Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-01-08

presses, U ~ CaITtiuS VI VIC aSn'S
m newspapers, upon the post roads oil the Cniieo
States, for pay and compensation, as one Cause
tending greatly to the reduction OF the revenue
of The Department. must beg leave again 'e
bring tho ~subjec, more particularly to your notice
under The hope that you will invite that OF Con
gress 10 Tho necessity Of some further Legislation
more effecinaIly to protect the interest aud the
rights Of the General Government in its Post OF
fee Department.
If there is any grant of exclusive power ,e
Congress upon which all unite IN opinion, 1t Is
the power 10 establish post offices and post roads;
and II may fairly be assumed as an admitted prin
cIpie, that when Congress, IN the exercise OF that
power, has este blished a post road, the right of a
State, or the individuals of a State, TO establish
lines of transportation, tnr letters, packages,
and newspapers, upon aud over the same roads,
for compensation, cannot be successfully MAINTAIN
ed.
How far this usurped power has been exercis-
ed BY individuals, and TO what extent, am not
fully Informed; but the information communica.
ted to The Department, induced me to avail myself
Of the services of the FIRST Assistant Postmaster
General, while on a temporary visit OF business 10
Philadelphia, to collect and report to me snci IN
formation upon the subject as his other engage
menis would permit; aud have the honof now
10 submit TO you his report"
The Postmaster General Is again right. These
private expresses, carrying letters ana nei1spa-
pers, are a gross usnrpaton Ut the powers OF the
Government, and n gre L nuisance IN every re-
spect. They enable a few TO get advantages
over the MANY, by the unjust winktng and favor
of the Government.
FrankinS- If the Government was required
To pay postage upon official correspondence, and
If the tracking privilege was abolished or reduced
to proper limits, the revenue OF the Department
would be increased 10 an amount sufficient of 1t.
sci! to pay the interest upon the debt 10 be incur
red by the proposed arrangement, and i'qnidate
The prjurInat in less than thirty wears.
respectfully submit 10 the President The pro
priety of communicating TO Congress the views
which | entertain and have here expressed upon
this subject
There is another imposition property exposed d.
What right have nembers of Congress, and five
hundred others, 10 be sending packages, and buns
die upon bundle, all over the United States, AT The
expense of the people? Let all f~rnnhing be done
away with, except for letters, and that confined
only to the members of Congress "nd Heads OF
Departments, while II, Washington. While on
this subject, what a pretty Iittle piece of impos'-
ton it IL, for the members Of the Ohio Legisia
,nre to be charging the people with their POSTAGE!
What right have They 10 do II?
Transportation .--Another repor, from the Fisi
Assistant Postmaster General, herewith submit
ted, will, present you with a detailed statement
of the amount o! mail service for the yeht ending
the 30th June. 1911, and the rate of cost for the
in each State and Territory, distinguishing
between each character Of service. By this re-
port it will appear that the United States mail
was transported on railroads and teamboa 3,
9i6 45O miles, at the cost oi Sos5 ,S13; on horse
and in suikcys l2,OSS, S62 miles at a cost Of
1851 ,SO7; in stages and coaches ,2l3
miles, a. the cost of Sl,79l, 735; making a total
of annual transportation Of 81 $780, 25
miles, at the rate of cost OF S3,l59,375.
Right Of Way.-Therc is now paid to the diff
feren, railroad companies, annually, over $780,
900 for The service. without power in the Depart
IN ,auui.tn tho trayel arrival and 9eparfura
Of The mai; and constant and frequent difficult
ties, both in entering into and The execution OF
are presented.
al has occurred to me that the present was o
mas, favorable period for the adoption Of some
measure by Congress whereby to secure to the
United States the right 10 transport the mail upon
these roads in al! time TO come free Of annual
charge upon the Post Office Department, by The
advancement. Of a sum in gross which may be
ag reed upon, TO each of these companies. or such
of them as may be willing to contract. Many Of
the railroad companies, and some Of them consti-
,u,ing most important links in the great chain
of intercommunication between Boston and
owing to the great arrangement of
The monetary concerns of the world, and the de
preston of all State and company stocks, find
themselves laboring under embarrassment and
difficulties which the aid of the Government, APP
piled in the way proposed, would effectually re-
move, and at The same time secure to the United
States the advantage and the ample equivalent of
transporiatipg the mail upon the roads.
The credit of The UaIted States TO an amount
not greater than the sum necessary 10 produce, al
per cent. interest, the amount paid by the
Post Office Department, TO those companies annu-
ally. would. | hive no doubt. he sufficient 10 ac-
coinplish this desirable end. The prompt and IA
soEabie action of Congress upon this subject The
present, would effectualIy secure the Government
agains: The danger of being called upon for occa>
SIGNAL and large appropriations to meet the bal
ances due by the Department.
Do | ask the United States TO do more for the
Post Office Department than Justice would seem
TO demand. especially when it is remembered
the whole expense Of The official correspon-
dence of those entitled by law 10 the tracking
privilege. is sustained and paid by a tax upon the
correspondence of the communitvi If bv this