,,r trbyarf,or IL
I therefore, had become law. Upon this
subject we are not 81 tnis moment able
to express an opinion. but fancy that
"claims" will not 60 mp i'll the market
in consequence.
Hereupon certain Of the so-callcd "ani-
mails" and "iackals'' became horribly
filled with wrath, anG, raging like the
angry sea, procured the passage Of q
resolution to have the editor, Mr.. james
G. Thompson, arrested and brought be
fore the bar Of the House for contempt
The arrest was duly made, and the hep
less editor was led into the presence of
the animals like lamb to the slaughter.
The lamb was calm, composed, and
seemed to know what to do, while the
animals were horribly disconnected and
quite at their wits end. The scene must
have been unfathomably amusing Upon
being informed by the Speaker that he
was held to be in contempt Of the House,
Mr.. r. asked for time to consider what
he should do in the case, having, as he
said, been captured" only an hour or
so before.
Mr. Crews moved that time be allowed
him till seven in the evening. Leslie
sent up 4 motion TO let him go, saying
that the House had undoubtedly got a
first-class elephant upon its hands, and
that the capturing of an editor was like
the capturing of porcupine, as they
would undoubtedly get nothing but
"quills" for their pains. Hereupon Mr..
Thompson was let loose until the next
day, or the day after, when he was again
brought before the animals, who gazed,
growled, gnashed, and finally let him
loose sine die. Jackals and jackasses!
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