Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-07-23

| sage of public house-where packets are
opened by any one, and papers prrlolned,
with as little ceremony, as if they were the
property OF the first finder.-Sometimes
| the positive Instructions of the Post Master
General to report all dead papers, are ex-
pressly disregarded, to furnish the Post
Master an opportunity of reading the news
or accommodating some neighbor who is
good enough TO indulge his curiosity at the
printers expence.
The negligence of the Post-Masters, is
fraught with very sore evils to the unhappy
editors. His subscribers tax him with pos
tage and murmurs. Some refuse TO pay for
papers which they have never received
Many, who wish TO take the paper, are pre-
vented by the uncertainty Of its transmits
sion. Papers are sent on from year to
year, to particular gentleman, and when
the printer calls for his pay, 10 his chagrn
in finding it to have been dead one, that
the Post Master kept it for his own use,
and that the subscriber is dead, or run a
way.
II is time to put stop to these crying
evils. They cry from every quarter, north,
south, east. and west-with this distinction
that the more county officers are on the
Mail line, the more frequent are the fail
ures, and the sorer the evil. As might be
supposed, these complaints are not confined
to the United States-they are made by The
English printers, and perhaps more SO than
with US, for in this country, there is tax
upon each. paper which passes into the
Post-Master's pocket--this may in some
little degree lead him to take little more
care Of it, that he may receive his postage
on it but in Great Britain there is no pos
tage paid upon them.
In an English print, now before us, Of
last December, we find that the nuisance
had become so great in Ireland as to call
for the interposition Of the General Post-Of-
fee in Dublin-the following orders were
accordingly issued:
lst. "That where a Post Master, on o.
peningh Mail, shall find that Paper which
he thinks should have reached his Office,
has not arrived, he will, by letter, ac-
quaint the Secretary with the circumstance,
and name OF the Subscriber, whose paper
may appear to be missing,
Cd. No paper is TO be delivered but to
the Subscriber, or to his Messenger or Ser
want, knoUn to be such.
Sd. THAT under no pretence. either p,tt
or zUSthout the consent ola Subscriber, shall
deputy open and reoda .Neyspoper, pre-
riious 10 its being deliDered To lis Ouncr,
and of course, from under his official care.
If Subscribers are willing that Post-Mas-
tiers should have the benefit of reading
their Papers, it must be after, not while
they have official custody of them.
4,h. That no deputy will, under any
authority, either written or verbal, permit
any Paper to be opened, and read by any
Person but the Subscriber to whom il is adj
dressed. If subscribers are willing 10 per-
nit Persons TO read their Papers, it must
be after the Post Office has discharged its !
duty, in delivering il to themselves, or their |
Messengers, kaotCn TO be such. Post-Otlces |
must not be converted into Reading-rooms. |
Such practice, while il must add TO, if I
not create, The very evil complained of al
fords the very same advantages with Sub
scribers, to persons who thereby contribute |
nothing eitherto the Post Office, the Stamp ;
Office, or the Editor. Deputy Post-Mas-
tiers must not be Agents in .4c,s, which have
a direct tendency to injure one Branch Of
Public Revenue and by curtailing the Cir
culation Of Newspapers, interfere with the
Interests of the Press.
In the Circular upon this subject it is
very properly observed, that " Newspa-
per once cobfded TO the Post Office, is as
sacred, in the eyes of the Postmaster &c
neral, as Letter-and it cannot be pur-
Joined, tempered with, or abused, without
violating the solemn obligation which eve
ry person entrusted with tie public cores
pondence is bound by.-Altbough News
papt' do not yield postage, their uninter-
rupted circulation is Immediately connect
ed with the Privilege Of Parliament and
while they contribute largely to the Fman-
ces OF the country, through another Branch
OF the Revenue, the Sdmp-Ctce, the fost-
Masters-General are not unmindiul that the
property thus contributing to the State be-
longs to Individuals, whose interest cannot
be infringed upon, without lessening The
Public Revenue"
The Sd and 18th instructions are particu-
larly good-and the sound lesson Of public
morals, which is preached by the whole ex-
tract, is emiaently worthy Of attention.
May not some additional regulations be ne
cessary in this Country And may not The
Post Master-G General find in these instruc-
tons some hints for himself to work upon