American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-08-15
autertca11 Gsepubltrau,
AND BALTIMORE CLIPPER.
FRIDAY MORNING, AUG. 10, ls45.

TIE New POSTAGE LAW. This law, it APP
pears, has been differently interpreted by diff
fcrell persons; which shews, that in drafting
important acts too great care cannot be taken
to use language of the plaincst kind calculated
ing more. The National lntclhgenccr Of yester-
day contains note from the Hon, J. \, Pcarcc,
Senator from Maryland, in which he denies the
correctness Of the Interpretation given to the
law by the assistant Postmaster General, MI
Medill, in relation to the ranking privilege OF
members of Congress The first section OF the
act provides, "that members OF Congress and
delegates from territories may receive letters,
not exceeding two ounces IN weight, Tree OF
postage, during the recess Of Congress, any thing
10 the contrary in this act notwithstanding.
On this clause MIR MedIll says-'ot course this
conveys no privilege at the present time-a re-
cess of Congress being construed TO mean that
period which intervencS between the sessions OF
the same Congress, and not embracing that be-
tween two Congresses SO that Senator will
enjoy Thanking privilege one year which will
be denied him the next Senator Poarcc ar
CUES conclusivcly, we think, against this con-
structon, and shews that the word access has
not the confined application gwen to it by the
Postmaster General. The general acceptaton
Of he term is certainly opposed to the restrict
ed sense given to 1t by Mr.. Mcdlll.
Whilst on the subject of this Post Office Law
ne will take the liberty of enquring OF the
Postmaster General, or Of any of his assistants,
the true intent and meaning Of the following
section Of said law:
'Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, SC. And
all advertisements made under the orders of the
Postmaster General, in newspaper or news
papers, Of letters uncalled for III any Posi- Office
shall be inserted in the paper or papers, of the
town or place where the office advertising may
be situated, haring the largest circulation, &c.,
and in case of question or dispute as to the
amount of the circulation Of any papers, the
editors Of which may desire this advertising, ii
shaH be the d,dy Of the Postmaster 10 receire tri-
deHce, and to decide upon the fact"
Oar common sense understanding of this sec
ton is, that, where the list of letters is directed
10 be Published in two papers, the two "haYing
the largest circulation, y shall have the prefer
ence-but we are probably too literal in our in
depreciation, although we DO not profess to be-
long to the school OF "the strict construction
lists" We should like to have light on the
subject from some of the wise heads engaged in
The Post Office Department, although we would
not give fig for the decision, be it what i,
may. But we want to know whether it be
true, as has been remarked (perhaps by Dog
berry, that claw is law" for we are sometimes
led to doubt it. We shall patiently await the
response, as We have no disposition to disturb
the present course Of things-nor to snatch a
bone from the mouth of brother. Only in
firm us truly, whether claw is law" that we
may be set right before the public, and NC shall
be content to relnqulsh all claim to the Post
Office pap But as things now stand, our posi-
ton is misunderstood, and hence our suilerngs
is intoCfableo