American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-07-26
~a From the Bdtfimofe Patriot. .
oTEICIAL coRRUPTIoN.
A N ID nAINr w IifIr nIr I, r,ncn, At c,n,,,n c,

A BARGAIN WITH THE POST MA AsTERs.l
When the Post Office Department i,
rupt officials. and a venal government,
for electinneering purposes, it becomes
the people to guard well their liberties.
We abuse literally enough the police
system of France for having a spy in
every drawing room. and an caves drop
tper at every table d'hote !; but when an
administration, calling itself Republican,
demands that the post-masters Of tho
United States shall not only act as po-
litical spies upon all who draw letters
from theirrespective Offices. but more
over calls upon them to contribute pro.
rata towards the expenses of this per-
nicions species Of electioneering. we
can scarcely find language sufficiently
strong to express our indignation at tile
loose morality it evinces in the tempt
ers, and tho proclivity to corruption
which Pre-suPposes among the tempt.
ed. .0.. ..... ,...'-...r 10. .....''..
The first evidence Of the movement,
recently initiated under the auspices of
tho National Democratic Committee,
resident at Washington, comes to us in
the shape Of the following document,
which was sent under the frank of Geo
Vail, Nj. c., to one Of our Mary land
post-mAsters, and which is sample
pattern Of thousands of others that
have been despatched in like manner,
to those holding similar official stations
, in all parts oftho Union. -
n ~
oCRATIC TICREsrDENrC oMMirrEn, WASH
iugton, July 2. 1856" "..
To the Post Master at .s
Sir: The Democratic National Com.
mittee respectfully request you to send
in, at your earliest convenience, sepa-
rate lists. .. ,a.. .. m.. n..''..
l. OF English names. .H ...#.a
2. Of German, Swedish, Dutch. Nor
wegian and French names of persons
who receive their letters through your
Postoffice, for the purpose of sending
them Democratic documents, calcula-
ted to promote the,election of the Dem
ocratic nominees for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency of The United States.
D@ Very respectfully. s'''''.o -
l"54o %. CHAS. JAS. FAULKNER. =,
Address: Hon. Chairman Nat. Dem.
Resident Committee! 7'.a9 no E.s.h
This circular, innocent as it looks,
and praisewor,hy as its designs appear
to be- on its face, ma SKIS, under a re-
quest for information, All official demand
upon the Post masters that they shall
degrade themselves to the condition of
spies. That they shall note down the
names of all who call at the respective
Offices for letters, and the places oftheir
nativity. and shall in fact constitute
themselves political inquisitors to pan
der to, and promote Democratic misrule.
Two things further strikes us--HiM
nam es are not asked for in the circular,
from which we may reasonably infer
that the Irish vote has already been Sc.
cured by some othsr means--and
each Post master is to forward his re.
port to the Honorable Chairman &c, of
this Democratic league. We would re-
spectfully suggest that Honorable 10 q
case ofbargain and corruption is a mis-.
nomer. But it will be said that there
is no evidence Of anything Of this sort
in the document we have just produced
-wait a little and read what follows
IL is circular which we find publish.
ed in the Albany Evening Journal, for
warded to that journal by Postmaster
who received it. N .... .........