The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-04-02

ro aoo-f,ros-yeracity Of the II. Master
aol corruption funds Of the Administrn-
,,on-The Crisis-Another Branch Of the SUD-
,ect-European system Breaking seais-rar-
ticular Complaints--A Curious case--Locoio0o
definition Of equal laws.
Truly is the Post Office Department
mighty engine. Ii distributes pay among us
AGENTS to the amount Of about foe millions 81
dollars annually. From the centre 10 the
circumference Of the country its inhuenceis
poured through about $4,000 established
channels, and is felt, directed or assisted, by
upwards Of thirty.fue thousand agents. lis
head at Washington, is Immediately surround
ed by upwards of 100 men, who receive pay
at his hands amounting, in the aggregate, to
about $ Ia, 600 year, and he aud they hero
receive, on an average, about 900 communi-
cations in day, and send away many,
daily. as 500 If the General Post Office in
importance is equal to all the other Depart
m,ns of the Government, its power vastly
exceeds them all
This mighty engine, with its Briarean
arms, is in the possession of party, who seem
disposed to WELD it rather for their own nte-
rest and accommodation, than for those Of the
nnbGc generally lis head has assumed an
elevation beyond the reach of the Judiciary,
and above the scrutiny of even the represen-
taives Of the People. In contravention Of
the law of Congress, he has Withdrawn the
funds of the Department from those Of the
United States Treasury proper, and wrapped
in an impenetrable veil Of secrecy, he works
the monstrous machine as he lists. There is
no superior or equal officer, no other branch OF
the Government that knows aught OF his do
ings except what he may condescend er gra-
tia to communicate in his brief annual reports
His public letters, however, which are sent
forth like long shots from pirate craft, as
well as the overt acts of his "hirelings," be-
tray the character and spirit Of the whole
crew These, at least, are subjects Of which
we can speak intelligibly.
II is the device Of the pheasant, when she
desires to divert and mslead the stranger who
intrudes upon her nest, to futter away from it
in the opposite direction, and make as much
buster as possible. The example Of the
pheasant has been closely initiated by Mr..
Kendall, and the organs Of the administration
party in the attempts they have recently made
10 divert the public attention from their nest
Of corruption. Guilty, TO an extent hitherto
unknown in this country, Of the grossest
sAuses Of the franking privilege. and every
other privilege, they have labored to impute
crime" exclusively to the Opposition, in
order that they might the more quietly and
safely prosecute their own nefarious schemes.
Luckily, their devices are too shallow to de-
ceive an intelligent people, and their acts too
fragrant to escape public notice. The facts
we submit to the country will show that the
Opposition are, in comparison with their &C
cusers in power, like the driven snow in con-
irast with lagoon of mire.
We shall notice, first
The Veracity of the Post Master General.
In convicting him and his organ, the Globe,
of the suggestio falsi, we are not actuated by
every citizen, on all occasions TO labor to es-
tabish TRUTH
On the | th of March, Mr.. Kendall trans
mItted to the clerk of the House letter from
the Postmaster at Hartford, complaining that
large packages Of blank franks were received
at that office, franked "Hugh Garland," which
were intended to defraud the revenue, and
MIR. Kendall begged the clerk to aid him sin
feue,ing Out The real responsible culprit" Mr.
Garland answered that he had been in the
habit Of ranking packages for members Of
Congress, under construction Of law which
he found prevailing when he came into the
office. To this the Postmaster General re-
Piled as follows
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT March 49, 1910
oH-i auy received your letter Of the 18th, in re-
plyto mine Of the llh instant and have e-examined
me laws having reference 10 the Thanking privilege
OF The Clerk OF the House
ne Department. now for the first time, apprised
na Lne at1of 1871 extending his ranking privilege,
hdd Deen construed TO authorize him 10 frank pack
ages i9r members Of Congress.
ne act OF 1873 conferred on him, in common
WIN members OIL Congress, the privilege of franking
N.elS ana packets not exceeding two ounces in
Ne'sh', excepting only documents printed by order
- tHhef House and So far from authorizing the one
70 frank for The other, imposed on every person DOS
TSNng The ranking privilege who should frank
aWRHer or letters other than those ,rrien bu him
w, 81 by ms order on The business Of his office" Pc
9diy Of ten dollars from " hch no one but heads of
departments are IN any such case exempt The only
change In lhel law made by the of 1927 was 10 re-
mlEe The Limitation of two ounces on The Clerks
ndoN 50 that he may now send and receive by mail,
TSeNeS hot exceeding three pounds in weight
lhefe appears TO be not the least ground for consru
~ ms act as authorizing him to frank letters or
ravae@ Tor members of Congress, whether they
49, ai9 more or less than two ounces; and il he now
K :, ~ rank on letters not written by himself,
Il L.