The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-04-11

II y
disregarded the voice Of the people while liv-
ing, we hope you may bow in your death TO
that voice with al least the sembance OF re-
spect.
THE PLUNDERiNGS OF THE POST OFFICE
DEPARTMENT.
The enormous sum Of money which the
Van Bureniles have had at their disposal at
every election that has taken place during the
last two years, have surprised not only those
politically opposed to them, but the uninitia-
ted themselves. II is true it was well known,
that the office holders, under the Federal
Government were obliged to submit to tax,
in the way Of contribution, towards deiraylng
election expenses, equal 10 about ten per
cent. of their annual salaries; yet, 1t was
equally well known, that the means derived
from this source did not equsl one-fourlh the
amount squandered, in purchasing votes, and
other measures, resorted to, for the purpose OF
sustaining Mr.. Van Buren, and his party in
power. From whom and from what quarters
was the excess derived was question fire.
quently asked
We believe the plunderings Of the Post
Office Department, have been fruitful
source Of those supplies.
The principle of the Van Buren, party, as
promulgated to the world from the chamber
of the Senate is, that it is infamous in any one
of the officers Of the Federal Government,
not to take an active part in the elections for
the purpose of securing the present incum-
bent of the Chief Executive Chair in Office.
For the same purpose, we presume, they are
instructed to believe it to be their duty to en-
ploy every means within their power, connect
ed with or derived from Federal authority, for
the accomplishment Of the same end.
Hence it is that, what we are about to re-
late, has been, with consummate audacity at
tempted, and we do not doubt, in most cases,
successfully carried out.
We will first mention particular case. In
one Of our large commercial cities, a mer-
chant, within few months past, received by
the mail, in the morning, letter stating that,
by gentleman, whom he named, who would
leave in the steam boat he should forward
certain packages of papers. At the proper
hour, after the arrival OF the steam boat, the
gentleman who received the letter, anxiously
waiting for the packages containing the pa
pers, went to the Post Office, where he had
box, where he found them. On their being
handed to him, what was his surprise TO find
them marked with the number Of ounces they
weighed, and postage charged at the rate Of
fifty cents per or, Notwithstanding they bore
the stamp Of the Post Office in which
they had been deposited and from which be
received them. The amount of postage, on
these parcels 1.-TWO in number) that was thus
attempted to be fraudulently obtained from
single individual, in this instance, amounted
to between seven and eight dollars The
gentleman having suffered previously by like
impostnres, in this case resisted, and obliged
the Department 10 refund the amount charged.
This was not the first instance of the kind
with this individual. But in how few cases
are the like impositions detected, or, if detec-
ted, resisted Not one in hundred. This
is not all.
In the very city to which we refer, so fire.
quently does it happen that the postage of
letters is marked up in the post Office there,
that there is just reason to suppose it is part
of general system. A letter addressed to
person there from another city, is marked,
when mailed, with the proper postage-an
eighth, quarter, or a half dollar. An
officer, whose duty it is made, examines all
those letters before they are delivered, and
remarks and doubles the postage on any Of
the letters he thinks proper. They are then
placed in the box. of the person to whom adj
dressed, or sent out by the carriers. They
are received, opened, and read, before it is
noted that they have been charged, in the
manner we have described, with double or
triple postage. Then, it is too late to obtain
any redress for the imposition the regula-
tons Of the Department forbidding the return
ing Of excess of postage charged, when the
letter is not opened in presence of one of the
officers of the office.
The facts we have stated here, we are in
formed and believe, are susceptible of public
proof.
What becomes of this ercess Of postage
marked and received by post masters over and
above whot they are charged7 And what be-
comes Of postage charged on letters and pack
ages, according to the discretion Of the post
masters, which have been mainly deposited
in the Office for persons residing in the same
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