The Davenport gazette., 1853-07-21
[For the Gaxcstc.
a~surnrrrEs OF THE POST OFFICE.


Ofall human contrvances large and clum-
sy. governments are the most unit Tor con-
yeying intelligence Of anything that requires
simplicity and economy. Inc
pre-, ailing spirit Of oil governments y au-
thority backed by physical force, consequent
" such governments are well adapted 70
war, rather than to the transportation o'
mails. To cherish the true interests OF the
people and promote the arts and welfare OF
pcace, q government is seldom much better
fitted than grenadier is for an infants nurse.
Even in our own country, politicians in gen.
eral are profoundly ignorant OF the science
Of philanthropy, and destitute both Of the
necessary knowledge and the necessary IN
clination to advance the welfare oi society,
unless in few Of the simplest and most
obvious measures, that have been forced upon
their notice by repeated discussion and agta-
ton.
The connection of the United States
government with the business OF carrying
letters, is iorcible illustration fthis remark
The arbitrary instincts of government were
shown in making this business government
monopoly, forbidding all competition for the
reason that private individuals would be sure
TO perform the same business better and
cheaper than the government, if allowed,
and thus drive il out Of a field which it was
not fit to occupy, Mr.. Barnabas Bates, and
number Of capitalists, have already offered
the government S40o 900 for the privilege
of serving the public, not a, the rates which
we now have to pay, but for teo cents a letter
and one half the present rates on newspa-
pers, and would become responsible for any
losses of moneys or other valuable matter,
which our government is not and will not
be responsible for.
To mention all the absurdities Of the Post
Office Department would consume too much
time, but let few suffice. The contracts
for carrying the mails are let to the lowest
bidder, and previous to their letting the
the bidder must enter into bonds with two
good and sufficient securities that he will
enter into bonds the second time for the
faithful performance ef his duty, II the Post
Master General shall award To him the con-
tract, while at the same time the power is
all in their own hands and they viii not pay
one cent until the labor is done. Again,
under the present laws no periodical or
newspaper can have more than enc office q
publication. The whole edition oil any
publication must be mailed at one post office
for if Il should be sent 10 local agents, who
are sometimes the publishers OF particular
district, this new construction on the law
deprives them entirely OF the privileges Of
the pest office, or else compels the publisher
TO pay twice as much in advance to send
his publication cut as il it had been carried
five hundred miles in the mail. For what
reason is this despotic rule made! None
whatever.
Now would il not be better to abolish all
ana oppressive and leave the mails in the
hands of private enterprise! Private indi-
viduals would be glad to engage in the busi-
ness and would do it in more satisfactory
manner, knowing that il. ii did not, their
competitors would take all the business from
them.
have often thought that it would be a
good thing if the Post Qgice Dyartmeat ,ras
abolished. Private individuals would be, all
accommodation and they would think more
Of their honor than to practice any tyrrany
upon the public.
1t is hardly necessary to 60 any farther
into the details of this matter but every ed
itor and publisher in the country has expe-
renced evils OF our present post Office laws
and would rejoice to have the carrying ofthe
mails left to private enterprise.
Let us 90 to work then in good earnest
and get up petitions to abol:A tte Post CGice
DEPARTMENT. Individual officers, Ike cur
Davenport postmaster, may do all they can
to accommodate the people, but the whole
system is wrong and ought to be laid aside.
EDESSE
Our correspondent, though he has not
struck an entirely original vein, treats upon
subject that has been little agtated in our
country. The universal Yankee nation is
up to every thing, and if individual enterprise
can carry intel gence all over the Union on
wires, we cannot see why it may not accom-
pl'sh the same with railroad cars and stage
coaches
Chicago, S. Charles and Mississippi Railroad
The Directors Of the above road returned
to the city on Friday last from Galena,
where they had been to attend meeting OF
the Board. We learn that the deliberations