The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-05-13

The New Postage Law.

Our friend of the journal thinks that the
ranking privilege, now granted to Congress
men, is right and just, inasmuch as it isan in
direct compensation for attending to the many
letters they are constantly receiving, full ofall
manner of requests, &c. Moreover it is q
source of great information to the people, mas
much as they receive Congressional documents
free. Grant all that, does it follow that the
people must be inordinately taxed on other
matters, to make up the deficiency Of rcvenue
from the mails ? If it does, where is the great
advantage to any but those who have the frank
ing privilege?
There seems to be singular error ofopin-
ion in regard to post Office matters, and that
is this-Yiz: that the post Office department
ought to, not only pay its expenses, but yield
little revenue for other purposes. Or, IN
other words, the people were made for the
post Office and not the post office for the peo-
pie We look upon the post Office department
and the system of transmitting knowledge by
mall as one Of the great avenues OF knowl-
edge, and thereby one Of the best safeguards
of our rights and our liberties. Instead, there
fore, of putting on high postage, in order to
make it moneymaking establishment, it
ought to be the reverse, and the deficiency
ahould be made up from the real business
sources of the country, such as the customs
and sales of lands
"iWhy not require our army, which IS got up
for public defence, to support itself? Why
not require our navy TO maintain and meet Its
own expenses ? Oh they are servants to pro-
sect our rights, and of course must be bills Of
expense Indeed Shut up your post offices
and merge the people in ignorance, and you
destroy the strongest safeguard Of your free
dom and security. Why do not our Execu-
tive and judiciary departments pay their own
way? Oh, they are servants to see that the
laws are faithfully executed, and of course
must be paid. Very well. Shut up the post
Offices and merge the people in ignorance,
and you would need no other Executive Or
Judiciary than some despot and a morcenary
band of soldlery. Your best guaranty for
having the laws executed, viz: knowledge
among the people, would be destroyed, and
yet one of the main elements of this guaranty
the post office, must pay its own way, forsooth,
and little more. no sir-rcducc your post
ages, fling open the gates Of knowledge, and
let other resources supply any deficiency in
payment Of expenses. Dispense with one or
two big ships of war, and apply the millions
that they cost, most usocs5ly too, for the pay
ment of post Office expenses. Knock OF two
or three dollars, per day, Of wages to Congress
men--give them .jics good dollars instead of
eight, and apply the money saved to the pay
ment Of post ofi,e expenses. Reduce the
salaries Of some thousands of Office holders,
who work but little 6: receive round pay, and
apply the saving in the payment ofpost Office
expenses. Give Knowledge to the people, and
you have fortress and wall Of defence in
every individual Take knowledge away from
them, and you must build lortresses and walls
Of granite, and keep armed men to enforce
government of some sort OF other, with ball
and steel.
There is another evil in our post Office sy5-
tenn which ought to be done away with; and
that is, allowing the Postmaster General to be
sole judge and cxecutioner of the post Office
laws Whatever Construction he puts upon
these laws is enforced "hH or miss" Now, |
who made him Judge in the land? We
support strong and able judiciary-thc Su-