Tri-weekly Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1859-1861, 1860-02-25
The Franking Privilege.

the Post Office bill, sticking on to 1t, an
amendment abol;shing the ranking priv
lege, but very properly the House struck
out the amendment by vote of two to
one. The Democracy have all monies of
the Government under their control
they have the Post-Ofices, Mail Agents,
and Mail Contractors, and can circulate
what documents they desire the people
to see They know that majority of
the present Congress are opposed to them;
that this majority will ferret out an uns
told amount of stealing, forging, and most
revolving corruptions, carried on under
the sanction of this Infamous Admins
tratien, and they are not anxious to have
the facts with the proof, ranked all over
the country, as they know they will be, if
this privilege is continued. When the
Democracy had a majority in both Houses,
which was for many years, and they could
suppress Investigations in their official
corruptions, as they did-they not only
did not repeal this pri0ilege of the
People, as it really is, but they dill not
attempt to do it, for, then they could
send out matter tie suit themselves, when
In and on the eve of the Presidential
contest. But now, when the corruptions
nay the astounding frauds and robber-
les, of the immaculate Democracy, are
about to be expos ed, by talented array
off men, actually pledged to make these
disclosures, this Democracy have become
wonderfully economical; and instead of
cutting of the frauds that have been prac
ticed to the tune of millions, in the Pub
lie Printing, Mail conveyances, Jobs aud
Contracts, they are trying to shield o6i-
cial there's, and to initiate the British
Government in the repeal of mis- called
Pri0ilege, which imposes enormous labor
and expense upon the Opposition mem
bers, in order to give the honest people
light--for members of Congress pay for
every speech, and every paper they frank
home.
We are not surprised to find the viii
famous Democracy, In view of what is to
come. seeking to repeal this privilege,
but we are greatly astonished to find the
whole Tennessee Delegation present, were
drawn into the Ubiquitous snare, except
NELSON and MAYNARD, who, like bold,
fearless, and discerning men, met it and
denounced it. BRABsoN was at home,
on visit to a sick family, or he would
nave been found battling side by side
with his East Tennessee colleagues. That
there have been abuses in ranking there
can be no doubt. That these can be corr
rected by wise legislation, without abol
ishing the frankihg privilege, there can
be as little doubt. We repeat, the won
der Is, that this measure should emanate
from Democratic Senate, when a ma
jority of the House are opposed to the
Administration when that majority is
pledged to ferret out the abuses and cor
ruptlons of the Government and when
the only means to thousands, in the inter
i'm, by which knowledge of such ex-
posure can be made known, is through
the ranking privilege, and members of
Congress, for the reader will bear in MUD
that many honest voters, and patriotic
men, are too poor to even pay for a news
paper. The Democratic idea that mil
hon and eeglt hundred thousand will be
saved is humbug; for no mail carrier
VIII transport the mail for any thing less
than he now does, as he cannot know
that members of Congress will not paw
the postage on their documents, or that
political parties will not raise fund to
do so, and thus force him to carry them,
his mail bags being as much loaded as
ever. Gen. Millson, Virginia Demo
erat, made speech against this humbug
OF reform, which We heartily approve,
and will hereafter publish. Mr.. NELSON,
OF Tennessee, also made a brief speech,
which states the points, and which we
most heartily approve, and will copy.
Inc Thanking privilege was first assum-
Gu ny The Commons of Great Britain, in
the year 1860. When first attacked by
an amen Mt offered by Sir Walter Earl
10 the fost Otfiee bill. This is where Dem