The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-02-03

Isctk btfe, AZ 0eioru SauU
Othco rent, stationery, can.
dies and fuel 900 6)t
and there will be left $500 3.
10 pay the postmaster for his trouble labor, nigh
a. well day, risk and anxiety. need mol ask Sena
tor Mcrrick whether he would be willing To extor
IRON a poor man, such labor, aud responsibility io
such miserable pittance or for even double tina
sum, know his generous and honorable ma
tufe too well 10 intimate such question But hs
may reply--el Postuasters be paid an adequate com
psnsstion for thir services IN the form Of salary
Then, In proportion you do thus, you still furlhe
and further increase the great amount oi the dchci
ency IN the revenue. do not say that no persod
would accept the Post Office upon the terms OF The
bill but do say thai no honest man, who has The
espaesy 10 perform the duty, would accept Of IL, un
less driven TO Il BY downright poverty aud distress
All that have said in relation 10 Lynchburg applies
with equal force to very large class Of cases, par
ucularly IN the new States, and with the exception
Of some halidozen OF the largest Offices applies 10 the
whole, aud except those very small ones which have
been taken solely with reference TO the frankng pr
viiege.
We're to give all my objections 10 the proposed
change, this essay, already too long fear TOR the
public would be swelIed to a most unreasonable
and unreadabe length therefore hasten ~ con
clusion. But cannot forbear 10 make observa.
ton or two on the encouragement which private com
Panes for the transportation Of letters, have met It'll
III cOtnHlerclat cities. newspapers
have beeH for some time filled with the advertise
ments OF Harnden & Co, Adams s. Co.. Pomeroy &
Co., and lastly, The United States Letter Company,
Offering 10 convey letters on established mail roads Al
prices greatly below those fixed by law for the public
mails. Editors OF newspapers have enlisted on the
side OF SHE opp osoaiine; praised their performances
and invited the people To withdraw their correspond
ence from the public mails, and urn over their busi
ness to those very patriotic gentlemen who have vol
unteered to break up the usefulness OF the Post Oce
Department. know not in what school OF patriot
ism and morality those gentlemen editions have been
educated bu do know that in former, aud, per-
haps the better days of the Republic il was con,d
cred immoral and unpatrOtc to violate, covertly or
openly, the known laws Of the land The same Con-
sttution which gives Congress the power to lay and
collect duties on imports and establish custom houses
gives to il the power TO establish postroads and post
Offices the power is exclusive in the case is
equally in the other Congress has exercised the
power in both cases and the violation of the law
is as criminal the violation Of the other. All hon.
oradie men consider smuggling as Infamous because il
is defraudng OF the public revenue. Can it be more
infamous to-defraud the public Treasury, by snug
CLING IN goods from foreign countries, than to deraud
the Post Office Department of IFS just and legal
enue, by setting up" an opposition line Of mail
Transportation Surely not. And if such lawIess
enterprises" are much longer tolerated, shall not
be surprised # the "Freetraders'I smugglers,
for by that title they designate each oher)-shoud
before long throw of all concealment and "set up
custom houses in opposition to those of the Govern
ment where ships and vessels, with their cargoes,
mag be entered and cleared sat reduced rates" thus
to prove TO all nations that in this favored land the
largest liberty is the common inheritance Of the
People.
am aware that this essay has been thrown to
clear and me,hodcal but il might lie made more
gether in such moments as | could hastily snatch
from duties which do admit Of postponement
Whatever It's imperfcctions may be, tru., that will
be fund sufficiently clear in its statements to satisfy
members Of Congress and some portion of the think
ing public that any consid rable reduction at this
time of the existing rates of postage, will be produc-
tive OF immense evils {, the community, and loud
general complaints amongst the people. Ii i, shall
DO So shall consJar myself well paid for the trouble
| have taken FRANKLIN