The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-20
From the New York Erening Post.
TIE POST OFFICE, AND THE POST
d. OFFICE REDnpr'

| The report Of the Postmaster General which we
published yesterday, should be read By all who desire
to make up opinion for themselves On the question
what changes shall be made in our Post Office regu
ations for that some change must be made all agree.
| Mr.. Wickline, whatever may think of some OF
Ia conclusions, has taken the fair and proper course
OF furn shng Congress with iniomation rather tn IN
! plying them with argument.
The report LAYS it down as a rule that the Post
Office Depa tment should be supported by its own
income This is right, and it is not right in one
point of view IT is just position, in another IT is not
If be meant that they who receive letters and new
papes should lay the fair expense Of their ranspor-
tatIon 10y mall, we agree 10 it, There is no reason
| why the Government should establish line Of mes
senges convey for nothing for less than its pro-
PER cost, the lc tiers which PASS between a New York
IN reliant and bis correspondent at New Orleans
We rather think thai st, if all of those who de.
sire reduction of the rates of postage or at least
! liberalization of our Post Office system, would on
reflection assent to this view of tic subject There
! is, IT 10 us, more reason why the Gov
should cary letters and newspapers for less
than II is worth, than there why il should attempt
to underbid the transportation companies in carrying
flour, offer TO port bibles and school books on
lower terms than any body else.
But if 1t Is meant that they who send receive let
tiers and papers should also Jay The expense of con-
veylng that huge mass of correspondence and pamph-
LET'S which is now covered by the thanking privilege
we can by means assent TO it. Those " no tax q
this ground. in favor of compelling persons no, in
Office, who receive letters and pined papers by mail
| t. pay more than it actually costs. THIS plan loads
til, IN not only viii the expense of their own postage
but also with hat Of thousands who hold oice under
| the United States Government, and who exercise
! their privilege most lavishy. Yet what justice is
here IN this BY W OF rule of equity is the poor
man in the Atlantic States who receives letter from
his in Iowa. made to ray the expense of taking to
Washington heavy packet Of petitions and recon-
mendations addressed to the President by one who is
ambitious to serve his country in pubic eff e :
Why should subscriber 10 a monthly mapaz ne b,
made pay the expense of circulating Oglcs speeches
| or any other mans sp echcs
In this point of view, it is not Just that the post Of
fee should be made TO support itself Let the Gov
eminent pay its postage, individuals are oblc-
| ed TO do. II 1t be Necessary that members of Con-
gre.s should Iossess the ranking privilege let their
postage he betrayed of the Treasury of the Unit
cd ates II 1t is charged UPON the correspondence
of individuals It becomes tax upon the written com
| muncatlon between man and man, restraint UPON
| he free expression and exchange Of thought which
| a Government has no right to impose Men are first
compel ed, by restrictions and Ienats to conduct
their correspondence through the post Office and then
taxed in such manner as to make their correspond
ence inf equ,nt What shall We have next7 A tax
upon oral communication probably, tax upon con.
versation.
This ranking privilege is great obstacle in the
way of post office reform We fear the members of
Congress II never consent either TO abolish or to
put upon user footing if is retained. 1t ope-
rates with them sort of bride to retain the present
system with all its abuses
The report contains brief and clear statement of
the results Of the post office reform in England It