The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-08
No. 662.
A CARD.
REPUBLICAN RnnMs.


Washington, Sept. 3, 1859.
| deem it my duty TO call the attention O
the people, and the members Of the Congress
sional Republican Executive Committee partic
ularly, to one of the most despieable acts of DO
litioal prescription ever perpesrated by any Ad
ministration or Government officer in order Il
accomplish party ends.
On the adjournment of Congress, the Congress
sional Republican Executive Committee made
arrangements with me, as Secretary of the Ma
tional Republican Association, to have prepared
printed, and circulated, certain political docu
ments, and the Hon. John Covode, of Pennsylva
MIA, was detailed toattend to franking the same
This work has been industriously prosecuted
and Mr.. Covode has from time to time visited
Washington for the purpose of franking and
mailing the documents, all of which have been
regularly forwarded by the Post Office Depart
ment, until Friday last, when some 10000, and
most of them for Minnesota, were sent to the
Post Office, as formerly, for distribution. Short
" after their arrival at the Post Office, Post.
master Jones sent package TO me by his mes
senger, with the remark that he had reason tc
believe that the frank on it was not Mr.. Co
vodes, and they would not be sent from the of
fee
Mr.. Covode and myself Immediately called
upon the Postmaster, when produced the re-
turned package, and the Postmaster put the
question to Mr.. Covode, whether that was his
frank Mr.. Covode promptly replied, IT &C
knowledge that TO be my frank" This reply
did not satisfy the Postmaster. He again put
the question, and was answered in the same
manner. The Postmaster then went on to pre-
sume that, whilst Mr.. Covode acknowledged il
TO be his frank, he 1.-THE Postrnaster) did no,
believe it was written by him, and, unless he
would avow that he franked all the documents
himself, he should not send them off. Mr.. Co
vode was not disposed to make any such avowal
An appeal was taken TO the Postmaster General
who decides that if the Postmaster has reason
to believe any franked mail matter received Al
his Office is not written by the person himsel
whose frank it bears, it is to be retained in thu
office, and that no member of Congress, or othel
person legally authorized to frank, has a RICH
10 deputize any person to do it for him, ever
though he go personally and acknowledge it a,
his frank.
So much for the Postmaster and the decision
of the Postmaster General, and now a word al
TO the general practice of the Post Office.
1t is fact patent TO the whole country anC
certainly to every individual who has visited
Washington, that but very few members ever
do their own demonstrating, but generally
authorize their wives. daughters, sons, or clerks
TO do it for them, and never before has an at
tempt been made to stop these documents be
cause not ranked by the members themselves
For years past, the different political organi
zations have been in the practice of sending out
from here documents known at the Post Office
10 have been franked by clerks employed by
these organizations, and no exception has here
tofore been taken to it.
The clerks of the Post Office inform me thai
it has been their universal practice to distrib
ute all such matter coming to the office.
When asked for precedent for this act, As
sistant Postmaster Tree cooly referred me bach
TO the case of DaUid Crocket, when he was in
Congress.
We do not object to the decision of the Post
master General, as it is in accordance with the
printed regulations of the Department. Bu
why does the Postmaster demand this decision
at the present time and that, too, upon docu
ments issued by the Republican party, and al
ready in his office, in accordance with what has
been the custom for years past? The answer
must be plain to the mind of every person, Of
whatever stripe Of politics he may be.
In the first place, most of these documents
are directed to Minnesota. Secondly, because
violent partisan holds the office of Postmaster
Thirdly, because, in the language of Postmaster
Jones, there was too many of them !; that, had
there been fewer of them, they would have been
allowed to pass. Fourthly, because the Demo
cratic clubs not at the present time activel,
at work sending out documents.
| requested, that as he had admitted, over
and over again, that il had been the custom OF
his office for years past to mail these docu
ments, without any objection whatever, that he
would allow those sent to the Office before this
decision was made to be forwarded, and apply
the rule to all future documents coming to the
office. But this he peremptorily refused to do
even though many of them were franked BY
Mr.. Covode himself If this is not poltica
prescription, then / know not what poitica
prescription is.
For weeks past / have had it intimated t.
me that these documents were to be stopped
in the Post Office, but paid no heed to suci
rumors, little thinking that any man holding
the honorable position of Postmaster Of Wash
ington city would descend to such party tricks
He may attempt to shield himself under tn,
cover of prescribed regulations and the decis
ion of the Postmaster General; but ask why
he has not applied this rule to his own party
and particularly in the case of Hon. Thomas
b. Florence, who has for months past beer
sending through the Post Office thousands o
his Democratic Rerie'c circulars, known TO hav,
been franked by his clerk.
During the campaign of 1856, called upor
First Assistant Postmaster General King (wht
still holds that position) with reference to THU
very question: and he then frankly informed
me that, were the Department called upon t.
decide this question officially, it would be com
PEELED to decide according to the letter of thu
Post Office regulations; but that this practic'
of franking by proxy had become SO genera
IN its operations, and been carried on by all pc
litical parties, and for such a number of years
that general usagerhad almost r2ade it law
and they were not disposed TO do anything il
the matter, unless the City Postmaster de
manded an official decision. Col. Berret, wht
was then Postmaster, demanded no official de
cision, because the Democratic as well as thu
Republican party were at that time interested
an the matter. But things have undergone {
change; the Democracy have now no desire
or are too much divided among themselves, Il
attempt to instruct the people on any of thu
leading political issues Of the day; but ever,
means must be- taken to retard the onwart
progress of our cause.
Those persons who are expecting document
from the Committee will learn by the above
statement why they have not been received.
LEWIS CLEPHANE,
Secretary Nat. Repub. Association.
FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
AUGUST 25 1879