Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-03-14
Post once Reform.

Tia most intslerabls nuisance connected with
he administration Of the general government, is,
upouss,ionably, the Post Office system as at pre-.
sent organized. For al post Offices tina. are worth
h.siss. d il known that theincumbent is selected
generally. may. almos. universally. upon partisan
grounds; for having rendered service 10 some po-
sition or other, either 10 tho party or to some
member Of Congress- whose protege be may hap.
pen 10 be.
Thus, an Administration having control Of this
important department. with army Of retainers,
perhaps hapdred thousand strong. distributed,
like the disciples Of Ignatius Lloyos all over the
continent; in position to exercise espionage upon
the correspondence Of the public. and to rrosti-
tuts to party ends, what was des gned to be a
great national benefit to be administered upon the
strietest principles Of justice and impartiality.
We repeat that IL Is tremendous engine in the
hands of any..psrty, and is liable to be abused as
much uthe interest Of one party as in that Of anoth-
en- To remove The evil in.eparaby with the
present system, we should favor decided reform,
by stripping the Post Office Department Of its
patronage. and disposing of the Offices to the
highest responsible bidder who could give securi-
ty for his good conduct and the faithful perform.
ance of his duty. The contract system has been
adopted for the transportation of the mails why
could it not be extended to their delivery Tho
government docs not, 'single route in the
whole country transport the mail: it stipnlatcs
for the performance Of this service by contract.
Why may it not agree with the contractor to per-
form the duties OF n postmaster alsof IL this
plan could prevail, it would not only remove ma.
ny Of the objections that exist to the present sys
ts, bat il would be attended with an immense saw.
ingto the government. Post Offices whose revenues
now amount to 50. 500 or $4,000, could be filed
for 81, 900 or 1880, thus saving to the govern
snent full ffty per cent. 1t would. moreover, re-
move post Offices entirely from the domain Of po
itics, makiwg them mere business agencies con-
Quoted upon common mercantile principles. 1t
would insure greater dispatch and care in the ma
nagement Of the business, MS an official would not
feel that he had friend at court, to interccde
with the party in power to retain even m I'M
faithful officer, who happened to DO n faithful
partisan and plant tool Everybody knows how
difficult it is to secure the removal Of inefficient
and unfathiul postmaster, so long as bc adhcrcs
to the fortunes of the party that put him in
power.
1t is pretty generally understood that one men,
Der of Congress can defeat eaectually wholepo
pulace.
Though disposed to . reform in this mnttcr,
would still give the Post Office Department the
same power over their officials. except in the
matter Of appointment and removal for political
considerations that 1t has now, so that when
any contractor failed in his duty, he might DO de-
posed.
So far as We can understand them, from the
mere outline that has met our view. we believe
these to be the principles Incorporated in tho Post
Office Bill now Ending in the House of Represent
atives, and We hope that it will be adopted. II
the contract system could more generally prevail
in all the Departments of tho government, there.
by nbridgns its patronage-it would remove many
Of the dangers which sasacous and patriotic
men sec in the fearful increase Of this fruitful
source of corruption, aud restore health and vigor
to the body polite.