es of cheap postage have been recognized from the beginning of
our government, in reference to the postage on newspapers--the charge being
regulated, neither by weight nor distance, but, with a single exception,
by the rule of simple uniformity. The postage on newspapers is one cent
for each paper, within 100 miles, or within the state where printed, and a
cent and a half for greater distances. The act of 1844 allowed all
newspapers within 30 miles of the place where issued, to go free, but this
militated so directly against every principle of equity, that it has been
repealed. But cheap postage on newspapers, for the sake of the general
diffusion of knowledge of public affairs, has always been the policy of
our government. Even during the war of 1812, when it was attempted to
raise a revenue by letter postage, the postage on newspapers was not
raised. No proposition whatever, to increase the cost, or lessen the
facility of the circulation of newspapers by mail, would be sanctioned by
the people, under any conceivable exigency of the government.

Yet it has never been stated, to my knowledge, by any administration, that
the postage of newspapers was any help to the department, or even that it
paid for itself. Many of the unproductive routes, which add so much to the
expense, and so little to the income of the department, are demanded
chiefly for the facility of getting the newspapers, rather than for
letters. We are a nation, of newspaper readers. It is possible, indeed,
that the prodigious increase in the number of newspapers circulated by
mail, which has taken place within twenty years, and especially within ten
years, may have reduced the average cost of each, so that now the
newspapers may be productive, or at least remunerative. The
Postmaster-General states the postage on newspapers and pamphlets, for the
year ending June 30, 1847, at $643,160, which is an increase of $81,018,
or 14-1/2 per cent. over the preceding year, and an increase over the annual
average of the nine preceding years, of $114,181, or 21 per cent.

The newspapers passing through the mails annually, are estimated at
55,000,000. In 1843, they were estimated at 43,500,000, of which 7,000,000
were free. If the calculation is made on the whole number, the increase is
20 per cent. in four years. But if, as is probable, the 55,000,000 in 1847
are chargeable papers, the increase is 33-1/2 per cent. If anything can make
the newspaper postage pay for itse