Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-06-18
THE VIRGINIAN.
aYNCHBURG, JUNE Is, 1929.


organized. i, was declared by the then orsao,
and the noy dictator of the President, that il
..o,,,d ne bis policy TO +" reward his friends and
,..;.h his eoemies" --and well do the facts ac-
cord with the declaration. No station, however
.,a,,ed the virtues and qualifications OF its &C
rupani, is too high for his Ammo office, how
ever insignificant in its character or IN ITS G.
.,oI,m.n, !. too low for his vengeance. IL
WAS eur duty, in our last paper to re-
-ord an example Of the latter character which,
,.;,, have exhibited in a true point of view, the
4epatsd and enlarged objects 10 which our
!" able g. energetic administration has directed
IL, attention. In the fashionable phraseology
,f,he day, we stated il thus:
"The JefTersonian Republican appointed
Primer of the Last of Letters, remaining IN the
I,ypchbure Posi.OfIice a, The expiration Of each
quarter OF the year. oics " The Lynchburg
gjrginian' Tensored.
When we frst heard Of the order received b,
she Postmaster of this place TO make this trans
fer, we determined to treat the matter with the
silent contemps VIII icb Ms meanness deserves
the duties performed are SO tfifling.& the smolu-
ment go much more SO, that we did moi think 1t
worthy of notice. But. regarded IN ano-
Their point ee view, it demands the most Sc
rious attention OF the people, for, ii is both an
ipfraction OF q settled custom, and II breach of
a positive law. II under the guse OF " de-
mocracy and reform" these things be permit
sed,we have no guarantee for our personal
rish,s-pa4ticulsrly for that dearest right all,
the free exercise of opinion. II is bad enough
when men are prescribed for the independent
expression of their sentiments, within the pale
of the law-but it becomes an act OF most o.
diously despotc character when the sacred
barriers erected for their protection are broken
down By those to whom their defence has been
entrusted by conhdins aad deceived people,
If ours we're an isolated case, we should not
make even these rcmarks-but other Editors
have been visited with The same infections,
which shows il to be the settled policy of the
administration to be guided in all their conduct
by system of " rewards and punishmen's
lst. II is uioiation Of the custom Of the
aountry.-Under no administration heretofore,
has any Postmaster General stopped to interfere
in the local arrangements which Pcstmasters,
under the General Post Office Law and lnstruc-
tions are autho rizrd 10 make. at their otrn dis.
yeiion-of which local arrangements the ad.
vertising Of uncalled for letters Is one. The
Postmaster General eannoi interfere with
this matter, without RAINING great risk OF
violating both the spirit aud the letter of the
law as we shall presently show that 1T Ia,
done in the present instance. Heretofore, leav.
ing the law out ofthe question:, il has been
thought thai POsimasters were themselves the
hes, judges OF those channels through which it
would be most expedient 10 communicate to
the public the information which Cong ress had
directed to be promulgated and il WINS there
fore left within their exclusive control. II re.
manned for the present mad aud pischieuous
admin is,ration' chow much more aptiy termed
so than the last y to abolish this salutary Gus.
tom, that il mag hold in its hands more ef
feciual curb on the press, and thus endeavor
and consequent censure.
ody. II isa rioiat,on Of a positive idu.-rhs
10Th section OF the Post Office law expressly
directs tha, Postmassers shall cause TO be pub
lished. IN such manner as they may think best
adapted 10 subserve the interests Of the com.
mnnity, lis, OF snch letters As may remain un-
called for a, the expiration Of certain periods
which it designates. 1t directs Posimasters
70 select that channel of communication,
which, To their opinion, is best adapted
20 the accomplishment Of the object In
view; to wit. the Information of the pub.
lie. Guided by this section of the Law,
the late Postmaster General Mclean framed
his Instructions to his subordinate officers TO
the following paragraph Of which ne invite the
attention of the reader;
The newspaper having the most extensive
circulation in the vicinity OF the POST Office
1iuit al'odys haze the preference in publishing
this notice."
IL is not for US to say which of the papers
printed in this place has the most extern
ave circulation :" but il is sufficient for our
purpose to know that Mr.. Postmaster General
barry could not have been more enlightened on
'he subject than ourselves and that he must
therefore necessarily have usurped privilege
which the law had in terms denied to him The
law directs that the list of dead letters shall be
published IN such m1ner as to give il the most |
extensive Circulation. Who is to be the Judge of
'h's Surely not man living hundreds Of miles
Instant from the spot, and who must be neces.
saf'iy nnacquainted with the facts. The trainers
" Tue law designed, exactly what the late hon
est rostmaster General deduced from il, that |
ne roamastsrs should be vested with dscre