The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-13
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL AND THE NEW YORK
TIMES


If anything is wanting to exhibit the utter help
Aessness of studied criticism and systematic com
plant il is abundantly supplied by the New York
Times. That paper charges the Postmaster Gen.
eral with extravagance and folly ia Executing a
law Of Congress directing the establishment of an
overland mail 10 California, and complains bitterly
that the of that particular service do not
pay its expenses Now, as often as the Times blum
ders and stumbles in its comments on pohtioala
can hardly attribute to Its conductors 80 rsuch
ignorance to suppose they did not know anything
Of the act Of Congress referred TO. But aside from
the mere question Of responsibility for the establish
ment Of the overland mail, the Times cannot fail TO
see that il was not revenue measure Who voted
for it as suchg Who sought it as source of profit
TO the government Whe did not know That il
would be a burden upon the treasury that 1t was
created considerations broader than that of profit
and lossf We are convinced that the Postmaster
General, III putting into operation the route knew
perfectly w1ll that it would entail serious fax upon
his department. But it was establi shed For import
ant State reasons. Ii was intended to open up TO
settlement the great interior of the country
to create highways between the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts Ito invite travel across the con
tinent; and, in our judgment, it ia abundant
iy justified by considerations of State policy
Inc Post Office. system is not purely mail
system. 1t has been, and we trust viii be in all
time 70 Come, the pioneer of the West. 1t opens
and points out the way and promises to every set
tier who penerates the interior that he shall have ia
cihtes for communicating with the friends and reIa-
tives whom he has left behind him. The Post Office
is messenger whom all rely for service Its
liberal management has done much TO create those
powerful States Of the West and South which now
contribute 30 largely to the public revenue We
doubt indeed, if the policy that would crcumscribe
the operations of the Post Office to arevenue sys-
tenn would not be the most expensive and unjustiia-
bic reform ever ordained by the people. Economy
in management may always be enforced, but that
species of economy that would tie the legs to keen
them from wearing out the soes of ones boots is
very different matter. But there are those who pro-
pose that the government shall speculate on in
dividual enterprise-that the latter shall contrib
ute all the means to support the service,
and leave the business Of the former entire
ly free. If Congress- and the country must have
seh-suslaihiiK postal establlslment let them
cut off the conveyance of free matter, which is all on
their account. II they win load the mails with
bools, documents. and speeches if they will insist
that their own letters shall pass without charge they
ought not to complain of deficiencies. But we must
not be understood uondemning the free system
ithas done much good 1t has kept the represent
alive and the constituent in constant communication
1t has advised the latter of the works of the former
1t is IN harmony with representative government If
it has cost much money it is very much to be doubt
cd whether it has not effected corresponding benefits
But there is no need of any controversy about the
matter It is for Congress TO determine the charac-
ter of its postal establishment. The head of the
department is required to enforce the law as il is
and we are convinced that department never was in
more competent and energetic hands than atpresent
Our past experience shows that we can maintain
paying establishment. If the people will suffer them
selves to be taxed to carry the gratutous matter of
the government that is all. The law of lS45 was
self-sustaining. At present there is not single
State in the Union that pays its expenses while
the foreign mail service is very serious tax upon
OFFICIATING CLERG YMEN OF THE HOUSE or