The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-08

by power co-extensve with that system 1t is alb
surd, therefore, to contend that the mail system can
be lett to the States TO individual enterprise The
members of the Convention who formed the Consti-
tuition understood this subject better. They knew
that the control Of this subject must be confded 10
power which pervaded, pro hac rice the whole sphere
OF It's operations consequently, among the leading
prominent grants Of power by the States to Con-
gress is the grant this subject in the following
words" Congress shall have power to establish
post offices and post roads"
This grant of power is found in the same clause
and is expressed in the words and language of
the grants OF power to coin money, TO regulate COM
merce to declare war; &c. 1t grant which covers
the whole ground IT is ample, FULL and consequent
y, exclusive. IL doubt could exist as to the exclu-
sveness of this grant, that doubt must vanish upon
reference to the 10th article of the Amendments to
the Constitution, which declares" The powers not
delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor
prohibited by it to the States are reserved to the
States, respectively, or to the people," The power
to establish post Offices and post roads is plainly and
distinctly delegated to the United States. 1t is.
therefore, not power reserved to the States respec-
lively, or TO the people.
will not extend or elaborate an argument upon a
proposition so plain, and which, conceive has been
settled and adjudcsted by all the Departments of the
Government, and the people themselves.
The exclusive right TO establish post Offices and
post roads being in the United States Congress has
the power to pass laws to protect that right Without
sutu ia"' u - 'nPosSlbic 10 eAeTCsc tfc power and
perform the deegat trusts benefcally to the peo
pie, More especially cannot this be done, if Con.
gress neglects this duty and at the same time leaves
the General Post Office to depend upon its own re-
venue to detray The expenses of the system.
The General Government should either protect
the Department against the inrosds of private posts
provide the ways and means to meet the necessa-
nv expenses OF the sefvice
The impolicy of permitting the business of con-
veying letters and packets, in whole or in part by
private posts expresses long as the Department
of the Post Office IS left to create by its operations
its owns means of support, must be apparent These
private expresses will only be found to operate upop
the great and profitable thoroughfares between great
commercial points, while the extremes are left to de-
pend upon the operations of the United States mail
crippled and broken down for the want of means
Between New York and Boston, between Phil.
adelpha and Baltimore, between New York and Buff.
iao, individual enterprise might supply the wants of
the community In the rapid and cheap transportation
Of letters and packets Will the same enterprise pene
trate the sayannabs and swamps Of the South or the
wds of the West, and daily weekly convey to the
door Of the planter and the husbandman the letter OF
business or friendship, the intelligence Of commerce
and politics
Individual enterprise may be rewarded by The pay
,nent of six cents for carrying letter between New
York and Boston, but can that same enterprise DC in