Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-05-30


didn't know; l looked in it, and found my frank
on every paper in view; | then asked how long
that bag had been in the Office, but no one could
tell on emptying its contents, it was found to con-
tain nothing else but my documents, by which 1t
would appear that they had been separated from
every thing else: whether in Richmond or Wash
ington, | know not.
Does any man in his sober senses believe that ii
those papers had been franked by political friend
of the Admintration, they would have been uncere-
moniously laid under the counter IF he does he
is lamentably ignorant of the present state OF
things.
Believing that there could be no design on the
part of the young gentlemen in the Office (who are
all young men, taking little no part in politics.
to arrest the distribution Of documents ranked by
me, complained TO the Postmaster (Col Gooch)
himself, who said he did not know how long they
had been there but it was possible they might have
been detained by the state of the roads.
1t is not possible for me to say how long they had
been in that ofce-I only speak of the facts as
they occurred but know that other papers, mailed
subsequently to them, had been received and dis
tri5uted at that Office, and that these papers had
been detained improperly for ten days somewhere
and | also know that they should have been dis
tributed as soon received, and that the bag had
been opened and laid aside under the counter
with no purpose Of having the documents distribu-
ted at that time.
Is it remarkable, then, that I should prefer to
send my documents as freight, rather than trust
them through the Post Office again, If was anx
ious for their immediate and certain delivery!
But more than this-I have daily applications
from friends in different sections of the State for
documents | sent them many weeks ago, which
shews that there are other offices where the same
scheme is practised.
Whether this is case calling for the nterposi-
| ton oe our scrupulous Postmaster General, (who
| does rot hesitate to charge members Of Congress
with practising frauds, for all i know, on good
grounds,) or not, leave to him 10 determine.
! Here take occasion to say that exonerate the
clerks from all blame; | look only to the saaried
officers, whose duty it is to see that all papers and
letters reaching his office are properly and promptly
distributed
But the secret of this complaint against me on
the part of Mr.. Richie and his correspondent, is
two-told-first, that did not furnish the opportu-
nifty to the officers of Government to stop my pa
pers and secondly, that adopted the safest means
Of circulating information among the People calcu-
lated to strip them of the power they SO shamefully
| abuse.
Now let me tell Mr.. Richie that should meet
with difficulty in fraulling bed tick, and send
| ing it by mail To any part of the United States,
provided would fill it with that dirty and menda-
cious little sheet called the "Crsis," published by
him.
Now hear! Is it not remarkable that Mr.. Richie
should have the unbushing effrontery to charge me
with fraud on the Post Office Department, (when,
| venture to say, have been as scrupuous in the
use of my privilege as any other member of Con-
gress, matter who he is, because have declined
the privilege of sending my papers through the pub
lie channels, which am authorized by law to use,
whilst lie, entitled to no such privilege, is daily
practising the grossest and most objectionable
frauds, by sending his newspapers and other docu-
ments to members of Congress- TO be frankcd by
them throughout the United States
What are the facts No member of Congress is
allowed oy law to frank any paper, save public
documents, weighing more than two ounces; and
the Postmaster General has recently addressed q
circular to members of Congress, complaining of it
as fraud, that they get the Clerk Of the House to
frank for them in some instances, when the pack
age contains more than two ounces: And yet there
are, at this moment, fifty pounds weight Of the
Crisis" and proceedings and address Of the Dem
; ocratic Convention, lying on the counter of the
Post Office Of the House of Representatives, i'll
bundles, weighing (Eot two ounces) but two
pounds and q half each, directed to various men,
bers of Congress of the Administration party, all
received through the mail of this morning and by
Yesterdays mall there were ten bundles of the
iCrisis" directed to single member Of the House
(Mr. Hopkins) each weighing two pounds and a
; half, and no postage charged. l speak with GER
tainty of their weight, because had them weighed
; myself in the office. These were all sent by Mr.
Richie or from his Office, and of course by his d.
rection.
y Ii
printed matter from Mr.. ktchies office, containing
the Crisis and the proceedings of the Democratic
0 Convention in packages or bundles weighing two
! pounds and upwards each, have been received
through the mail at the Post Office Of the House 0
e Representatives, in teO days, and no postag
charged
understand from the Postmaster, that the regu
c lar rate of postage established by law, would re
It Guire postage at the rate Of fifty cents an ounce Of
d all over two ounces in each package.
e Scventy-fve pounds would contain twelve hun
J., dred ounces, there being thirty PACKAGES only tw
e ounces in each, sixty in ALL were entitled to
y Free Sixty deducted from the gross amount I
1900 leaves ll40 ounces to be paid for at 80 cent
an ounce, which amounts to 1910, that the Pos
@ Office Department was entitled to receive fror
p some quarter, and of which it has been defraude
q and robbed by somebody.
y Now, let Mr.. Richie turn his vigant eye t
this outrage and set his wits to work ferret
1t the offender, and hold him up public view, and
!, the scorn and Indignation that he merits, throug
the columns of the Enquirer and the "Crisis
ID and if he cannot find him out, hope the Postmast(
N General will, and that he will make out his accouI
I'd against Mr.. Ritchie and send it on TO Richmond
ce and if he don't pay it, have suit immmediate
Of instituted upon it, and have me summoned as
witness, together with the Postmaster of the Hous
at Mr.. Hopkins, Mr.. Craig, Mr.. Johnson, Mr.. Luca
ne Mr.. Roane, and fifty other members OF Congress
is whose names will furnishif necessary.
m Mr.. Richie cannot excuse himself by saying
at had nothing to do with the postage. 1t was II
m the mode or the means by which the "Crisi
c. should have been circulated among the People. Tn
on was not the purpose for which the Post Office D
es partmcnt was established, and he surely did N
to expect that the members OF Congress to whom th
y, were sent, were to pay this $40 for him.
of Let it be understood that have given the amou
of postage due for two days only, because that OIL
has cnule Ml2er mn nIrn enc. HOW lnnm il has be