Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-12-22
MONDAY, DEC. %, 1856.
Postal Affairs.

The remarks below of the Memphis DIP
peal, in regard to the postal arrangements
of the Mississippi Valley, apply with equal
force to those of this section of country.
We look forward with great deal of inter
est to the appointment of new post mas
ter general; one who has an intellect suf-
fciently comprehensive to take in the inter
ests Of every section of the country, and
energy and decision of character enough
to coerce his subordinates into a prompt
and faithful discharge of their duties. We
doubt whether anyFother civilized people
have ever been cursed as we have been
by the management Of this postal az
fairs. Regularity is thing scarcely dream
ed Of nowadays; and if Mr. Buchanan
succeeds, through his postmaster general,
in bringing order out of the present state
Of things, he will confer q blessing upon
the country for which every one who reads
a newspaper, writes or receives letter,
and especially every newspaper publisher,
viii sincerely thank him.
From the Memphis Appeal
The MKT Psi MASTER GRNERAL-CLATM OF
TIE WEsT.-So far as postal arrangements are
Concerned, we may assume, without the fear
decentralization, thatthe Mississippi Valley ha-
been more uniformly and grossly neglected by
the Government than any other region of the
whole Union. To establish This fact, if any
should be so reckless as 10 cell it in question,
1t is only necessary to instance the imperfect
and unreliable mail arrangements which have
been up to this hour appoTtoned to the Missis-
sippi River and its great tributaries, running
through region OF country which is an ems
pire itself in extent, Astounding 10 wealth and
teeming with population inferior 10 intelli-
geDce and enterprise 10 none on the face of
the earth. 1t would be a waste of words to
point out in detail the respects In which the
Great West has been neglected. They are
patent to all. Butts imperfect idea may be
had OF them when we state up to this hour the
Government, in its Astounding charity and fa-
voritism for other section of the Union, has
not yet been brought TO realize the necessity
of establishing a regular Daily Mail on the
great finland sea" which flows by our city. Ii
we had been left TO ourselves, to provide such
facilities as the necessities of our locality
ground for reasonable complaint and such q
state Of things as we now witness could not
possibly have existed.
Out OF our own inherent resources without re
sort 10 the stepmotber kindness Of the Govern
ment We would long since have supplied necessary
postal systems, aud placed our section on footing
CT something like equality with the most favored
and caressed. out even this poor privilege has not
only been denied 70 u.s. but its exercise prohibited
LIZ It'd - a..
IL may be said, however, that the Constitution
itself constitutes IN the government this postal mo-
nopOy, and that therefore, no exception can be
taken 10 its exercise Let this be granted. But
are monopolies free from all responsibilities Do
they not come under obligations 10 the public, and
10 this instance did not the government assume g
monopoly 10 mail matters because it was supposed
that il was necessary for the general welfarei-
because individual enterprise Was not deemed
competent to supply the country with mail iscil
ities! IL this be tue, then the Government has
come under the highest possible obligations to do
what she has Undertaken, and which she has pre-
vented others from doing.
Have not the WESTERN STATES, alike with
every other section, n right to expect that the
General Government, after assuring to itself
the prerogatire OF GrIviag all rivalry and COM
petition Of States and individuals from the
field, a-d taking upon itself the exclusive con-
bEOl vi TIE pos III interests OF tie people. Will
10 good faith see that they are scrupulUusly,
properly aud impartially cared fol7 From a
common treasury, to whose now overhOwing
Golfers the Mississippi Valley largely contri-
buIes, may we not demand full share of the
appropriations annually expended by Congress
for the mail seryice7
Our rights being clear in the premises, and our
neces,ities pressing, We trust that Western Con-
gressmen will lose no time and leave no argument
unuttered TO impress upon the Government the
importance and justice OF supplying the Western
States, and particularly those contiguous to the
his-issippI river, with the mail facilities demanded
by their commerce aud agricultural wealth. And
10 aid Of this measure Of -stice, without presum.
ing 10 dictate TO the PREsIDEEr elect We respect.
fully ask that the POsrMAsTkR GENERAL shall be
selected from some one OF the Western States, so
that we may have assurance that the claims OF
this section will be properly appreciated and pre-
sented TO the Government. We make no sugses-
tion Of the individual to be appointed All we
ssk is that he shall be able and efficient off,
Ger, aud q WESTERN MAN.
Important Question.