The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-07-06
AN OUTRAGEOUS SYSTEM.

agents, with private keeps to unlock the mai
bags en- route, whenever and wherever il
pleases these gentry, and nimble fingers Ii
tensed to break seals-heretofore regarded
sacred under all circumstances in this coun
try---in order, as the defensive plea runs, tC
detect other mail robbers, is an outrageou;
and shameful system. If the Government
practices and defends the principle of doing
''evil that good may come exercising its own
judgment as suprems guide In the matter
why may not the example be followed by the
smallest constituent part of the Government
the humblest, or neanest citizen. If great
Government may pick locks and bredk seals
covertly, to defend or advance its interests
why not a poor devil, though he be more
skiful, and more professionally craftsman
at the business.
The American people demand that their
seals, in transtu in the public mails, shall
no: be violated by Post Office spies No pro-
posed good can neutralize the evil of such es
pionage, which has made even the most
despotlc Governments infamous.
We have no objection to the Post Office
Department setting traps, with letters special
ly prepared, and sprnging the same on sus
pected and guilty parties. This mode Of
spotting light-fngered postmasters and post
Office clerks entirely sanctioned by necessity
and good morals, but to claim or practice the
right of opening private letters, for whatever
detective purpose, is intolerable. The seal Of
the humblest citizen must be kept inyiolate
and sacred, even from the Post Master Gene
raj, or there is no security for any correspon-
dence. A dishonest official entrusted with
the power to secretly open mails and letters
might rob more in week than all the out
side robbers in year.
That the mails should be we'll guarded in
their transit, all will agree, and considering
how we have often seen the mail wagon:
driven from the Fost Office in this city, to the
railroad depot or TO the steamer, without g
soul to mind whether-as might easily be
done-a bag was shaken off or stolen, ou,
wonder is not that there are complaints o.
losses, but that the losses are not greater
We want our mails carried promptly and safe
ly; but we do not want an English Sir James
Graham system ofspying into private CORES
pondence, either to catch criminals or politi
cal conspirators. There are Police, of various
kinds, and plentiful other legitimate mean
for these purposes.
The law allows no seal-breakng by pos
Office officials, except the seals cover letter.
addressed to said officials. But the law ha
been overridden by set of spies, acting
under advice from the Post master General
and we regret to see that the Grand Jury o
the United States at New Orleans has ignored
the bills of indictment found against D. P
Blair, and George Whitman. post office agents
who, in the crusade against Post Master Ken
dali at New Orleans, opened letters not ad
dressed to them. The English people lonl
stood almost every kind ofgovernment tyran
ny and outrage, but when they found Post
Master. Sir James Graham opening privat,
correspondence, even though it was the let
ters OF Malzni, a foreigner and exile, they
raised such storm, that the spying mon
archy dared not try the disreputable game
again.
Since writing the above, we find that thu
Post Office Department feels compelled to al
apology for the seals-breaking of its agents
1t is lame apology for the Chief of the Blu
reau to say that this irregular" practice
has never been sanctioned by the Department
for the fact that the Post Moster Genera
knows of the practice, and still retains thu
practicers in his employ, is clear endorse
ment of their nefarous acts. We hope Mr.
Campbell has learned his espionage tactics
from the dirty Jesuitry of politics, and moi
from that of the "most holy" Roman Catholic
Church, to which he belongs-N. YMirror.