POSTAL CONFERENCE.

In the month of September, 1878, after consultation with a large number of interested parties, the following circular-invitation was signed and sent to boards of trade, chambers of commerce, newspaper publishers, book publishers, prominent houses in various branches of trade, and the postmasters of the leading cities of the country. The Post-Office Department was also invited to be represented.

SIR: The postal service of the country is allied to so many individuals, and affects so many interests, that legislation relative thereto is watched with much concern. The people ought to insist that such legislation should be simple, uniform, and just; simple, because it needs to be understood by everybody; uniform, so that it will be equally related to all like interests; just, because the motive to all public or private actions rests in the confidence of individuals in each other and in the rectitude of their purposes.

It has sometimes happened that proposed legislation, very much desired, has been deferred or defeated through indifference on the part of the people, and therefore it is. always desirable for a department of the government to have the co-operation of the public in securing from Congress the enactment of wise and beneficent laws.

A bill "relating to the classification of mail matter and rates of postage thereon" is now pending in Congress, which is so good in its purpose and scope that it ought to become a law at the earliest date practicable. It liberalizes the treatment of every class of mail matter, simplifies the classification so as to make it intelligible to all who use the mails, gives enlarged discretion to the Postmaster-General in the disposition of mail matter, makes possible a uniform and consistent action at every post-office in the country, and removes many of the arbitrary and invidious distinctions which make the present law so objectionable.

This bill has a position upon the calendar of both houses of Congress which entitles it to early consideration; but inasmuch as the approaching session will be the short one, and legislation of every nature will crowd itself upon the attention of the members of both houses, it is deemed advisable that the public should take some steps to aid the department in securing the passage of this bill, or one similar in its scope and purpose. It is proposed, therefore, to hold a conference in the city of New York, on Wednesday, the 9th day of October next, to which you are invited to send delegates.

It is hoped that representatives from the Post-Office Department will be present, and it is suggested that besides taking action upon the bill now pending, an interchange of views be had upon the wants and necessities of the service, regarded from an outside standpoint, among which, to which special attention is called, may be

mentioned

The classification of mail matter;

Uniformity of rates;

Extension of the letter-carrier system;

Disposition of unpaid letters.

You are requested to communicate with Mr. H. E. Simmons, 150 Nassau street, or W. H. C. Price, 163 Chambers street, New York, on or before the 1st of October, giving the names of delegates whom you have selected to represent you.

(Signed)

HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York.

ELLWOOD E. THORNE, Chairman Exec. Com. U. S. Board of Trade, New York. W. H. C. PRICE, Publisher of the Grocer, New York.

H. K. &. F. P. THURBER, Grocers and Importers, New York.

PATRICK FARRELLY (American News Co.), New York.

H. E. SIMMONS, Business Agent, Am. Tract Society, New York.
SAMUEL COLGATE (Samuel Colgate & Co.), New York.
STEPHEN N. STOCKWELL (The Journal), Boston.

H. O. HOUGHTON (Houghton, Osgood & Co.), Boston.
FRANK A. ALLEN (Allen, Shapleigh & Co.), Boston.
JOHN W. CANDLER, President Board of Trade, Boston.
JOHN CUMMINGS, President Shawmut National Bank, Boston.
THOS. W. BICKNELL, Publisher Journal of Education, Boston.
W. B. JUDSON, Editor Northwestern Lumberman, Chicago.
CHARLES RANDOLPH, Secretary Board of Trade, Chicago.
CALLAGHAN & Co., Law Publishers, Chicago.
WM. PENN NIXON (The Inter-Ocean), Chicago.

A. F. SHAPLEIGH & CO., Saint Louis.

SIMMONS HARDWARE CO., E. C. Simmons, Pres., Saint Louis.
APPLETON, NOYES & MAUDE, Saint Louis.

DODD, BROWN & CO., Saint Louis.

GREELEY, BURNHAM & CO., Grocers, Saint Louis.