This measure was adopted with the avowed object of
protecting the British line of mail steamers now running between Boston
and Liverpool, and if permitted to continue must speedily put an end to
the transportation of all letters and other matter by American steamers
and give to British steamers a monopoly of the business. A just and fair
reciprocity is all that we desire, and on this we must insist. By our
laws no such discrimination is made against British steamers bringing
letters into our ports, but all letters arriving in the United States
are subject to the same rate of postage, whether brought in British or
American vessels. I refer you to the report of the Postmaster-General
for a full statement of the facts of the case and of the steps taken by
him to correct this inequality. He has exerted all the power conferred
upon him by the existing laws.
The minister of the United States at London has brought the subject to
the attention of the British Government, and is now engaged in
negotiations for the purpose of adjusting reciprocal postal arrangements
which shall be equally just to both countries.
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