Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-10
The Franlring Privilege.


Senator Powell. of Kentucky, has introduced
bill into the body of which he 10 member, re
healing the Law which grants the frankipg priv
ieee to members of Congress. It takes away tn
privilege, indeed, from every of6cerOf the Govern
meut Ex.Prssidents alone, aud those to whom
tho privilege has been granted by special acts ar'
10 be allowed TO use it. The President himself II
10 have hi. hostages paid BY the State Department
and the Vice Presidents to be paid By the Secre-
tary Of the Senate.
In lieu of the franking privilege each member
Congress 10 to have one hundred and scventy,five
dollars worth of postage stamps Furnished him al
the beginning Of each session of Congress
This last clause Of the bill vtiates and destroys
the whole object. The franking privilege ouGh'
to be abolished Internationally, If at oil. 10
take away the privilege, and then substitute an
eouivaen. for it in the way Of postage stamps. Is
a mere evasion If Congress repeal the law, let
1t be repealed altogether, and lei our national leg
isators he put in this respect, upon the same loot
ing with all other officers Of the Government
without doubt it would be a great saying to
the Treasury to pass even Mr.. PowelPs bill But
the principle Of it is wrong. All the other o'hce-
holders Of Government have to pay hostages.
Why mako an exception in favor of members OF
Copgresss They arc already pnid extravagan'ly
for their services Three thousand dollars a year.
mileage at double the rates paid to members oil
the Legislature, stationery without stint, new'Pa-
pers, books, and sundry other perquisitcs, con't-
tute heavy amount in the aggregate Tor mem
bcrs Of Congress. We have seen reliable es''-
mate made. showing the aggregate cost OF 'n'
two Houses of Congress to be an average OF over
thirteen thousand dollars per annum to each ihh'-
yidual member. The franking privilege may be
taken away and still leave members Of Congress
not SO poorly paid ms to let the Office 60 a
begin: Members of the Parliament Of Great
Britain do not receive any pay at ALL
Mr.. Powelrs object, no doubt, is to break up tho
fragrant abuses Of the franting privilege which
prevail in Washington. 1t is notorious that many
members Of Congress give away their franks u
private citizens. Hundreds Of letters leave ash
ipgton every day, written bv private citizens, and
on private business, but franked by mcmbcrs.
This is an abuse and gross violation of tie law,
which ought to be stopped. 1t is not On unusual
circumstance that member will frank whole |
bundle Of envelopes for citizen, to be used by
the latter at his convenience. The franking pri-
vilege is in many cases source oil annoyance 70
members. instead of being as the law intended
it, q benefit TO his constituents.
MIR. PoweWs bill ia. therefore, step in tho
right direction, bu, it fails 70 meet the fully.
Our postal service which, n few years ago, paid
revenue into the Treasury, is now an annual tax
upon it Of several millions. This iranking PRIV
lege, while it is heavy item 81 cost, IS not til"
only one. Let Congress lay the axe Mt the root OF
the tree--and make Il general sweep OF the frank
ing privilege, the half dozen California mail
lines, the Ocean eteamer subsidies aud the costly
and almost useless mail routes in the wilderness
of the West. II is unjust to make one portion Of
the Union pay the postal expenses u another
-
A Norfolk paper furnishes the following !acts,
which strongly illustrate the Oppression of the
negro, of which we hear SO much from the false
philanthropists Of the North. These simple facts
which can find their parallel almost everywhere
throughout the South-are worth NIL the Aboll-
ton theories in the world. 1t is simply ignorance
Of slavery. its workings and its relations, that is
at the bottom Of so much Northern hostility to the
institutions
John Sandersop, Ego, Of Norfolk County has
pnid his negroes this season, $3.50 FOR corn raised
by them for their own benefit on his farm. He
paid ono Of the men alone, $3.50. They are al
lowed time TO work for themselves and land to ill,
and they are paid literally and eheertuly Tor the
product of their extra labor.
George A. Wilson, Esq, Of the same section,
for corn produced under circumstances similar to
the above. has .ecently settled up with his men for
the year, paying them 5000
We take pleasure in stating further, that ". W
Warden, Esq, also of this County. has recently
paid his hands $500 for Corn raised his land
he, like the others. having allowed them time tl
work for themselves; and there are many other
similar cases.
This is all in singular and striking contrast with
the misrepresentation of abolitonists North
The negroes alluded to, like millions in tho South
ern States. are not only plentifuly provided FOL
in every way, but they are saving money to use u.
they may find best in coming years-and witha
they seem as happy as lords. They work vel
and cheerfully in the day. and at night aud during
the holidays, they sing, dance, smoke, cat swee
potatoes, drink hard cider, sit around the big ktch
en- fires. laugh and grow tat," regardless Of al
the a. tom foolery" and nonsense about the "poo
oppressed slaves"
The French Mission.
The Washington correspondent Of the philadc
a.,