The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-22


manifest design Of the Federal Loco Foees to inter
fere with, and prevent by all the in their pow
err the circulation Of Opposition newspapers, and
documents legally ranked by Opposition members Of
Congress.
The Hon. JoHs c. CLARK, in this city, has
addressed the following letter to the Editor of the
Telegraph Norwich, NJ Y.
500 REWARD.
To The Editor Of the Telegraph:
sir-I do not see the Norwich Journal | notice
in your paper of the 26th ut an extract from the
Journal in the following words
speaking of Mr. Clark il says Scarcely mail
finds It's way TO Chenango but comes grooming under
packages Illegally ranked by this outrager of honora
bic political warfare Yes loaded down with papers
letters &c, bearing his forged Jrank-forged, we do
not hesitate to say, with his knowledge and consent
Hundreds, and we know not but thousands Of them
| are now in the hands Of Post Masters in this county
who have arrested them as the law directsp"
As the packages franked under which the mails
groan, only remark that have considered il my duty
to send to my constituents correct political information
for the purpose of arousng them to of the im
nent danger with which their prosperity and liberties
are threatened by the acts and policy of this imbecile
and corrupt administration The federal desructives
dread the circulation Of the honest truth among the
people, hence the tools and hirengs of Amos Ken
dali, (who has been most prominent in the commits
sion OF abuses of the Thanking prvilege) are instruct
ed in violation of the law and Of official obligations,
| to suppress it.
| Notwithstanding the allegations of the great Globe,
and its tender, the little Journal in regard TO forged
franks take upon me to say, that franks of mine
have been forged | have no knowledge or belief Of
| any such iorgeries. II is possible they have been
committed by Loco Focos envelopes containing
Duncan's speeches, or some Others nearly as infa-
nous.
What principally wish TO say in reference to the
above extract, relates to the following part of it =
Hundreds, and we know not but thousands of them
| [packages in the hands Of Post Masters in this
county, who have arrested them the law directs"
do not know any reliance can be placed on this
assertion. The Editor of the Journal has been
recently convicted of infamous fasehood in regard
to supposed letter of mine to friend in Chenango
in speaking of the probable results of elections in
tain States that receive any thing coming from him
with great caution do not believe it, because do
not believe that all the Federal Loco foco Post Mas
tiers have forgotten their duty and their oaths pre-
sumo that they know the law but will quote part
of Sec. 2ls Of the Post Office law If any person
employed in any of the departments ofthe Post Office
establishment shall unlawfuly detain, delay open
letter packet &c. every such offender being thereof
duly convicted shall for every such offence be fined
not exceeding three hundred dollars imprisonment
not exceeding sir months BOTH according to the
circumstances and aggravations of the offence"
Now before the Post Masters follow the advice of
the Editor Of the Journal by arrestng packages"
hereby most respectfully inform them that shall
tnue to frank any matter please in the shape of
| letter, weighing not two ounces-that / under
stand my rights under the law authorizing members of
Congress to frank and shall exercise them freely for
the benefit Of my constituents, for whose use more
| than for the members the frank established and
that will hold them strictly accountable for any vio
lation Of their duty under the law.
And hereby offer a reward of one hundred dollars
to any person who will prosecute and convict any
Post Master Deputy Post Master for any violation
Of the law, mentioned in the section above set forth
| J. C. CLARK.
| WASHINGTON, Aug 90, ls4O
| The Oxford Times says, " We are in possession
| Of many facs-black and damning-in relation to the
fraudulent transactions of the political pirates who
have the privilege of asserting the malsof the
loss odocuments and papers legally ranxed of the loss
of Wing and Conservative papers subscribed for by
citizens Of this courtyard of the loss of business pa
pers and letters containing remittances-which facts
have been fairly established at the Department at
Washington, still the guilty villains retained in the
offices, doubt on the ground Of their fidelity to loco
focoism and Martin Van Buren, Nothing is more
common than to hear complaints Of the loss of political
letters and papers. Scarcely week day passes
but what more less are lost. The Log Cabin the
Evening Journal, and the Madisonan, frequently
among the missing. We alude particularly to these
publications because more copies of them sub
scribed for in this vicinity than any other opposition
papers published at distance"
The Petersburgh Intelgencer says {" We have re-
luctantly come to the conclusion that there settled
design the part of those connected with the Post
Office Department to stop by fair means foul the
circulation of Wing newspapers"
And then adduces the most decisive testimony in
support Of the charge.
In short fellow-ctizens, every day furnishes addi-
tional evidence that under the present Administration
the Post Office Department is prostuted to the basest
partisan purposes. Your vigilance may do much to
put stop the msdeeds of the subordinaes; and we
earnestly entreat you to watch closely the Postmasters
in your several districts The citizens of Ok ford have
offered 600 reward to any person who will prosecute
and convict any Postmaster Of unlawfully withhold
ing any papers letters other documents ranked by
their representative We commend this example to
our friends in every part Of the Union. Bring the
culpits justice and let every freeman he on the
alert to gather and establish facts which will be Of
service in prosecuting these bold invaders of the peo
pies rights.
Many posmasters, affecting ignorance of their du-
tics detan packages legally franked and either return
them to the Department here hold to them until
they can communicate with the Postmaster General,
and receive instructions The law is too plain to ad
init of the slightest doubt Any postmaster who
should write for instructions should be Immediately
| removed for his ignorance. The delays and embar-
easements to which people to whom packages are ad-
dressed are subjected are the results of design and not
ofignorance The delinquent posmasters pretend to be
ignorant ofthc right of member of Congress to frank
letter weighing not over two ounces Hewell knows 1t
is no business ohis inquire what may be the contents
of the letter if it be not weight The following
are some of the postmasers who affect to believe that
they have right to pry into letters and ascertain whe-
ther the contents their tastes Postmaster at Pitts
town, Perry Pa, postmaster at East Schuyler n, Y"