The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-20

On motlon 10 recomm the resolution the vote stood
ayes GO, g. Speaker Banks to the of
Governor Reedevoted in the negative that the motion
to recommt was lost by tie vote.
AN ABOLITION SPEECH SPOILED.
Horace Greeley under date of February II, wrote from
Washington TO his paper in New York that Senator VIII
will strongly open the for free Kansas
monday, the sh) if opportunity be offered" 1t
arranged then by the aboonis,s early Sundu last,
that Senator Wilson open the Kansas discussion
Monday His speech prepared for state of things
which was entirely upset by the documents transmitted
to the Senate Monday. He had arranged TO make a
strong the facts he had obtained them from abo
on sources The facts forth by the correspondence
aud afHdavits accompanying the message
whelming that Senator Wilson found himself greatly
barrassed He had prepared denounce the proclamation
in unmeasured terms but unucly the President to
the Senate evidence that Senator Wilson's champions in
Kansas-Cols. Lane and Robnson--had demanded not
only proclamation but the nterposidon of the United
States troops-the very things which Senator Wilson
going to denounce We have speech badly
spoiled Senator Wilson efectually esopped by the
letters of Lane and Robinson from Directing the Prs
dents proclamation much was Gov. Reeder from
Directing the legality Of the Kansas legislators whom
duly elected
THE LONDON SPECTATOR AND OUR POST OFFICE
DEPARTMENT.
We had occasion days ago refer to the bunders
and misrepresentation of Mr. Pny Miles touching our
postal laws and regulations and put the public their
guard against them. As might have been expected we
observe that the London Spectator has ayaed itself Of
these bundes and taking them facts
sh postal system to the dspaagement of the former In
lis issue of Goth December abiding TO statement in Mr.
Miless pamphlet Postal Reform" it has the following
remark:
owe have been able To discover how falacous
Is the argument of American Post Office official, who
believes that the number of letters msen and totally lost in
the United States contributes to the because people
are obliged TO write many more letters There trans
Atlantic Measors, it seems"
Wishing to learn the ground of this fling Amer
lean Post Office official turned to Mr.. Miless pam
phlet and in paragraph referring to the number of
tiers held for postage under the present arequiring pre-
payment, we found the following remark
"Some of post Office officials fall back the
strous proposition that postal business will increase
consequence of this law for finding their
miscarry often, the public will write lettersF
Now what does the reader suppose Mr. Miles had Of
which manufacture this bold Misrepresentation We
have taken pains to inquire and It turns out beyond
doubt to he simply this:
When be writing his pamphlet he called one
the officers of the department and with grand Alcsan
flourish gave notice that he about our pre-
payment postage law all How was he to begin
He going show how much the department
the unpaid letters which are despatched for
want of payment How he to ascertain their number
had ed thp Lat stad bly
to regulation in of large city Offices and
this be bis basis Of calculation He once as
sud that his premises would be erroneous and course
bis estimates false for three Because the num-
Der of unpaid letters cities is much greater proportion
the whole number OF letters written than in the country
towns for the that in country places the writers
either hand their letters the postmaster IL not the
chances the postmaster will know from whom they
come and in either win take collect the post
age Because many of the unpaid letters advertised,
in cities subsequently, prepaid by their writers
and sent forward. Because, in many instances IL
expected letter does not to hand the circumstance
gives rise to letter OF inquiry, and the department thus
receives two rates Of postage where 1t would otherwise
have received but These let it be remembered
undoubted facts stated only deonsrate TO Mr. Miles that
his basis Uould be unsouni not he has falsely repre-
sented that Is desirable have letters lost mssent
In order that by the writing Of other letters rendered
oessary by such irregularities the of the depart
ment may be increased
What should be said of man guilty of such perver-
sion Z
No denies that occasional Inconvenience are expe
reuced account of compulsory prepayment; but COM
pared with Its advantages these very slight Under
the late system 1t found impossible with $4,000 post
masters scattered large extent of country TO
check their accounts aud the plan Of requiring prepay
nent by stamps adopted the only feasible one to
protect the department against frauds and secure to Il
Its just Thus far know the law has worked
vorably and that the great majority of the people APP
prove Of it. Let it be thoroughly tried. BY and BY
when it shall have become fully understood that prepay
ment is compulsory, the department may deem IL advsa
bic to adopt by which uapad letters may
be delivered to their address.
There is other quotation made by the Spectator In
respect to which, without attempting further corrections
we have single remark to add II is as follows:
"To certat" kaoHtedge (says Mr.. Miles letters on
postal affairs OF great importance often in Post Office
Department several weeks waiting for answer This Il in
consequence OF press OF Business and insufficient nun
Der OF clerks matters that the head Of the can
not control, being restricted BY law"
We have said that Mr. Miles removed from the Post
Office Department after being tried several subordinate
desks the duties Of which he found incompetent prop
ery 10 perform He speaks OF his certain kno,e7s
to the delay Of important business in that department