The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-09-21
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.

Many newspapers of the class opposed TO US polt
cally have called the public attenl letter from
Washington recently published in the New York
Express characterized by spirit of personal hos,iIi-
ty to the Postmaster General rather than a desire
pcomots the public veal
The Postmaster General Is charged by the writer
Of hi. letter with the p,ymen, of accoup, to the
editor Of the Msdsonian for publishing editorial
tiolss In that paper relating to himself.
W. will content ourselves with saying for the CON-
fort of the persons who nantes, so delicate sensi-
bilisy the subject Of the public economy that the
account last settled with the Madisonian at the Post
Office Department, for the of sl97 and 80 eis
charged T The publication Of matters strictly OF pub
bc concsrnmsnt, relating to that Department, from
the month OF October, lsA3, up some time in Au-
gust Last. These publications. mainly consis, Of let
tiers from Pos, Office Agents, Contractors, and Post
masters, explaining the causes Of mail deientions
and the state ofhe weather. roads and waters. In one
or two cases, the Department authorized the pubca-
don Of laws relating to the Post Office md the decision.
Of the courts under ,h,m, with such further erpla-
nations Of the subject as were considered proper
These laws and decisions had been babitually and
automatically misreprssented in newspapers Of a
certain class With the purpose Of encouraging the in
fraction Of the laws, thereby mpsiripg the revenues
OF the Department and prostratng that branch Of
tho public service.
To publish and explain these laws, and the dec-
sions thereon, where such efforts were made to mis-
represeo, them, is DOT only an appropriate function
of the officer charged with the administration of that
Department, but his imperious duty to the Govern.
ment and the People whom he required to serve.
Another item Of publication charged in the &C.
count, denial Of the statement industriously cir.
eulsted, representing the Department as heing IN
dsbted to contractors hsIfs million Of dollars
The Department not being bebindband viii con-
tractors one cent, the Pc, master General did not
deem The, SANDER so injurious to the credit Of the
Department and TO the pubic service should be qui.
city permitted to range itself conspicuous fact
10 the newspapers, without contradiction. A denial
OF thi. important and imposing scandal wa. author.
lied in this paper, and the editor had an undou ted
right to charge for It's publication, as the
Department was undoubtedly bound to pay for
IT. Con,ending against a formidable array
Of mercenary individuals, whose object was
to enlist the pubic sympathy against the De
partmsnt and te laws made for its support the
Postmaster General would have been most neg-
gent Of hS charge, had he allowed to the enemy The
sdvsn,n Ee which an scqui..cencs in such fsssboo
would give him N his uupsiriotic enterprise against
the authority OF the laws, and the efficiency Of the
Government
The Postmaster General hss bad no agency 10
esusioe publ'cssiocs in the Msdisoni,n, IL any such
shsrs have bsen, concerning himself personally and
.ireagly conscious In his integrity and his fidelity to
49, r.r-H III n rI erfaFrh THHI