Litchfield enquirer., 1848-06-22
Correspondence Of the Eaq"irev.
CONSPIRCY IN CONGRESS.

s.s
To such as have for the las, five years
age, and the chiet geou0d Of opposition
II is more and niore obvious that there il
in Congress n determiDed conspiracy ia
defeat, n possible, any system that would
elevate the people to a level with iheis
public servants, as no mail privileges, and
especially .electioneering privileges.
When. four years since. the demand
became loud from all parts of the land, .
partial yIelding of ffanking power, as well
as II partial reduction of postage, was
granted. -. -. =
But when this promised faverably for
still further reduction, members became
alarmed at the growing idea of equal
rights and privileges, and by a very 81
flent act again very greatly enlarged
their tracking power, virtually extending
il, with respect to every thing. in the
shape of Posi- Office burdens throughout
the year. ..-.-. go.
T e same Congress, to make their
Thanking power sill more availA BILE, i'm
posed three cents to be prepaid on all
circulars, eleciioneering handbills and
papers, which others might occasionally
wish to send, ia competition foe office, or
for other purposes.
Moreover, as if ashamed 10 have it ap-
pear in the regular bill on'franking, they
inserted in an act TO establish certain
post routes, lapproved March ), 1919 a
clause or64inlng that any books procu-
red or purchased by order Of either House
shall be entitled to be franked,' by the
members.
In connection with this law, thus suug-
gled through, and which can be silently
used for the distribution OF unnumbereh
volumes, 10 those whom it may be expe-
dent 10 concil,ate with such presents, it
appears the Senate have recently pur-
chased in single instance 1900 copies
Of Col Hickey's late volumes Of $40 pages
at an expense TO the country of about H.
QUO dollars. s
Such impositions on an unsuspecting
people are constantly prac,iced. burdens
ing the daily mails from Washington with
tons Of volnmrs, pamphlets. documents,
and even a Senatorial newspaper, prints
ed ut the public expense, besides nuns
berless large packages of circulars and
ord nary letters, illegally ranked and dis
tributed by members for their favorites.
Efforts huve been made in vain by the
Postmaster G neral 10 suppress such a.
buses, but The result has been that the
Senate, withiu a few weeks, have passed
"a special bill, adapted TO perpetuate and
increase THU ienIoraltzing practice ot
tracking for others, and BY heavy penal
ties to prevent all exposure.
The truth is. thai such abuses, daily
corrupting and hardening the consc.en-
never Be saf bSs 5 y iGse iRal
luton of the thanking power. Aud those
who hold this power will not yield it up,
nor graft rates of postage on mt wspapers
and letters that are almost equivalent to
IL for all, till petitions from every quart
er shall show that the demand is 0nco'n>
ing universal, as il was in Grea: Britain.
There lelie,s are now carried for
penny. aud newspapers for nothing, and
yet SO vasl has been the increase Of mail
that it brings 10 over all
expenses upwards Of 4.OOO,OOO dollars
annually.
We are much more reading and wri-
ting people than Queen Vicioria's sub
iecls, who frank no volumes or letters, aud
as Republicans, entitled to equal privi>
leges with our ruaers, we would all rel'hce
10 try the cheap system, even though 1t
might for few years occasion some tax
on The general treasury.
, FORM OF PETITION.
To the Honorable Senate and House Of
Representatives ia Congress assembled ::
The undersigned respectfully request that
you abolish the franking power. ond re-
duce ordinary letter postage To two CENTS.
and that of newspapers 10 due proportion
ORIGIN OF TIE RAILROAD SYsTEM.-The