Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-10-09
From the ". l. Express
THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT AND ITS
MANAGEMENT


Since Mr. Barrys day, the Kentucky predecessor of Mr.
Wicke, there has been much complaint OF the
agement the Post Office Department lust now
The great Southern mail seldom reaches the chief South
Western commercial emporium OF the Union in season.
and from Chicago the Lakes Easiport the Bay s
PassamaquOddy complaints against the irregularities,
actions and meanneSs OF the Department Is general. IL
TO lay itself out way TO skin the Public Of
penny. BY all Of devices, of doubleeter charging
spongng &c. &c-by espionage into mems business, and
peepiug mems letters, has BRING
popular department OF the Government into gene
raj odium such administration could sustain were
the peculiarly Of this administration that
sustain IT, but love rule spite gen.
eTa opinion.
The last attempt sponging upon the out-oown
ders OF the newspapers OF the day. The Circular Of Mr.
Wicklite upon this subject have already laid before
readers in which, 1t that attempt be made
prevent body from reading newspapers except
us through the mails This have often be-
fore established is only violation of law, and of
(which last perhaps It's chief recommendation
the present administrators OF the Department. but il
Mr.. WIcklIe has the Of first discovering the
power this law OF prohibition that he now try
ing every where to put in force Ii not discovery with
him, certainly with his predecessor Nj. Miles, who
however, had the good sense soon 10 abandon H. destitute
generally of the essentially public funcona.
~ even moments but probably sufficient
ly destitute OF it, even that he in Lunatic Asylum
thus Mr.. Wickle does outrage all popety and oil
public opinion a effort cOnfne all ewspapers his
miserable mails What amazes us Is that the President
himself who, the head Of the Government must natural
ly something for mems good will Ill WILL should thus
suffer subordinate trhe with the whole hold the ad.
nns,raton has upon the Pubc-iOrhe must See if ne now
does see that TINS blow falls with force upon the
Tyler Penny Press an upon any other presses the
try. Thus his organs which his lists of letters
such the New York Sun and Philadelphia Ledger are
out in full accommodation OF his Postmasters scheme
The mails, managed, utterly incompetent for
the transaction Of the business OF country la the first
place the heads do keep up with the spirit and activity
VI the times Private enterprise beats aud the mail
every where where the two into competitions and the
heads of the Post Office Department have not ingenuity
and activity enough keep up with this spirit of the times
The mails only lazy, behind.hand, uncertain and
Irregular and often unsafe but they dear The cost
of transportation by them times what the business
worth Letters can be carried all the great routes inf
naely cheaper. Newspapers cannot 90 in them many
parts of the country, they would be newspapers when they
get there. But what is AbOmnable, u, that q depart
Inent mserably msmanuged become puJlic NUS
aHee should only for the first time enforce laws but
actually invent laws, compel the people il Aye
that department lazy, with the whole Of the
government disposal, that single individual his
means IN fair competition beat II, should thus
strive 10 maintain laZincss by increasing penal.
stes and aggravang its monopoly department. indeed
active only It's espionage, and ingenious only its peep
ing into the thickness of letters, detect the number VI
folds while u Is literally Indifferent 10 the pubic good, and
hbundonedly inert in doing any thing for promoting -
We hesitate not TO say that II Mr. Wckle were 10 exert
any thing like the amount Of industry the transportation
Of his mails, that lac cXcr 10 double POSTAGE to pick
out letters newspapers from peoples pockets trunks
that he need fear competition the Private Express
es-or IL il the peculiar characteristic Of his Department
tat bright only hue things but contemplate IN ey
cry thing important. This browning effort Of the depart
nont 10 cramp the whole newspaper circulation within .
mails is the chef dGuuTe of its administration IL will -g
nalize the Postmaster General hereafter, II give him i'm
mortality. il requires, indeed brave thus defy
common sense and the necessity Of the days aud
ho will be about successful in IT, us Don QuAOte in
fighting wind mills