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through the agency of the Post…office Department； to newspapers
and periodicals which diffuse daily； weekly； or monthly
intelligence of passing events。 Compliance with this general
wish is deemed to be in accordance with our republican
institutions； which can be best sustained by the diffusion of
knowledge and the due encouragement of a universal； national
spirit of inquiry and discussion of public events through the
medium of the public press。 The committee； however； has not been
insensible to its duty of guarding the Post…office Department
against injurious sacrifices for the accomplishment of this
object； whereby its ordinary efficacy might be impaired or
embarrassed。 It has therefore been a subject of much
consideration； but it is now confidently hoped that the bill
herewith submitted effectually obviates all objections which
might exist with regard to a less matured proposition。
The committee learned； upon inquiry； that the Post…office
Department； in view of meeting the general wish on this subject；
made the experiment through one if its own internal regulations；
when the new postage system went into operation on the first of
July； 1845； and that it was continued until the thirtieth of
September； 1847。 But this experiment； for reasons hereafter
stated； proved unsatisfactory； and it was discontinued by order
of the Postmaster…General。 As far as the committee can at
present ascertain； the following seem to have been the principal
grounds of dissatisfaction in this experiment：
（1） The legal responsibility of postmasters receiving newspaper
subscriptions； or of their sureties； was not defined。
（2） The authority was open to all postmasters instead of being
limited to those of specific offices。
（3） The consequence of this extension of authority was that； in
innumerable instances； the money； without the previous knowledge
or control of the officers of the department who are responsible
for the good management of its finances； was deposited in offices
where it was improper such funds should be placed； and the
repayment was ordered； not by the financial officers； but by the
postmasters； at points where it was inconvenient to the
department so to disburse its funds。
（4） The inconvenience of accumulating uncertain and fluctuating
sums at small offices was felt seriously in consequent
overpayments to contractors on their quarterly collecting orders；
and； in case of private mail routes； in litigation concerning the
misapplication of such funds to the special service of supplying
mails。
（5） The accumulation of such funds on draft offices could not be
known to the financial clerks of the department in time to
control it； and too often this rendered uncertain all their
calculations of funds in hand。
（6） The orders of payment were for the most part issued upon the
principal offices； such as New York； Philadelphia； Boston；
Baltimore； etc。； where the large offices of publishers are
located； causing an illimitable and uncontrollable drain of the
department funds from those points where it was essential to
husband them for its own regular disbursements。 In Philadelphia
alone this drain averaged 5000 per quarter； and in other cities
of the seaboard it was proportionate。
（7） The embarrassment of the department was increased by the
illimitable； uncontrollable； and irresponsible scattering of its
funds from concentrated points suitable for its distributions； to
remote； unsafe； and inconvenient offices； where they could not be
again made available till collected by special agents； or were
transferred at considerable expense into the principal disbursing
offices again。
（8） There was a vast increase of duties thrown upon the limited
force before necessary to conduct the business of the department；
and from the delay of obtaining vouchers impediments arose to the
speedy settlement of accounts with present or retired post…
masters； causing postponements which endangered the liability of
sureties under the act of limitations； and causing much danger of
an increase of such cases。
（9） The most responsible postmasters （at the large offices） were
ordered by the least responsible （at small offices） to make
payments upon their vouchers； without having the means of
ascertaining whether these vouchers were genuine or forged； or if
genuine； whether the signers were in or out of office； or solvent
or defaulters。
（10） The transaction of this business for subscribers and
publishers at the public expense； an the embarrassment；
inconvenience； and delay of th department's own business
occasioned by it； were not justified by any sufficient
remuneration of revenue to sustain the department； as required in
every other respect with regard to its agency。
The committee； in view of these objections； has been solicitous
to frame a bill which would not be obnoxious to them in principle
or in practical effect。
It is confidently believed that by limiting the offices for
receiving subscriptions to less than one tenth of the number
authorized by the experiment already tried； and designating the
county seat in each county for the purpose； the control of the
department will be rendered satisfactory； particularly as it will
be in the power of the Auditor； who is the officer required by
law to check the accounts； to approve or disapprove of the
deposits； and to sanction not only the payments； but to point out
the place of payment。 If these payments should cause a drain on
the principal offices of the seaboard； it will be compensated by
the accumulation of funds at county seats； where the contractors
on those routes can be paid to that extent by the department's
drafts； with more local convenience to themselves than by drafts
on the seaboard offices。
The legal responsibility for these deposits is defined； and the
accumulation of funds at the point of deposit； and the repayment
at points drawn upon； being known to and controlled by the
Auditor； will not occasion any such embarrassments as were before
felt； the record kept by the Auditor on the passing of the
certificates through his hands will enable him to settle accounts
without the delay occasioned by vouchers being withheld； all
doubt or uncertainty as to the genuineness of certificates； or
the propriety of their issue； will be removed by the Auditor's
examination and approval； and there can be no risk of loss of
funds by transmission； as the certificate will not be payable
till sanctioned by the Auditor； and after his sanction the payor
need not pay it unless it is presented by the publisher or his
known clerk or agent。
The main principle of equivalent for the agency of the department
is secured by the postage required to be paid upon the
transmission of the certificates； augmenting adequately the post…
office revenue。
The committee； conceiving that in this report all the
difficulties of the subject have been fully an