188 



CONGRESS, UNITED STATES. (REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.) 



and the postal-card, and now use the postal- 

 card as a means of economy and thereby save 

 2 cents of postage, will under the 2-cent rate 

 for letters give up the postal-card, in order to 

 secure secrecy in their correspondence. 



" From the establishment of the Government 

 the principle has been recognized and the effort 

 of every administration has been directed to 

 the making of the postal service self-support- 

 ing, while at the same time every facility pos- 

 sible has been extended to the people. In the 

 British service, as well as in our own, the rate 

 charged for the transmission of mail matter 

 was based on the estimated absolute service' 

 rendered, the distances the mail was carried 

 being the basis of the rate charged. The act 

 of Congress of 1851 qualifiedly changed the 

 existing statutes and made the inland service 

 uniform in the rate charged for distances less 

 than 3,000 miles. The limit, however, of 3,000 

 miles was wiped out by the act of 1863, which 

 gave us the uniform rate of 3 cents the half- 

 ounce or fraction thereof, and which is the stat- 

 ute enforced to-day. The people have never 

 complained when the deficiency in the postal 

 service required appropriations from the Treas- 

 ury. Nor, on the other hand, has any special 

 effort been made to secure large surplus re- 

 sults, greater conveniences, larger facilities, 

 and cheaper rates of postage for all classes of 

 mail matter seem to have been recommended 

 and to have formed a part of every Postmaster- 

 General's report for many years. 



" General Hazen, in a paper submitted to 

 me, asserts that the department is surely on a 

 paying basis, and as the receipts are increasing 

 at a much greater rate than the expenditures, 

 the general Treasury will at an early day, un- 

 less there should be a change in the present 

 conditions, be a large gainer from the profits 

 of the postal service. If, however, the theory 

 be correct that the earnings should not be per- 

 mitted to exceed the outlays of the service, the 

 question is squarely presented as to how the 

 balance shall be maintained. If the present 

 profits could be used advantageously to extend 

 facilities and to afford conveniences to the pub- 

 lic not now enjoyed, there can be scarcely a 

 doubt of the popular willingness to have them 

 applied in this direction. 



"Popular as has been the idea of a self-sus- 

 taining service, public opinion has ever sanc- 

 tioned the granting of needful sums from the 

 Treasury, rather than the usefulness of the 

 service should be impaired by a lack of means 

 from the postal revenues. But the expendi- 

 tures for the coming year have been estimated 

 upon the full measure of the public require- 

 ments, as well as the same can now be antici- 

 pated, and yet they fall considerably short of 

 the estimated revenues. The result promises 

 to be a large increase on the present profits. 

 The time would seem to be auspicious, there- 

 fore, for a reduction in the rates of postage. 



"In reference to the effect of reduction in 

 postage the experience of the past has been 



found instructive. The changes in rates of 

 domestic matter were comparatively unimpor- 

 tant up to the 1st of July, 1845. In order that 

 the several changes in the domestic rates may 

 be fully understood by the House I have in- 

 serted in my remarks a part of the report of 

 the Committee on the Post-Office and Post- 

 Roads, which cites the various statutes since 

 1792, when the first statute was enacted cover- 

 ing the first postage on letter matter. Then 

 gentlemen can see for themselves the gradual 

 changes and observe the many reductions: 



1. February 20, 1792, was the first act fixing rates 

 of postage on domestic letters, and established the 

 following rates, to take effect June 1, 1792 : 



Act February 20, 1792, section 9, by land: For 

 every single letter not exceeding 30 miles, 6 cents. 



For every single letter over 30 miles, and not ex- 

 ceeding 60 miles, 8 cents. 



For every single letter over 60 miles, and not ex- 

 ceeding 100 miles, 10 cents. 



For every single letter over 100 miles, and not ex- 

 ceeding 150 miles, 12i cents. 



For every single letter over 150 miles and not ex- 

 ceeding 200 miles, 15 cents. 



For every single letter over 200 miles, and not ex- 

 ceeding 250 miles, 17 cents. 



For every single letter over 250 miles, and not ex- 

 ceeding 350 miles, 20 cents. 



For every single letter over 350 miles, and not ex- 

 ceeding 450 miles, 22 cents. 



For every single letter over 450 miles, 25 cents. 



For every double letter, double the said rates. 



For every triple letter, triple the said rates. 



For every packet weighing one ounce avoirdupois 

 to pay at the rate of four single letters for each ounce, 

 and in that proportion for any greater weight. 



2. Act March 2, 1799, section 7, establishes a Gen- 

 eral Post-Office at the seat of Government of the 

 United States. 



For every letter composed of single sheet of paper 

 conveyed not exceeding 40 miles, 8 cents; over 40 

 miles, and not exceeding 90 miles, 10 cents ; over 

 90 miles, and not exceeding 150 miles, 12i cents ; over 

 150 miles and not exceeding 300 miles; 17 cents; over 

 300 miles, and not exceeding 500 miles, 20 cents ; over 

 500 miles, 25 cents. 



Double letter or two pieces of paper, double rates. 



Triple letter or three pieces of paper, triple rates ; 

 and for every packet composed of tour or more pieces 

 of paper, or other thing, and weighing 1 ounce avoir- 

 dupois, quadruple rate, and in same proportion for 

 greater weights. 



3. Act April 30, 1810, section 11 : Bates of postage 

 on letters and packets : 



Cents. 



Single sheet of paper, less than 40 miles 8 



Single Bheet of paper, 40 to 90 miles 10 



Single sheet of paper, 90 to 150 miles 12$ 



Single sheet of paper, 150 to 300 miles 17 



Single sheet of paper, 800 to 500 miles 20 



Single sheet of paper, over 500 miles 25 



Double letters or two pieces of paper, 'double rates ; 

 triple letters or three pieces of paper, triple rates; 

 every packet composed of four or more pieces of paper 

 or other thing, and weighing one ounce avoirdupois, 

 quadruple rate ; and in same proportion for greater 

 weight. 



4. Act April 9, 1816, section 1 : Eates of postage 

 after May 1, 1816 : Cents< 

 Every letter composed of a single sheet of paper, less 



than 30 miles 6 



Over 30 miles and not exceeding 80 miles 10 



Over 80 miles and not exceeding 150 miles 12f 



Over 150 miles and not exceeding 400 miles 18 j 



Over400miles 25 



Every double letter or two pieces of paper, double 



