Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1832-11-15
From the Lexington Observer.
COL. RICHARD NJ JOHNSON-.THE
FRANKING PRIVILEGE.

at Georgetown has, however. sent us the Sen.
unei OF the 18th of September last, and eur
attention has been arrested by the following
Paragraph, In its editorial columns:
Gin mercy to Nimrod, we did not push our
heterogeneous as to who was the author of
the Charles Thomson letter, or who had in-
obliged IN espionage, into the packages of
member of Congress, These, we discovered
were painful ulcers, and in mercy, we with
drew the probe"
As this paragraph relates exclusively to my.
self, VIII, IN my own name and upon nv
own responsibility, proceed to answerit
"The member of Congress" into whose
packages" it is insinuated that | "indulged
in espionage" is no doubt Col RICHARD M.
JOHNSON.
In the first place, say TO Col. johnson
his hlrelIngs and dependents, that ask no
ENERGY" at their hands. | am entirely will
ing they should push their .'interrogatories"
to the utmost extent.
In the next place will give the LIE DlRfcf
| to the insinuation that had ''induiged in es-
pionage into the packages of member Of
Congress-" whether made by Col. johnson
himself, or by any other person for him
There was no necessity for me or any other
person connected with The Post Office, either
| at Georgetown, or at any Post Office on the
route from Maysville (and perhaps even be-
yond there) to Georgetown, TO "indulge in
espionage into the packages" sent thro' the
Post Office by Col johnson, to be satisfied
that he bad, In otoIation Of has oath as @ mem
Der OF Congress, and of the Post Office law,
transmitted in the mail from Washington CT
~ TO the Great Crossings in Scott County,
large packages of Ginghams, (or some other
kind of light check or striped cotton goods
black lead pencils, gilt letter paper, tape, SC
under his official frank and endorsed Public
Documents To see these things required
no "indul5ence in espionage" was bound
to see and TO feel them. or not discharge my
duty "a Postmaster. The envelopes of the
large packages were general 50 macl, worn
that it was impossible forme, or my assistant,
to distribute or assert the contents OF the mail
without seeing that they were not "Pubii:
Documents" as. they purported to be, from
the endorsement made upon them by Col.
johnson. Sometimes the whole ends of the
packages would be entirely naked; at other
tineSthc envelopes would be almost wholly
destroyed. This was not only the case with
Col Johnson's mail cargoes of Dry Goods,
&c. bat with almost all other large packages
that bad been carried any distance in the mail
This remark has reference TO the winter Of
1927 8. unexampled in the recollection of
our Oldest Inhabitants for the excessive rens
that fell, and the almost impossible state of
the roads, 1t was dnring that winter that
Col. JOhnson's packages Of Dry Goods first
made their appearance. Previous to that
time had observed no abuse of the franking
privilege by Col. Johnson, except in the send
ing 10 4 niece 10 Georgetown. under his Off
cial frank, with the endorsement Of Public
Documents" upon it, Of lin box filed with
pins and needles Upon this box there had
been charged at the Post Office in Washing
ton City or at Maysvllc. one dollar and fifty
cents postage, which the father OF the young
lady paid The box, pins and all, were not
worth so cents!
As this box was directed 70 my office was
at no loss to determine what course TO take
with regard to it. The Post Office law plain
| ~ pointed out my duty, and that duty dis
charged. This was not. however, the case
with regard to Col Johnson's packages of
Ginghams They were not directed TO nv
office, but 10 the Great Crossings, consequent
" was at some difficulty to determine what
was my duty in relation 10 them. comm
nicated the circumstance to one or two oil my
friends, and asked their advice as to what
ought to DO After reading the Post Office
law, they very promptly gave it as their OPT
MON, that ought TO make the Circumstance
known to the Post Office Department 1t
was, however, at that time, not my own opin
ion tina: was positively boupd By my oath
to take any notice Of it. My opinion was.
that it was discretionary with me, TO inform
the Post Office Department, or not; and know
ing that many OF the friends of Col. Johnson
entertained the same opinion of him, that the
friends of Gen. jackson now 90 of their idol
that he could do no wrong; that he had
right Gas he declared on the floor of Congress)
TO use the ranking privilege to the extent Of
his discretion,' TO frank home, if he thought
proper to do so, Christmas present TO his
wife and daughters;-kpowing that should
draw down upon myself the vengeance, If
notified the Post Office Department of the
shameful abuse of the Thanking privilege, of
the whole Of his liege subjects in Georgetown
and Scott county, concluded to let the mat
ter be settled between the Postmaster at the
Great Crossings and Col. Johnson. I felt
no fears Of personal violence from any of
them, but knew that every effort would be
used TO have me removed from the Post Office
and to curtail my other business. upon which
was almost wholly dependant for support
for helpless family.
When | consulted my friends as TO the
course should pursue, requested them not
10 speak of my having done so; ard do not
suppose that the public would ever have
known that Col. Johnson used the public mail
as mode of conveyance for Dry Goods. II