id the cost of
bringing them by express from New York. To guard against failures, he
divided his bundles, and had a part sent by way of Norwich, and a part by
Stonington. He then served them to subscribers all over Boston for 12
cents per week, making his collections on Saturday. This man made money,
so that in a few years he sold out his route and business in the New York
papers, and purchased an interest in a flourishing penny paper in Boston,
of which he is now one of the publishers.

XI. _The Expense of Cheap Postage, and how it is to be paid._

It is quite important to have it understood, in all parts of the country,
that the friends of postal reform have no desire to curtail the public
accommodations now enjoyed, in the slightest degree--unless in cases of
manifest abuse. Neither do they consider that too much money is paid by
our government to furnish the people with the privileges of the mail. We
desire rather to see the benefits and conveniences of the post-office
greatly increased, as well as brought more within the reach of all the
population. The bill for establishing cheap postage should therefore
contain a distinct declaration that the mail facilities of the country
shall not be curtailed, but shall be liberally extended, with the spread
and increase of population, so as to give, as far as the ability of the
government will admit, the best practicable accommodations to every
citizen of the republic.

It ought also to be provided that the Postmaster-General shall have it in
his power, according to his discretion, whenever justice may require, to
continue the compensation of all postmasters equal to their present rates,
in proportion to the amount of services rendered, or labor performed. It
is not easy, at present, to decide how much the labor of keeping the
post-office will be lessened, by the adoption of uniform rates, and
prepayment. Certainly, the reduction will be very considerable. And
experience will hereafter suggest a new scale of compensations adapted to
the new methods of doing the business.

The falling off in the gross receipts of the British post-office, on the
first adoption of the new system, was upwards of a million sterling, being
nearly 43 per cent. on the whole amount. A corresponding reduction from
the income of our own post-office would amount to $1,696,734. But the
falling off would not be so great. The reduction of postage in that case
was from 7-1/2_d_. on an average, to 1_d_., w