Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-12-23

4 Il Is proper ssou!d inform you thst the prose
eui'on insiHuted against the agent OF Virgins be
Tore was called To the discharge OF III. duties o
tbs Department, for obs,ructing the passage OF III,
Un'ied States mad on said road by elosing the t.
gate against the Tree passage Of the coach convey
ing the m't, has, upon my suggestion, been sus
pendef Tor the present. under n hope that, upon
tul representation OF this subject, by the propST nu
ihoTity, to the State OF Virgins, all cause OF dlieu
~ might he removed, ~ilhou, the necessity Of 4
penrl prosecution.
submit, for your information. the report Of IN,
chef cic'k 81 the Post Oifee ID, psrtmeni, in re-
ference to the expenditure ofihe appropriation rsd,
at the extra session ofCorgcess, to pay the debt due
ana others ior services rendered prior
| TO the 3lst Of March, iSIl.
There are other matters Of dcteil, connected with
the service of tbs Department, which by law are
required to be reported to Congress; and IL is there
lore deemed tnespedient To erIns them particularly
| 10 your notice IN this communication.
have the honor 10 be, with respectful consdera.
ton, your obedient servant, c A WlCKLlFFE.
| To ns PSsindsisrs ,.rSE shosi a.. Unifef State,
| The multiplied and increasing attempts to violate
the law and dcraui the revenuc, by writing on the
wrapper or margin Ut newspapers and Pamphlets
sent 10y mail, enclosing memoranda or other things
WITHIN then undsrscorins, dottng, or prickins let
'ers or words, AMI hy various Other devices with
Tie view To evade the raymsut Of legal postage,
| force upon the Postmaster General the necessity
OF directing me TO call the special attention Of Post
masters TO the uhhnching discharge Of their duty IN
| this particular.
The wrappers of al transient rapets and pam
phiets, which have reached their destination should
he removed, end the papers examined. Those used
IN the manner above alluded TO, as the vehicles OF
communication should NC charged or delivery wi in
| lc'teF postage; II refused or not taken out they
should ba returned Ia the Office where first mai, a.
and the Postmaster. there, should invara oily collect
the legal penalty OF five dollars cr the person who
committed the offence. Such papc.s should be
stamped when melted, and marked With tie rate OF
postage
The Postmaster General cannot br;rs himsef,o
believe, that public sentiment, when We" informed.
WIZ iail to sustain yuun the futhfu discharge Of
tins Gutv, as imperative u0on you as any u'her.
BY the law oG 1925 "nny me,noraruurn' IN writ,
ing on newspaper or pamph ct, u5isc;s it to let
Ter postage; and IN the opinion Of the prpartm,r NJ
any word, however cv, niher than the name of IN.
person adGo s,ej, constitute a "memaranlua.- with.
| IN the meaning OF the 'av. The very great abu.c
OF lne 'anhnc privilege, ard the quent loss 10
the revenue OF the Department and its den,or.iiz
ing 'rec; on the community, hrs also attracted tle
| attention OF the Postmaster General, and on ,h,s
subject he canrc but repeat the language Of one Of
| HI. predecessors
III might DC rrssumed that the high character of
the ori'erS rn'ltlcd tn this privilege, would he a
guarantee for IL r.s,rIcOn within the limits Of III.
iaw, hut u Is mucn to be smenei for the honor of
our co iItry, no uSs than for the prosperity OF the
Department, tia, such has not always been tie
case. Letters TO others frequently c'osed TO
persons who en'Ulud 70 the privilege of I,nk,r-
aud letters wrii;en by Others are OF. 4 cent unS.r
their frank, ~ opposition 10 the express letter Of the
| iw. here Is cause ~ spprrbt nd that pus,n,aS-
lers nave, IA some Instances, been guilty of TIM.
| fraud upon the revenue. This eva; un'-ss II sh Al,
md remedy IN the vsilant aud energetic co or,r,.
| non Of PusIina',sIs with tn. head OF the Derar;-
| m-n', must teUi "a plrsyz- all lis operations IL
+ therefore expected, that you will watch with tie
| utmost cle, asAinst THIS unlawful practice; 0nd
whenever you have cause iOs suspicion, use y law.
tai means To Opilin evidence against 'hs offender
Let effort be RENTED let no dignity nj s,,i;o,
deter youi but however exalted n,av be the IAN, OF
the oscer WHO shall violate the laws IN The abuse of
his frhntng privilege, never f,Ii To enforce re-,
llty by eshI process, and report each case 10 the
Department In al lawful CfTlrts 20 carry into IF,
feet the provisions Of the iaw against .ucy, AS sb,
incur ITS penalties yoI Wi, lie sustained Ly The
Department; but no Postmaster can expect 10 re-
IAN the co0htance Of the Dep,rtr,nl who shall
~antonly violate his ranking privilege. or who
knowingly shall suher u IN others with immunity,
The vast amount OF services winch the mail ss,
'absnmeni Is comre led 10 perform by the existing
Avs without any remuneration, and the many nd.
duonal mai iaciIIes which the pIb!ic voice daiy
call Tor renter II absolutely necessary only that
every dollar ot lawful revenue snail be collected
ana accounted inr, but dat frauds and leaks OF oil
kinds b. prevented
1ur attention Is also called to tho in ,t-rc,ion
relative % your tuy in the TRANSMISSION Of moaey
20 Tue Plt lSsrS OF newspapers Or acting a. their
agent .duch misunderstanding appears 10 exist IN
ms suu CT " hch is desirable should be corrected
Al Tia, you may lawfully do /. conraiDeJ m Ips
n'owinsi and # this Is not strictly observed. lie
Postm'sic: General will be compelled 10 s.,hdras
the distraction entirely.
- Postmaster may enclose money IN A letter IN
The publisher OF newspaper, 10 pay the subsc,ip.
uon oi nmd person, and frank the letter # written
or slgred by himself, hu, Inc letter be signed bv
another person. the Postmaster cluaat frank u
but lhIs Is service not required 10y HIM, and he
may perform u as matter oCruur'cSy or declin. n
al MS option. Such letters SnOud contain on y aud
relate solely TO Transmission Of money from ind yd
uai SUBSCRIBERS 10 publishers Of newspapers and not
the collections OF agents or other; and tLey sloulJ
not cover cores pOndence en- any Other suhiact
"h1ieveri GOA It IS not proper Tor a Postmaster
TO become the agent of newspaper publishers or
Others and use his frank in the TRANSACTION of such
business
Should you be requested to attend to env
newspaper business requiring the use oil your frank
respecting which you have doubts, you should de-
cline u alIOgG,n
am INSTRUCTED 10 add in view Of the numerou,
apple 'tons on the subject, that OF the LAWS In.
siructIons AMI Forms" iast published in 1882 and
the Table OF Pos. Office" last published IN 1897
n copies huYe fer time been On hand 70. dis
trIbuuon bot II - Inc intention Of the Pos,mas,e
General to order new edition Of both, to be pub.
shtj Us SON as nPPtdFr!a .ioas are made TO meet
the expense.
/ GIN respectfully
Your obedieni servant
Phi G. FULLER,
I'd Resistant r. W Gen.