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.