, 1860-02-20

Uaton.
Especial Correspondence Of Tue Pres. and T.ibunel
WAsn11a7ox, February IT, 1sGo
Yesterday was consumed in the House in dis
:ussiou on the amendments Of the Senate to the
Post Office Appropriation bill, in fivc minute
speeches. 4 couple Of dozen were nade-all
Of them on the sixth amendment proposing 10
abolith the Frankiug privilege, and to repeal
all laws allowing matter to pass free through
The mails. TWAS finally rejected by the deci-
siyc vote Of ayes GO, noes liz, being more than
two.thirds. The ouly Northern members who
voted for the proposition were Briggs, Sicklcs,
aud Coclrane, of New York; 1arrabcc, of Wis
cousin; JOY Morris and killinger, Of pennsyl-
yania; Scott, Of California Porter, Of Indiana,
und Riggs, Of New Jersey-nine in all.
The proposition was opposed on various
grounds. 1st. That it was not germaine to the
bill before tue uouse-tlat it was an improper
to make to an appropriation bill.
I'd. That the subject Of abolishing the Franking
Privilege was one that should be embraced in a
carefully drawn bill, consisting of many Sec
tions, to guard against evils and injuries that
would necessarily full on the public service.
Sd. That its repeal would not add materially to
the revenues Of the department, nor
would it cheaper the transportation of the
uails,. us railroads and steamboats, would
charge precisely the same after its abolition as
before. a rallroad charges the Department
for the use Of n cur. Whether i. carries fire
hundred or Que thousand pounds Of mail mat
Ter per trip, makes no odds with tie coutrac-
tors, as the tnail bags are not conveyed by
weight; hcucc nothing could be gained in trans
portution. 4th. That the weight Ut franked
matter passed through the mails is not one hun
dredth part ct the gross avordupois Of the
whcle mail matter, Newspapers and periodicals
included. Therefore, even if tue mails were
carried by the ton, the suy1nS would not be one
per ccnt. deduction on the present cos: Of trans
porta:ion. 'th. That If trauking was abolished,
Congress would make special appropriations
out Vi the National Treasury fur tue pay ment Of
postaSes for members Of Congress, President
and Cabinet, aud Postmasters, to lcfray tile
cost Of their oliicial correspondence Of ll kinds.
At best, this would only be taking money out
Of one poke: and paying it into the other; but
itwould open the door ~ iunumerable frauds
and abuses. 9Th Suppose Congress should ap-
propriate $50 year to pay the postage Of euch
member, some Of tkcm would spend The whole
sum for tlle purpose contemplated, and others
would put lhe most Of it in ltleir pockets. The
sane abuse would run through the whole public
service, and the Treasury would be made to
bleed at ten thousand pores. 7th. But suppose
that every public oll;cer is compelled to pay the
postage on his olicial correspondence, the nrs:
Thing done would be to incrcasc tue salaries 81
those functionaries- that Of members from
$3.LOO IN to s4.uD0 r.. annun1, FOR instance.
stl. Not less 49,. eight thousand postmasters
wou1d -4.o~ up their little Offices, If the priyi-
't:c now enjoyed by them Of frauking their pri-
yutc correspondence were taken IRON them, as
the pay attached is too Insignificant to compen-
safe them for the bother aud loss of time in dis
char.lnE the duties Of those offices. Special
appropriations would have to be made to them
oat Of the Treasury, which, in the aggregate,
would amount to tcn times as much Us nil the
postage tho government would gain.
Many other objections weic raised, which I
have not space TO mention. The Senate will be
obliged ~ rccc'l: from, its amendment us the
House vii! HOT let it bc eu.raftcd Oh the Post
Office appropriation bill. a great mauy men'-
bers are in favor Of abolislin;; The whole Post
Office Department. aud directing tue Govern.
10 convey and deliver the mails Of the United
:saics, at the present rates OF postage. II the
Express companies would make Il definite and
satisfactory proposition 10 Congress, l really
believe there is al minority in both branches
ready and willing TO make contract with them,
AMI turn the whole mail business over to them.
THIS would be the most tenef;cent reform that
ever was adopted in this country. 1t would
strike down, Ut one blow, tlree fourtls Of tho
oyersdadowlng aud corrGptni. patronage of
tie Executive. The mails would be carried
with more celebrity than at present; they would
te delivered morc promptly; there would be re-
sponsibifitv for money lost; all mail robberics
and purloining Of letters would ceasc. aud when
anY man suffered loss liz would bc sure Of
prompt rcparatiou. There would be despatch,
regularity, efficiency, pofitencss upd SAFETY
guaranteed to the public in the transmission
und receipt OF their postal mattcr-whetLcr
written or printed-insteal OF the present sys-
TEN # delnyS. irregulurty, insutlircncv, iusol.
vency, ind insecurity. IL is believed that the
Express companies would gladly take the con-
tract, aud could mike money out Of the job,
while the Government is losing fire millions u
year because, 1st, they would bc ut little or no
cost for transporting the mails, as they have an
Express car chartered. with IN Express ugcnt
in it, Oil I'LL tue railroads. mud similar arrange
mcnt GU steamboats, and other public convcyan.
ces; I'd, they hare Offices and agents provided
ut nearly every station or village in the United
Statcs. Hence, tue Two vast items Of expense
incurred By the Government, iu compensating
all army of Post Musters and canveyin. The
mails. would he in great measure avoided by
circum'ocution Of the present Post Office sys-
tenl wonld tc wiped out, aud the immense cx.
rensc required for its support would be dis
pensed with.
Members Of Congress say, that if there is to
he reform, let it 1e a comprehensive and q
useful one. AM. not sham. such as that which
would follow from The adoption Of the Senate
amendment 10 abolish official franking. Is moi
this the common sense vicw Of the matter?
One OF tho Senate amendments which The
House concurrcd in gives out ile printing o.
the Post Office blanks to the lowest bidder
This provision vii! save tho Treasury from thr.
IS to fifty thousand dollars per year over tllt
1l,t 4rrv &t1tf1,.F 1trr,,frnenf ron pfnpz al,
lowauce Of interest on the deferred debt to con
tractors to themselves, aud not to their assign
ees, on condition that they rclinquisl III
claims to damages, tbs interest being ID lieu Of
damages. The amendment WIS ye.y proper
md jNacious one, as it will not on1y couler
benefit On the contractors. who hare been
shosed pretty deeply by as*ignces, but it vii
sAre the tovtrnment from fighting Il thousand
vcxatious law suits for damages iu the Court ol
Claims.
In the Senate, Brown, Of Mississippi, offered
resolution inquitin. whether u census of thu
inhabitants of ka,sas had been taken p1elim
nary to the proct edines which hare resulted in
the formation aud ratification Of the Wyan
dotte Constitution. The discussion WAS partic
ipated in s,y Msssrs. Brown, DooIit,le. pugh
Coamcr, Seward, Mrson, y.yard and others
The Republican members commended that il
was too late 10 to raise that inquiry, acd alsc
that Kansas unquc>tiOnaby CONTAINED ample
population to cntltle her to admission. Il very
detective census, taken some time ago, under
the orders Of the Territorial Legislature, re-
ports .U.Rf0 people; but several Counties were
| not enumerated ut all. The number of voter:
was ascertaiacd to exceed "a oto, which wou'd
| Indicate over leo, ,0tk' Inhabitants. The census
| to be taken next summer will lind more than
| that many peop!e. The question Of population
| is raised bv the South fur the sole purpose oil
| excluding Kansas nntl alter the rresdcntia
election. 1t is notorious that Oregon contained