Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-05-25

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PosTAGE.--An order has been received
by our Post Master, 10 retain in his hands,
all money received for postage in specie
consequently he can do no otherwise than
to require specie.for postage. This re-
quirement may at first seem oppressive,
but when we recollect that the law Of
Congress has always required the reven-
NC TO be paid in specie, or its equicalent,
and that bank notes are not now equiva-
lent to specie, as the banks will not pay
specie for their bills, we at once see the
absolute necessity of the order. 1t may
be said that the department may be more
Ienient at this crisis, but that is impossible
as there is q positive law Of Congress to
the contrary, and that the officers OF
the department cannot receive anything
but specie or its equivalent; without di-
rect violation Of the oath they have TAX
EN-. The following remarks of the Globe,
and the letter from the Post Master Gem
cral to the Post Master at Baltimore will
convincc'eyery one ofthe-necessity ofthe
requisition;
Tho following letter Of the Postmaster
General TO the postmaster at Baltimore,
clearly shows that he cannot countenance
the receipt Of irredoemable paper for post
ages, without direct ciolation ofthe la,es
ofthe land. He has no authority to dis
pense with those laws, and if he were TO
aid In their violation, he would Knowing
ly subject himself to the penalties Of inn
peachment. In addition 10 this conclu-
sive consideration, the public is bound for
the payment of the contractors, and 9TH
ers employed in the mail service, in gold
and silver, or their equivalent. How can
this be done unless gold and silver, or
their eqaiValont, be collected for postagel
How can the Department redeemilsplight-
ed faith, or even carry on lis operations,
il it deprive itself Of the means which the
laws have furnished to sustain theml And
how could the Postmaster General, as an
honest man, even il his legal authority
we're unquestionable, with his eyes open,
take course which he knew must end
in violation ofhis engagements, a pros
tration Of The credit Of the Department,
and tho interruption Of its operationsi
We have no doubt, that when the peo-
pie perceive how illegal il is to receive
irrcdeemable paper, how certainly il
would lead to violation Of the public
faith, and how extensively it would haz-
ardth system which diflLses intelligence
to them, they will cheerfully endure the
Inconvenience Of paying thoir postages in
specie unit the present storm has blown
over There arc sixtyor eighty millions
of specie in The pockets Of our people,
and in few days Il will doubtless be
tnown where sufficient quantities for this
purpose can be procured.
Post Office Department, D
May Ia, 1887. {
Sin; Your letter Of yesterday, by Ex-
press Mail, was not received until il was
toolate to answer il by last nights mail.
You state that there is dissatisfaction in
Baltimore atthe requisiton ofpostages in
specie. No man can deplore more than
the Undersigned the cs,ases which render
the requlsition necessary, and none will
labor with more unceasing devotion to re-
move them. s
The instruetions given you are but a
repetition Of the standing Instructions con-
tanned in the printed pamphlet Of laws
and regulations which have governed the
Department from time immemorial. The
net establishing the rates Of postage, has