The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-14

the progress OF the real business OF legislation
Where partisanship is the only impulsive prin-
ciple, we may expect that hndrances to action
on matters of general interest will not be difficult
of discovery. # to embarrass be the object, the
way to effect it will be easily found
We make these remarks that the attention
Of the People may be drawn to those TO whom
the fault is attributable Of neglectng the coun-
try for the fulflment of their selfish purposes.
THE MAILS-GREAT WEIGHT BADNESS
OF THE ROADS-THE LABORS OF THE
POSTMASTER GENERAL AND THEIR
RESULTS.
The great mail between Frederick and Gin
cinnati engaged the early attention of Mr..
Wcklifie, and thstanding all the difficulties
he had to encounter, he ha, persevered, until at
last an arrangement has been effected to carr, at
once the whole mass of matter immense as it is.
For that purpose the line has been doubled, from
Wheeling on, and it can now very rarely occur
that any portion of the mail will be left, even
for day.
The public may derive, from the following
letter, some notion of the quantity and ireight
OF matter passing on this line-fifty inn
mense bags Of letters, newspapers, mammoth
sheet, and books, at one time! Let the reader
imagine how small portion in bulk Of this vast
weight pays revenue TO the Department, and
thence infer how enormous the tax on pirate
correspondence must be, TO supply the Gov
ernment with the means Of transporting the cor
rcspondence of those who enjoy the franking
privilege for themselves, and, under it, cover
surreptitously that of thousands Of Others their
| favored friends. If Congress will strictly en-
force the exercise Of the right Of ranking 10
correspondence having immediate connection
with the transaction Of official public business,
and would limit within some reasonable bounds
the number of exchange papers between pub
fishers, the Department would receive some
thing Ikea quantum meruu for its work. could
pay its own way, tighten the postage tax to the
whole community, and otherwise augment lis
facilities far beyond the point 10 which they have
been hitherto extended. The whole action Of the
Government heretofore on these subjects has
had an unfair and arisocralic leaning in favor Of
the privileged few, at the expense and heavy
cost of the mass of the working and paying
people. Let us hope that in its future proceed
ings, in ALL branches of the Government, the
leaning may be the other way.
UNIoNTowN, 9Th March, 1912.
DEAR Sir The first mail, which left Frederick on
the 9th instant, did not reach here until 1858 A. NJ
this day, being than fire hours behind the usual
time.
This delay was caused by the unusual weight Of
the mall there being thirty canras, very heavy and
part of them fl led with books) and five lock mails
The second MALI had twenty-five canvass bags
for Wheeling and lock mail for llagerstown, making
in all upon the ttco coaches Of that trip Jlytco
yass and sic lock mails (5S)-a much larger mail than
we have carried at any time in my recollection
The road from Frederick to Wheeling is nor in
worse condition than it has ever been, the late heavy
rains having brought all the frost out Of the ground
and the consequence is that the bed of the road is
trely cut through and, in many places, the holes are
arletree deep
"Having been delayed until the hour before stated,
by the heavy mails and bad roads, and it being i'm
possible to reach Wheeling in contract time with the
choie mall as no coach could carry il at the Express
speed put the lock mails in our Express coach and
despatched it to Wheeling, sending agent with in
structions to put it through in time for connecting
mails. 1t reached Wheeling this morning at s.45
O'Clock, having been carried through the distance of
6S miles in l-2 hours erery horse under ttA run.
The canvass mail we forwarded at the same time in
our regular mail COACH with directions to the drivers
to make all possible speed