Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-12-04


The Post Master General.
L has been frequently remarked that the Post
master General is The best-abused man in the Gov
eminent While the duieslcf the ofics require more
practical sagaoity and Unremitting energy than
those Of any other department the greatest possible
amount Of sagaoy and energy cannot prevent inter
ruptons and irregularitesin the transmission Of the
nails In spite Of al that can be done cars sH run
Of the track, steamboats, uiH hang on bars, stages
l7H break down, water courses ioiH carry of their
bridges, and roads wiH become muddy and impassa-
BE. Without. considering the numerous and una
voidabe causes Of failure, persons suffering in
convenience from the detention Of the mails must
be expected to complain Of the Head Of the
Department. GFumblng at their public servants,
is q national peculiarly of our people Il is
one Of The blOOdbOught privileges Of American
freemen.-it is 3 republican institution, ct once
aproOf and g consequence Of our independence.
Now there are several very obvious advantages
in selecting the Postmaster General as the OBJ
jeot Of this national fault-fnding disposition espe>
ciay when INDUCED il by the editor Of an opposi-
tion newspaper. In the first place, as they must
abuIe somebody connected with the postal service.
IL is much more safe to snar at officer as far away
as Washington, than those nearer home Then
too, an attack on cabinet officer may weaken the
administration snd help to break down the Demo
cratic party-a oonsummatiou for which these oppo-
sition editors devOutly hope and labor. And in
addition to al these considerations, the Know
Nothing organs Of thislstste entertain most ma.
AgnanE sniRoslty against TIE present Head of the
Depsrlclept ia memory Of inc severe csstiRatous
Re :3A9'sd upon their party IN 1886 s2d 90.
n, III
Eyibuts the very unjust and nlsnatured assaults
Fbich have been recently made upoa the Post
Sass1er General by the opposition press There :
surely nothing in his administration of the Post
cSise Department to provoke those assaults The
country has never been so well supplied with postal
faSi.ri:s st any previous time; the delivery of the
mails has never been SO prompt, regular and expe-
ditOus and the average cost Of transportation Per
nlile as never been low for the same grade and
ehsrs-ser Of service. We make these statements
f. n careful comparison Of he statistics of the
Department, enc a. intimate acquaintance With ila
operations. Knowing the immense burdens Ipon IL
Post Office Department, by Congressional enaotments
requiring the Postmaster enera to enter into many
expensive contracts for the transportation of the
mails over tracts Of country, and across the ocean
where the receipts totally inadequate to the cost
and considering the very low rate Of postage and
the extensive Of the frankiDg privilege, we have
been astonished that such excellent and completes
postal accommodations could be afforded the people,
without much larger annual expenditure In the
South and Southwest particularly, the mail service
has been greatly improved and increased. The
most unremitting e1ertions have been made by the
Postmaster General, to make the mail facilities Of
this section more nearly equal with those Of the
Northern and Eastern States, and the consequence
is, that region Of country hitherto isolated and
neglected, is now supplied with every desirable
Venience for communication and travel. He has
not confined his attention to the large commercial
cities and great thorOughfares of trade but has exS
tended the benefits Of his postal arrangements
throughout the country into every civil district in
the United States.
Having no real grounds for their complaints, the
enemies Of the Postmaster General catching up
every rumor that reaches them through the papers,
as an apology for their attacks, One Of our Know
Nothing contemporaries, is good deal exercised,
about a reported mail route to South America, which
fills his mind with the most horrible visions Ofnational
debt and bankruptcy. Let him be cOmforted Not
q copper will ever be taken from his pocket to pay
the expenses Of this route. If any man can be
found willing to establish line Of steamers between
this country and South America, or any other
nation, looking to the hostages received on such
route for his pay, he will probably be allowed to
commence supplying the PatsgOnians with mails on
such terms, Immediately, and our contemporaries
valuable newspaper will soon be read by the natives
Of Fusgo with the same interest that it is
now read in Nashville. If, however, no such enter
prising individual can be found, fear the people
Of South America will be deprived Of the privilege Of
reading the Bonner at breakfast, for considera
BILE time longer. The Postmaster General will take
particular care that the proposed routes are no
expense to the Government. Let neighbor be
assured Of that and when no next feels disposed to
grumble at Governor BRcwE, any other officer Of
Government, it might be well for him to inform him
self of the matter, which forms the subject Of his
complaint.