The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-30
THE POSTAL SYSTEM.

THE POSTAL SYSTEM.
| In our review of the Postmaster Generals
report, last week, we omitted to notice his recon-
mendation that the franking privilege be abol-
! ished. We entirely concur in this suggestion,
and hope that it may be adopted. 1t is not
only a fruitful source Of corruption and abuse,
but insuferable sponge upon the time Of
members. The duties Of legislation, Improperly
performed require time for reflection, research.
and debate; and the exercise of the ranking
privilege to the extent of making it useful to
the people in the diffusion of information, is
entirely Inconsistent with these higher duties.
The Postmaster General, in his report, es
abolished in which we entirely concur. He es
Inmates that it costs one and half million of
dollars to transport franked matter. AT present,
the Department receives an annual appropria-
ton of 500, 600 from the Treasury, in consider
alton of this burden, but it is believed to be less
than half enough. Apart from this considera-
ton, we are opposed to the Thanking privilege
on moral and political grounds. The privilege
is grossly abused. Practically, every man in
vested with this privilege. In the first place,
some hundreds of expert writers are employed
by members to write their names for them and
these men are paid two to five dollars per day
for their services in this way. In addition to
this army of professional frankerS, many
more, or perhaps FIVE times as many more,
practice it for their own convenience and emol-
ument. The Washington Union states that the
business correspondence of Washington is CON
Quoted to a large extent under cover of the
franking privilege; and thus the mails are lit
orally loaded down with public and private
matter, sent free of postage. By all means, let
the nuisance be abated
But we are opposed to the substitute recon-
mended by the Postmaster General He rec
ommends that members of Congress and others
who have enjoyed the franking privilege be al
lowed stamps in lieu of it, Gd Hbitltm. We can
not see how this plan would remedy the evil
We are not sure but that, in this age of patent
inventions, a machine might be invented for
the purpose of sticking ON of stamps with as
much facility as names can be written. 1t
would be out Of order to suppose that mem
Der Of Congress or public functionary could
stoop to the meanness of selling stamps; but
even that abuse is within the range of physical
possibility. In our judgment, much more
simple and effective remedy than that suggested
by Mr.. Brown would be to allow moderate
sum for the purchase of stamps. One hundred
dollars, for instance, would pay for three thou
Il Il: IL, a..
stamps; and any man who writes more letters
than that i'll twelve months will have very little
time to devote to statesmanlike occupations.
As to sending out private speeches and docu-
mcmts, the whole thing should be done at pr
vaie cost, and such matter sent out by the Re
pubicans would so much safer through private
channels. it is notorious that the deputy post
masters and employees have no scruple in stop
ping Republican publications, even in the free
States while in the South they are contraband
of war, and are no more tolerated by Mr. Browns
sworn officials than are the manifestoes of
Mazzini, Hugo, and KosSuth, in France and
Austria.
With these views Of the franking privilege, we
have studiopsly refrained from awaiting our
selves of it in our business correspondence We
hold that we have no right to deprive the De
partment of It's revenue, and impose upon it the
burden of carrying our letters and circulars
although our occupation is to diAuse knowledge
and sound principles among the people. And
for greater reason, we protest against sys
tenn which enables men to rob the Department
by fraudulently. compelling it to convey ord-
nary business correspondence gratuitoasly.