The Arkansas banner., 1845-04-16

l farmers, sir, who do emphatcally constitute the bone and sinew of the country, the great mass of the tax-paying population, are to be called upon to give these letter-wrting gentry cheap postage at an expense to them of high tGres' Sir, let gentlemen who like me rep resent a farming community, beware how they are inveigled into the support of ablll entailing such consequences. There is an erroneous notion of the popularity of this bill prevalent here. The bill may be plausible; but il is not sound. It will not bear inspec- ton. It will create a strife in the land, by it's unfair operation, between the citizens ol the towns and the inhabitants of the country And how long, pray tell lne, can such con iliet last?
 would, sir, were not forced to the con clusiou that there is a deeper and more dan gerous feeling at the bottom of this bill than ollicerelorm. thealmostunaHimous support given to il in both branches of Con gross by the strong high-tarid' nterests-the sources from which have emanated most oi 1 the demonstrations in favor of the measure the provisions of the last section, providing for an expenditure of four and haif millions of doiluS--the great and sudden destruction of d vast and complicated system, which has heretofore met it's own expenses, and the es- tablshment of so low rate, and the reten- tion ot the onerous =lraniting pfvilege,-all combine to show that this is but a part, a link in that grand system of throwing the entire burdens of government upon the GUS toms, which had been so steadily pursued fol years, aud had acquired so great headway when the old hero-statesman gave il disas- trous blow-his celebrated veto of the Mays vile road bill-and which now appears to be reviving and exhibiting its former energy and yoraciousness.
 The bill To appropriate million and hal of dollars to improve eastern harbors, at the last session-a bill now on your table tc appropriate two millions and half to improve western harbors and rivers,-are all parts oI this system.
 The bill to distribute the proceeds of the sales of the public lands among the several States was another link in the great chain and now comes a more dangerous, because more plausible and insidous, attack upon the treasury than all the others-this bill to reduce the rates of postage Pass this bill, and we bid an eternal adieu to anything like req sonable hope that the tariff will be reduced. In ruth, sir, we challenge still higher rates of duties by creating at once so great and so regular drain upon the treasury.
 Let me not be understood, however, as being opposed to reform in the post office. believe that the rates of postage should be made to conform to the federal currency and that we might, by bill which am glad to hear my friend from Indiana, AIr Owen,I has ready to offer, make gradual prospective reduction. If you will reduce rates 20 per cent. the coming year, and 20 per cent of the present rates the year after, and abolish the tranking privilege, you will have done much 10 reform the department; you will have fully met the expectations of the people; and will leave the department where you find 1t, dis i rlbutiHg it's blessings over the whole land, and meeting it's own expenses.