The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-18


occurred to me that could in part, furnish re-
medy win but little additional expense, by adding
to The duties of the agents already in service and
thereby furnish to the business community the facility
of sending, by the agents of the Department, at the
legal postage, their letters if delivered them any
time before the mail Left
therefore directed them TO receive all letters, paid
and unpaid at any time before starting, to the
postage, keep an account, pay the money to the
posmasters at the end of their respective routes take
their receipts, and make the Department weekly
ports This is "the Express mail" These the
duties which the agents required discharge for
the Department. The whole of these agents are su-
pervised generally by the special agents and postmas
tiers on the routes and by principal charged with
personal daily supervision
This Department has established ''no busl-
ness" 1t has engaged to carry nothing in the mail,
or by ITS agents, which, of right and by law, 1t is not
bound to carry in the mail
Nothing Is carried, or permitted to be carried by
these expresses or agents at the risk of the Depart
| ment. Nor has the Department authorized these
agents to transport any mail matter out of the mail,
unless it is money packages, which am in ways
anxious shall be entrusted the United States
| mail
Neither has this Department desired to interfere
with the legitimate business Of any individual engaged
in the transportation of packages or other matter
which by law is not maiLabie No man will be inter-
rupted who is violating the act of Congress and
| should be unworthy the trust reposed in me if
could sit still and the laws made by Congress for
the protection of the Department violated with impu-
nifty.
feel the obligation to furnish through the United
States mail and its agents all the facilities which lis
means afford, and | shall endeavor TO dis
| charge it.
| II ii wise in the trainers of the Federal Con
stitutlon TO grant to Congress the exclusive power of
establishing post offices and post roads; if it were
wise IN Congress to impose penalty upon all who shall
invade this right and carry on an opposition mail
| no matter by what name, all will admit that
becomes the duty of him placed at the head OF the
Post Office Department to enforce the laws passed
by the representatives of the People for its protec
ton and support | am not prepared TO admit, and
certainly unwilling to believe, that the public APP
proves the suggestions which have been recently
ayowed in some of the public journals upon the sub
lect of the General Post Office {" that it should be
abolished and the business given up to individual
and cheaper than they are now performed by the
General Government" This may suit the region of
populous towns and cities connected by links of ra-
pid INSTRUMENTATION, but it would be system
badly adapted to the Union a whole. Individual
enterprise would not penetrate the mouna ns and
forests of the East and West and the plains of the
more distant and less favored regions of wide
spread conlederacy and bear to the door almost OF
every citizen the rapid regular intelligence Of bust
ness and the blessings of private epstoary cores
Pondence, which is the purpose and business OF the
present United States Mail system to do
The senseless cry of monopoly by the United
States Government in the business of carrying let
ters," is raised by those whose vocation it is to find
fault with the wise institutions of our fathers They
exclam,--" Abolish the United States Mail estab-
lishment, and let all who will engage in the business
of, transporting letters do So" The spirit
would wage upon every necessary power OF
: government.
All can promise is a faithful devotion Of my time
and energies to the administration of the laws of Con
grcss regulating this Department, so as to produce
the greatest good to the largest possible number
if violations of these laws continue to be made,
shall feel myself bound by the consideration of pub
lie duty TO invoke the tribunals OF justice 10 enforce
their observance 1t is not designed to interfere
with the legitimate carrying trade of individuals
companies, but to prohibit the transportation of Mai
matter for pay by public or private expresses, unit
it shall please Congress to alter the existing laws for
the government of this Department. You will please
to say to Messrs Pomeroy and Company, that am
compelled TO decline their offer
] am, respectfully
Your obedient servant,
G. A. WICkLIFFE.
Hon. w c. MORGAN, of New York