The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-12
TaE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
The Ndff0nal Whid has some sensible

~ - ~'~ss~sssss - hsy hAS SossA~ SS'~''~
remarks upon the necessity Of thorough
reform Of this department. For twenty
years, observes that journal, il has been in
the hands Of unprincipled politicians, and
they have used it rather as an engine Of po-
litical power than as machine for dissent
mating intelligence. The agents employed
to keep il in motion, were selected more
with reference to their mere political infiu-
ence than their qualifications TO discharge
the duties required Of them by law. Hence,
upright, honorable men, who would not
stoop to be tools Of the designing, were ex-
cluded from a participation in the Post
Office service, and the standard Of appoint
ment necessarily got TO be very low. This
was the vice Of the smaller offices to a
greater extent than the large ones
OF the seventeen thousand postmasters
who were in commission, when the present
Administration came into power, if the truth
could be known, we have not doubt, but
that sixteen thousand Of them were unfit for
their duties, il tried by the most ordinary
standard. The whole machine had become
utterly corrupt, and except where the judi
cious hand Of JACOB CoLLAMER has applied
the corrective, il is utterly corrupt 1t
could not be otherwise. The appointees
got their places because Of their corruption
This was the general rule. Integrity, capa-
city and the confidence Of the neighborhoods
were the exceptions to the rule. This is no
exaggeration. The annals Of the Post
Office demonstrates the truth Of the picture.
The country press for twenty years past,
has teemed with evidence in point The
city press has left and still feels the corrup-
ton Of the whole machine Abstraction Of
money from letters is so common a. crime,
that people in the habit Of receiving remit
tances through the mail, no longer consider
the conveyance safe one Publishers Of
papers having large weekly circulation
can testify feelngly to the disappearance d
their remittances
Another fact omitted by the National
Wing, is, that under Locotoco administra-
tons, the Post Office Department has been
toamarked extent an unfaithful public agent
1t has served party and not the people
During the late Presidential canvass, it was
notorious that Locofoco documents ranked
in countless numbers, reached their destina-
tion both safely and speedily, while Wing
documents were delayed or destroyed To
such pitch was this evil carried, that the
Wings were compelled in great measure
to abandon the Post Office, and to seek pri-
vate conveyances for the transmission O
their documents.
We are glad to learn from the Naiiona
Wing, that extensive changes are contem.
plated in this Department, II will require
great irmness and resolution, as well as con-
slant diligence, to accomplish the good
work, but the people have an assurance that
in the person Of Mr.. Collamer they have a
public servant who will perform the respon-
sible duty with equal zeal and fidelity : He
has already given ioretaste Of his capacity
in the selection Of the officers Of his Depart
ment, that speaks well for the efficient man
ner in which the work will be done. We
trust he will not tire Of his labors till thu
Augean stable be thoroughly cleansed -
NeD Orleans Bee