Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-09-04
DOSE ESTKC.
(FrOns the .Nelc York Iimss.)
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT
Much has been said and written relative TO the letter
from the Postmaster General, aud also TO Intercourse
of Postmaster, Samuel l.. Gouyerneur, Esq, in
relation the abolition pamphlets sent and intended
be sent by Mail The following highly important lie
from the former gentleman xpanatory Of his up
the subject has been handed for qualification by
Mr. Gouverneur
Posi- OrrrcE DHrxKrsnxr,
22d August, 1885. s
To Samuel l.. Gouverneur, ESQ, Postmaster at N York
Sir-Your letter of the lth INST purportinr TO ac-
company letter from the American Anti slavery Society
and a resolution adopted by them, duly to hand,
but without the documents alluded to. Seeing them
published in the newspapers. however proceed
ply without waiting to receive them officially.
TWAS right to propose to the antsIuvery society
UNFAIRLY desst from attempting TO send their pubca
tionsin the Southern States by public nails their
refusal do after they appraised that the
mails put in jeopardy by them, but another evil
dence of the fatuy of the councils by which they
directed.
After mature consideration of the subject, and seek
ing the best advice within my reuch am confrmst n
the opinion that the Postmaster General has illegal
authority by any order regulation of his Department.
TO exclude from the mails any species of new sapers
magazines or pamphlets Such power vested in the
head of this department. would be earuly dangerous
and has been properly withheld. Any order letter of
mine, directing officially sanctionng the step you
have taken would therefore, be utterly powefess
void and would not in the slightest degree relieve you
from its responsibility.
But to prevent any mistake in mind or in that of
the abolitioniss Of the public relation my posi-
ton, and view, have hesitation in saying, that am
deferred from giving an order TO exclude the whole
res of abolition publications from the Southern mails
only by want of legal power and that if stua,
ted as you are, would do you have done.
Postmusters may lawfully know in all cases the con-
tents Of newspapers because the law expressly provides
chat they shall be pat up that they may be readily
amined and If they know those be
and designed produce, and if delivered will certainly
produce, the commission of the most aggravated crimes
upon the property and persons Of hcreilow citizens
cannot be doubted that It's their duty to detan Them If
to hand them to the civil authorities Thc
Postmaster General has legal power prescribe any
rule for the government of Posmasters in such cases.
nor has he attempted to do They in each
upon teirow responsibility, and fhey Improperly
detan or use papers their Offices tra1snisson
delivery, al ut heir peril aud their heads falls the
punishment
Irit be usfabe to detun papers passing through the
mail for the purpose Of preventing furnishing isOiat
ed crimes against ndiv duas, how much important
it that tks responsibility should be assumed prevent
instructions and communities! II in time of war
Postmaster should detect the letter Of an enemy spy
passing through the mail which if it reaUhcd its destina
tion would expose his country toinyasion uer armies
destruction ought he not ii? Yet who're
his legal power TO do soI
From the specimens have seer of Anti Slavery pub
lcaons and the concurrent testimony of every class of
citizens except the nhoonsis they directly to pro-
d0cc in the South evils and horrors surprising those
usually resulting from foreign invasion ordinary
meals addressed 10 passions of the black
r. to fill every family with assass 80 ~.
produce Of distant day extcrminating servilc
So aggravated is the character Of those papers, that The
people Of the Southern States, with unannity never
witnessed, except in Of extreme danger, have
evnced IN public meetings aud by other 3emOnstra
determination seek defence and safety in pnag an
end 10 their circulation by and OF hazard
Lawless power is TO be resisted bat power which
erted in papa5e selfdelence is awless That such
is the power whose elements agitstRg the South
the united people of that section regiousy believe and
long that shall be their IMPRESSION II will require
the array Of armies TO carry the mails in safety through
their territories, IL they continue to be used the in
strumept Of those who supposed seek their de-
slruction
as measure Of great public necessity therefore YOU
and the oer Rostnasters yho have the respon
sibility of stopping tkese fnHammaiory papers will
have doubt stand justified in that sop before your
country and all mankind
But pc rhaps the legal right OF the aboonists make
Of the public mails in distributing their nsurrec-
tonary papers through the Southern States 30
clear as they to imagine. When those Satcs be-
Independent, they acquired right prohibit tie
circulation Of such papers within their territories: and
their power the subject Of slavery all its incl
dents, was degree diminished by the adoption Of
the Federal Censttuion Jisstl undivided aud sove
reign il when they first emancipaed from
she dominion Of tho King and Parliament of Great Br
tain. In the exercise Of that power Of these
States have made the circulation Of papers capi
tai crime; others have made felony punishable Nv
confinement in the pcnitentary end perhaps there Is
not among them which has not forbidden il under
heavy penalties III the ab0litionists their AGENTS
caught distributing their tracts in ossiaua they
would be legally punishable with death; IL they we're
npprehended ira Georgia they wight be LEGALLY gent Ia
the penentary, and 10 each of the old1g States
they would suffer the penalties Of their respective
laws
Now have these people legal right to Do Nv the mail
cagrora and Postmasters Of The United States acts
which, done by themselves their agents. would law
fully subject them to the punishment due elons &C the
deepest dye Are the officers Of the United States com
PEELED by the Constitution and Lave 20 become the o
siruments, and accompces Of those who design n bag
He and make nugatory The constitutional laws Of the
S'Ates-io NJ thsn with sediion murder and nsorrec