The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-31
The Post Once and the Railroads.

themselves strongly to the attention OF the public When
similar not attempted. but merely ntimated
IN New York, by the railroads there the legislature Of
that State took the matter in hand and motion to
aul the charter OF the companies they should fail
in this particular to perform the objects for which they
were created soon satisfied them that honesty the
best policy and they submitted to the laws quietly
people who were not endowed with special privileges
railroad company Connecticut recently undertook to
fling off the mails but returned to the performance
Of their duty when they found the people in all quarters
petitioning the legislature to repeal their charter
From the Philadelphia Ledger
Whenever the Post Office is involved in dispute with
any corporation of carriers, whether on railroads.
steamboats, stage coaches many OF the newspapers
and no small portion of the public, invariably take for
granted that the former wrong, and that the latter
right But in every case which has thus lar occurred,
the former right and the latter were wrong These
erroneous judgments and hasty COMBINATIONS are too
often prompted by partisan anmosities; politicians as
Stunning that if the Post Office can be convicted OF wrong
the conviction will inure to the benefit OF their party
Whether democrat or "whig," every Postmaster Gen
eral must expect this treatment from his partisan oppo
nenis To censpre HIM will manufacture partisan cap
tai for them and beyond that point they never investigate
Another is the impaence OF the mercantile and
other portions of the community depending daily on the
mails for letters or newspapers II, lnrougl .ae ir
the mails they take for granted that the Postmaster zen
eral wrong, and censure accordingly the nail-ue-
pendent portion OF the community would always lhe
evil TO its source and resolve to have the cause OF the
evil removed they would not frequently suffer through
arrangements in the mails and the Postmaster General
would have much easier task in managing his depart
ment
On the 22l instant we published letter from the Post
master General showing that he has been driven, by the
ertorron-that is the word-of the Richmond haliroaa
Company choose another route for the great southern
mail, which delay of wentytour hours IN It's ap
rival in this city This delay serious evil to every
merchant and every n this bod mt ana
be, sWhere is The iaulis Ihey find It in the railroad
assemble in public meeting express their opinions upon
the conduct of this company and ask Congress for strn
gent laws OF prevention and remedy The Postmaster
General is bound by existing laws; he CONSTITUTES them
like his predecessors they forbid him from accedng TO
the demands of the Richmond Railroad Company; force
him to contract with another carrier. and he tells the
whole to Congress. What should the people do! Ask
Congress to restrain the company from controlling the
Post Office and enable the Post Office to control the
company. And what should Congress do' Comply with
1 the wish OF the people.
The Post Office is created for public convenience-or
the benefit of the ntoe people II the government can
this purpose better than private enterprise then
should abandon the monopoly OF transporting the mails
If it can, then it should be armed with all necessary
power however extensive over all common carriers. II
the mails should be left to private enterprise, then they
would cease excepting on the main routes; and the mer
camille community of the large cities always the first to
complain Of the government and to private ex
presses and other opPostons would be the first and Sc
|
if the government undertake to carry the mailsan I'M
dertakng from which the mercantile cities derive the
first and greatest beneftlet them cordially put their
shoulders to the governmental Wheel and help it out OF
every ditch dug by the exorton of private enterprise
! The constution--clause of sect of art says
that Congress shall have power to establish post-ofces
and postrOads" This gives to Congress the monopoly
OF carrying the mails, the power to control the post
roads which they establish, and to make any road post
road. And such power is necessary to every national
government Tor, in times OF war or public danger neces
sty may require the interruption OF all intelligence Con-
gress can, in times of public danger, proclaim martial
law, and thus stop all tongues pens and presses and
consequently stop the carriage OF all letters and newspa
pers If, then, they stop the wholeln times OF pub
lie danger they should have the power to control the
transportation OF the whole in times OF publ safety. IT,
then, they establish postroad, and regulate the
transportation of the mail it. they can convert
railroad into posroad and regulate it accordingly
| But how shall Congress regulate rairoad9 by COM
polling it to carry the mails for reasonable compens
ton, to be ascertaned by arbltraors II the fosnas'e
General and the railroad company cannot agree But OF
this the company will complain as arbitrary power we
reply, that railroad companies exercise the arbitrary
power OF taking private property, Wilhout ihe owner
consent for their road and depot tax the pubic Tor trans
poraton upon it, and exercise the very arbitrary power
Of extoon from the government upon penay'oi REJECT
ing the mails By the first of these arbitrary powers they
great to vae anu %
IT, then the only remedy for the last be TINS drourary
power in the government, public convenience declares
that the government should possess IT, ruoic Gohse
nience is the argument of transporting companies IN Ia
king private property and imposing tolls u pubic con.
venence should keep the public in their power LOT lnese
purposes it should put them in the power o. ,he govern
ment for the transportation OF mails Wnhou suoh ko'
ernmental power, the pennl" - NJ tho mercy of the
who may stop their mails entirely, or com
pei them pay heavy taxes for transporting them we
hope that the people OF this city WILL on this OCCASION
have the manness TO support the government ana SPEAK
duging in sneaking, pu complaints OF ther fosunas
ter General for complying with the laws