Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-08-09
POST OFFICE REFORM.

the Pos Office Department it, fhe entire abolition Of
The Jraking priuitcgs. This should be essential
conditn in all petitions 10 Congress, and in all
movements for a change. The enormous abuse Of
the fraIking privilege is one Of the most grevous
burdenspf the times. During the entire session of
Congres the mails from Washington are ioaded
dorcH witt an immense Of worthless trash,
under theffanks Of members. Tons upon tons OF
worthless 'eports and more worthless speeches are
sent forth, not Oh account Of the least intrinsic
worth, but imply because they can be sent free,
and beeauseihey afford ambitions men opportu-
nifty TO pleas the vanity OF their constituents by
showing then that Hon. M. C's have not forgot
ten them.
The immense expense OF the transportation of
this mere 'edse paper, is drawn from the honest
earnings of those who write and receive letters
through the mall and TO pay this expense is one Of
the for teeping up the present e1travagant
rates Of postage.
There is good reason why the ranking privi-
lege should be tolerated, and host Of reasons why
il should not
IL il be urged that il is for the benefit of members
Of Congress, and partial reward for their public
services, reply that they are entitled to such
i
broad Union so rce paid for such poor and use.
less services as members of Congress-and no class
better able better deserve 10 pay their post
age than they.
lfii be commended that this privilege is essential
for the people, TO enable them 10 keep informed of
the doings and sayings Of their servants the rulers
by of public documents and speeches sent to
them through the mail free Of expense, we say,
that every thing Of any value in those documents
and speeches is much rapidly, eHectually, and
generally distributed by the myriad wings of dali
ly and weekly press-and what little there is of
value in these documents and spe eches is so imbed-
ded in and covered up by heaps of rubbish long
columns of unintelligible figures and pages of dry
statistics. that. like gold dust in the sands of the
river, il is useless until separated and purified ard
we venture 10 say that ninety-fve one -hundredths
of them not only not read but their very leaves
are uncut.
For instance, large sums Of money, four monev,
are expended every year in printing great editions
OF the Presidents Message and the accompanying
documents, for distribution among The peopie, but
long before they printed the press has spread
them throughout the land, in every hamlet upon
the oest peaks of the Alleghanies or the remote st
copies come they stale and valueless as
thrice told tales, and thrust aside in some dark
nook, or ore degraded to ignobe purposes.
Nor does the government require the benefit Of
the Thanking privilege. There is no reason why
the government should not pay its own postage
upon the correspondence necessary for its opera
tons, in the same way and manner that it pays its
other exPenses-out Of the revenues provided for
tina, purpose, by imposts and the public lands
Post Masters have equitable claim TO the
frank, except as a reward for official services Let
those services be properly remunefated, and they
will have no claim, and it will be no hardship 10
deprive them oft.
This free matter increases vastly the expense OF
the Post Office Department, aud this increased ex.
Pense is paid for by those who pay pos,sge-hence
IN part the necessity of the prcsen exorbant rates
Those who pay postage not only have 10 pay for
the transportation of their own letters. but of all
the government correspondence, and all the count
less tons of electioneering matter sent forth by
members OF Congress. This is unequal oppressive.
and unjust.
We repeat, then, the entire abolition Of the frank
ing privilege is, and should be so esteemed an es
sential ingredient in any attempt to reduce the
rates of postage. But this privilege will never be
abolished until II is demanded by the general voice
OF the people, in manner so expressive so imp,rn
tire, that their representatives cannot misunderstood
and dare not disoJey.