The Arkansas banner., 1845-05-21
POSTMASTER GENERAL JOHNSON AND
 THE NEW POST AGE RII


 POSTMASTER GENERAL JOHNSON ANI
 THE NEW POSTAGE BILL,
 Although we think the Potmaster Gen. eral, as we'll as some of his cabinet associates might be employed in manner more worthy ot their high station than in snufling about Tor poor clerks and messengers in their de- parments suspected of whigism-of whom alter all, 1t seems the proportion was very small--stll we mean to uphold him in all that he does right, and especially in his main- tenance of the cheap postage law, against all attempts to draw or drive him of. bv se- duction or menace, either by individuals or combinations of them.
 The higher the official station the more pernlcious is the example of all violations or evaslons of the law; and whatever we may think of the Administrative capacity or of the forecast and the temper of the late Post master General, we must do him the justice to admit that we believe he endeavored to carry out the law < as he understood itn-- the proper guide of every honest officer un- til his judgement, if mistaken, is corrected by that of a higher constitutional power.
 It is stated by the correspondent of the True Sun that the large assemblage of con tractors at Washington are contriying to force l the Postmaster General into an abandonment of the law, at the risk of having the whole system broken up Let them execute their l threats and throw down the mail. The ] Postmaster General will soon find men enonqb good and true, to pick it up and carry it for d fair price. True, the laborer is worthy of his hire, in every department of industry :; and we should be glad to know that all good mail contractors are fairly and even literally. without being profusely, paid; but in this case as in others where all is left 10 unre- stricted competition, the buyer and the seller, the contractor and department, will soon meet on fair grounds
 An impression exists, 1t is not to be denied. l that Tn times past, some old and some shrewd contractors managed 10 have things litlle too much their own wav What some achieved by buster and bravado, others ae- compllshed by flattery aud fat dinners and suPpefs. Thus were failures overlooked-- fines remitted and extras allowed. It Is be. leved, and certainly to be hoped. that the lean Cassius at the head of the department now, will not let any such attempts come it over him. He is said to be the Cerberus of the treasury; but he will require not only three heads, but as many eyes as Argus to guard him against being humbugeed. Let him but give Us the full benefit tf the new law, and therein, whatever inconvenience may attend It's execution in the commence ment of its operation, he will secure the ap- proval and gratitude of his countrymen.
 There IS no reason why Underwriters, or the Post Office Department, which depends on them, should pay for stage-eoachcs, be- l yond the actual demands of the service for the transportation of the mail itself and alone. 1 Why should they be so taxed more than oth- CT set Of people or any other department?- If country IS loo sparsely settled to sup i port stage-coaehes, by fair and proportion tlonate addition of passenger money to the amount necessary for carrying the mail, lei 1t go on horseback, and let the people s'bide their time,'' as the seaboard did when horse mail piled once a fortnight between Boston and Philadelphia. Rome was not built in a day, and the attractions which draw off pop ulation from the old sea-board country 10 the West, draining regions capable of sustaining ten times their population, are already sufli- ciently numerous and powerful, without tax ing that seaboard country in the bargain, foI sending out or setting up coaches, in the ab- sence of population, merely that some lub- berly driver with his bear-sn cap may go 'winding his horn'' across the prairies, to the terror of prairie wolves, and the destrac- ton of good housewives, and country school children. " r. Tribune.