The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-10-31
From he B,ookIy~ Easts.
THE POST OFFICE WAR.

Never did an unlueky .quib, thrown by ms
ehieyous urchin among besy of eh'ckens, Preduce
aiming and cec king than the late circular OF the
Postmaster General has done in the ranks oil The
nress Even the Bsgharbor Corrector, when mas
hitherto been content TO cxpaiia'e upon the uneren
varieties OF whale. aud the manner M when 'hey arc
csplured by the cntefprisiDg natives oil mat impor
tsn mart, has swok from its long repose, and open
ed Calling fire upon the devoted head OF Mr.. wick
life; and almost every paper VIC Take up-irc" VIC
East and the West, from the North aud South-na'
an elaborate essay upon the subject Some oil 'neSs
Mace their objections To the circular upon very his
eround-such the true meaning and intent oi
the Consultation, which they suPpose-and right5,
no doubi-to be opposed 10 any check upon Inc eli.
eulalion OF intelligence Others argue all around ana
about the obnoxious provisions, and make y appear
TO their own satisfaction, at leasi-that MIR. WICK
life exceeds his authority in giving such an unplea-
SAINT construction he does TO certain acts OF Con
sress but the majority seem inclined 10 reject, IN
some way upon the good faith and sagaci,y 0, 10.
Postmaster. "
For ourselves, we have seen, as yet, no cause 10
change the opinion have heretofore expressed on
the subject General Jackson, II will be recolieeted,
took The responsibility of interpreting the Consiiu-
tion--in cases where its meaning had not been set
tied by the recognised authority, he understood ",
and the people sustained him 10 that course. Why,
then, may not the Postmaster General-who we be-
Iieye is a lawyer Of good repute-exercse the same
freedom in regard 10 act of Congress II he Is
wrong, the people through their representatives, can
readily point out and correct his errors but If (as we
than suspect) he is right, every one will see and
feel the necessity of an immediate and searching re-
form in the Post Office laws. II is TO this latter end,
especially that the attention of the people needs 10
be directed AS Mr.. Kendall has well remarked, 10
a late number Of his EXposior " The eircumsiances
OF the country changed, since the laws this
subject passed, TO make them inadequate TO
the existing state Of things >; and he suggests, that
+" the Press would be more properly and useluy en-
ployed in exposing the defects OF the law and sug-
gesng proper remedies, than IN assailing the POST
master GeneralH such We're TIE VIEWS put forth
by this Journal fortnight or more ago, Before the
war' proper had commenced and we are glad to
find them backed up by such excellent authority as
Mr.. h, We do not believe in the fashionable method
Of allowing odous law to become obsolete g.
II is ONLY nppipg of the branches without disturbing
the root Of the tree whereas i IS evident that
sufficient remedy alone be found in The desruc-
ton of both root and branch. And we have little
tou6t that i hundreds of arbitrary and unjust laws
which have ouiliyed rher age and been cast into the
sea of torsetiulness--were tried 10 the WY,
they would Oily be oblitera,ed from the records
But the end Of al tbs will undoubtedly be- na-
leria dmnuiion Of The rales Of postage, and trans
formation Of what is now rapidly becoming public
nuisance into very different scr. Of machine. To
this however, il is not necessary 10 rbc.h the
Post Office establishment; but simply to correct its
abuses. let us urge upon The attention of Congress
an immediate end thorough revision VI the lay-no,
through the dull and sluggish medium of petitions,
which nobody reads and welcome only to the
printers; but rather by direct and personal commu-
nication with the members elector, if preferred by
instructions enanating iroi public lI,eetings Tie
evil is certainly one OF sufficient magnitude TO war.
rant movement of this kind We can rally, by
thousands, to hear distinguished orator upon the
ideal OF perfect state, or some other Incompetent
sibe theme-we can turn out en- niasSe TO receive
distinguished mili-ry or civic cheitaln-we can
sembe IN parks TO witness the exhibit ons u moHnie
banks and listen TO the national air" Of Jim along
Josey; and why, Ia matter of so much interest TO
the people generally the cheap and speedy trans
mission OF Intelligence should we not adopt the same
course; Ii strikes that series Of public meetings
throughout the country, held with express reference
venient method Of achieving this long talked Of and
much needed reform.