New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-10-03
post.OMce Reform.

II has ceased to answer the wants Of the people
It's operation, SO far as it is bencfcent, IS yc
made oppressive by cxorbtant charges for thf
service which it performs. The frankng PRIV
lege is shaInelully abused, and the great mass
the people are made to suffer forlt. These, andi
multitude of other grievances which have Ions
been severely felt have produced upon the puDi'
mind a conviction of the necessity OF some speedy
and radical reformation: and unless we art
greatly mistaken recent events VII! make tins re
formation far more speedy, and more thoroughly
radical, than we have heretofore ventured to ex
pect
Tho Postmaster General has recently issued I
circular to the owners Of steamboats, and ralJ
roads, imperatively forbidding them to carry
newspapers or packages flctters upon their roads
outside the mail and calling upon them to report
the names Of any persons who are IN the haolt OF
thus violating the rules of the Department and
the laws of Congress This is aimed chiefly at
the Private Expresses, which have been organized
within few years past, and which have proved
to be of signal public utility. The Post Office
Department regards these Expresses as dangerous
rivals, as likely to take the business OF mail trans
portation out of the hands of the Government :
and it avails itself Of alleged provisions IN the law
of Congress to crush this competition which is
becoming 80 formidable. The Circular of the
Postmaster General cites these provisions, OF
which the chief is that of the act OF 1877, de-
claring "that no person, other than the Postmas-
ter General or his authorized agents, shall set up
any foot or horse post, for the conveyance OF Ief-
tiers md packets, upon any post road, which is
or NAV be established as such by law" Now we
have no intention of indulging in violent denuncla
ton of the Postmaster General for determining to
enforce these laws of Congress. We entertain no
doubt that he is governed by a sincere desire to
build up the Department winch Is entrusted TO
his care His Interpretation OF the law may be
erroneous. and we think it is. We do not believe
that the words letters and packets used IN
the law can be made to comprehend boxes OF
or magazines, sent, not to subscribers,
but to customers as merchandise as
merchandise, paid for as such, and IN the same
wav charged with freight. Yet these are included
in Mr.. Wickliffe's prohibition. We have not the
SLIGHTEST doubt that he thus understands the law
and that his action springs from an honest lnten-
ton faithfully to discharge the duties OF ms Office
Many papers violently charge HIM with dong 1t
out of pure disposition to check the diffusion OF
and to infiict upon the people the
darkness of ignorance This Is preposterous
and can do no possible good
We need, in the first place, an authoritative
exposition of the existing law upon tins subject.
Let the matter be brought before the legal trlbu
nals-be carried, if necessary to a full and deci-
sive judgement, to the highest Court IN the coun-
try. If that decision sustains the Postmaster,
there will be no farther ground for censuring hm
and the next resort will be to procure modihca-
t;on Of the law. Indeed, there is no need OF
awaiting the result of this long process Let the
anpeal be made at once to Congress let that BODY
be made to feel the necessity, first OF having the
matter clearly understood, and then OF adapting
the provisions Of the law to the neccsslnes ana
requirements Of the public service.
The controversy certainly presents the Govern
ment in a singular position The Post-ohee
was organized for the purpose CT dong ior MAJ
viduals what they could not do Tor themselves
This. according to Mr.. Webster, IS one OF the
foremost auties of all Governments established
for the good of the people. The conveyance OF
letters and intelligence from one part OF the coun-
try to another was something which lno'Vluuais
conld not effect. The enterprise was beyond
their powers 1t was, therefore, rghtluily under
taken by the Government--not TOR Its own emolu-
mcnt, not for increasing the national revenues or
aupmenting It's own power by extending ITS con-
troll over private interests: but solely for the
benefit, the accommodation of the people When
ever. through changed circumstances, increased
wealth and energy, or from any other cause, the
people, or any considerable portion OF the people,
should become able to do this service for them
selves better, and more for their own benefit,
than the Government could do it, on all sound
and general principles it would seem, therefore,
to be the clear duty of Government TO return the
trust and allow the people, SO far as they can do
t. to construct and maintain Post Establish
ment for themselves. Yet we see the Govern
ment tDagiag ,oar upon this enterprise, crushing
it by main force and compelling the people, against
their own interests, to their injury and loss, TO
employ in their service the Government ma
chinery!
This, on the face OF it, betokenS wrong No
government is in the discharge of its rightfu duty
while thus seeking to repress private enterprise
and industry. Its business is to foster ito en-
courage every development OF it, and TO lend II
all the assistance properly IN its power, II the
people find it for their interest to employ pm
vate express IN their service instead OF the Gov
eminent agent. they should have an mdouoted
right to do ESPECIALLY in matter founded Sc
eSCInSyelv