Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-08-31


iy extended as ours is wha, would be the value
! of the useless expenditure of time--,he injury
| of their business, and The expense and fatigue
of calling or sending to the Office every day
which, in this event, they mus, necessarily In
cur9 For although many OF our ciiiZehs may
receive but few letters in the course OF The year
yet it may be Of great importance TO them that
! they should be secure ~ safe and early deliv'
cry Of them. The success OF your Application
could not fail O inflct upon the Post Once and
the citizens more evils than have detailed, foi
i, mus, so diminish The receipts Of The lettei
carrier as efftctualy destroy his buslnr S, ant
compel hi II 10 look elsewhere for emplo, ment
II is pre- poslerous 20 contend that by the ap
poinimen, OF private agen's, these canbe avoid
ed. To The Posi- Office, the EFFECT would be 'h'
same; and the citizens would BE- unwilling u
employ one Of no official or private responsible
| iy-who had given no bond; who had taken ne
oath; who could not possibly deliver their let
tiers as early as their interest required; and wht
| in he event OF an overchanee Of postage, c"ult
make no abatement. And because would no
lend my aid to produce such a sts'e OF thing
you denoupce it as "a foul eaiumny." o! YOU
motives I.said nothing. Ispoke only OF the un
avoidab'e operation OF such a scheme, no matte
for wha, end it might have been drsigned; and
now say that if you conceive il TO be foul cnlum
ny" YOU must look 10 other circumstances, ant
not 10 my language, for your authority thus i'
dcn0minaie il.
But, although have nothing to do with mo
lives, | may be permiled 10 speak OF facts
and allow me TO ask you if the legally appoint
ed Letter Carrier is al all remiss in his duties
Have you ever heard whisper against his re
putation, or is he, in aay respect inadequate L
the charge conided TO him Have not scvera
Of your committee, (among them your chair
man, been always in the boolt OF rcceIvlut
their letters al the Office Have they not al
w,ys been politely and promptly varied on
and has not every possible aocomm odation beer
afforded them Why is il that several 10 whom
ScholfeId never delivered letters. and who dc
not live in that section of the city TO which he
was restricted, have united in this demand 2
What, | ask, is the motive OF this sudder
change this breaking in upon long usage
his plan, which, il succe ssful must PROSTATE
The legally established system? Can you DC
surprised thar should denominale il a scheme
when no reason whatever Can be assigned f,r it!
when il has been represented to- me tha! some
of the signers exul'ingly boosted that il would
ruin tie authorized Letter Carrier, and that
their agent, ScholficlJ, would occupy the win
dow appro pria,ed 10 the delivery OF letters, all
The dav, 10 the exclusion Of all others. and thus
seriously incommode individuals, aud embar
rass the business OF he Office when no pos
sihle advantage can result from il ?--when the
delivery Of your letters must inevitably he de-
layed, your expenses increased, your personal
convenience greatly safer by it? Wha', ask
again, is The feeling which impels you 10 do II?
and W at the OBJ lec, designed 10 be Effected by
il? Did you expect me 10 contribute 10 a
scheme (fur sch me | must cali il, in spite OF
your denunciation) which mus, impede the
operations Of Il Department o! the Govern
ment, merely to crafty either cap:ice or pas
sion If you did you formed an improper es-
innate OF character; for, however anxious /
may be 10 avoid difference with any OF my
fellow citizens, would risk their censure, RAJ
Iher rhan not oppose to the consumma'ion OF
such project, every obstruction which The law
not only allows, bot requires me TO do. You
seem 20 forget that public officers have rights:
hat however, in q s,ale of courtesy, they may
afford facilities for which there is no posi- i've
au horty in the Jaw, when an attempt is made
which must prov" vtXalious 10 the public, and
injurious 10 them, il is not only their right but
lheir duty to exact rigid compliance with the
law, and TO avail themselves Of every protec-
,ion il affords them. These are my rights and
my dury, and, in his instance, when the effec,
is SO obvious, | will claim the one and perform
the Other. | am impelled to it. as well by con-
sideralions Of an official as Of an individual
character-for, allow me TO enquire, what
would be the consequences if this scheme were
to prove successful?
Think you not, that the disappointed ofevery
party, perceving it so easy Of accomplish
men', would not, every where, eagerly resort
to il TO crafty either their hatred or revenge
What state Of things do you imagine, would
be presented in New York, Philadelphia, Bal.
limore, and other cities, if the officers Of the
Government, by tamely acquiescing, would aid
it? Either great number Of new clerks must
DO appointed, or the public lose the advantage
of that admirable system which has so lorg
been practised in the Department. Chaos
would succeed TO order, and you would rejoice
amidst the confusion and clamors of your own
creation.
II the citizens Of Baltimore and other places,