St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-03-22

the end Of each quarter, he draws his
$500, and pays over his 500 to the MAI
who does the work. He TINS pockets
his salary from the Post Office Depart
ment Of 81, 200, less $240 which he
pays to the man who performs the ser.
vice. Nine hundred and sixty dollars
per annum are therefore paid for nc
other earthly service than the partisan
support Of a corrupted press and
this is no exceptional case, for through
out this broad land Post Offices anC
Custom Houses are made to pay trib
ute for the same sycophantic and de
grading prostitution of that engine
which should ditfuse both light and
truth.
But again, sir, have a little fur,
thcr experience in my State. In the
summer Of 1851 man in the town of
Lexington, in the State Of Michigan,
was detected in robbing the mail. 1t
appeared that he was Il deputy-post
master that is to say, the postmas
ter lived some mile or two away from
the Office, and dcputized him to act as
postmaster, under.thc plea that, own
ing the Democratic paper, he must re-
Cclve the revenues of the Office to en-
able him to run his press. The facts
of the case were set forth at the Post
Office Department. How was the
guilty man treated ? The Postmaster
Of Lexington was removed, and the
identical man who had robbed the
mail was appointed to succeed him
| supposed that this was a mere mis-
take ; had supposed that they had
taken the postmaster who had been
removed for the thief, and l applied al
the Post Office Department to have
the mistake rcctiIicd. | brought tho
papers along and submitted them tc
the Postma6tcr.Gcncral, and said
"This is clearly mistake, and ask
that it be rcctiticd, aud that this man
be removed" He said every we'll
will have it investigated"
This was during the first session OF
the Thirty-Fifth Congress, and some
months after the man had been detect
ed. ! went to the Post Office Depart
mcnt from time to time, but | was
turned away and sent to one Of tht
Assistant Postmastcrs General to SCI
what progress was made in the invcS
tigation. Finally, the Assistant Post
master General drew out larg
quantity Of letters from leading Dem
ocrats i'll my State, and said that i
was necessary for the Democratic paI
ty that this man should be kept in ol
flee. But" said |, this man is a pos
Office robbcr, thief ; and deman
that you have him removed. do nc
ask that Republican be put in hi
place, but that you have u Dcmocra
appointed who will not steal We'll
sir, the demand was deemed unrca
sonablc. lie was not removed Il,
was retained in Office and more sir
he was prumotcd--hc was promotcC
to be the deputy United Marshal tO
! that district after these charges were
made and proved. 1t was very la
crativc place for him. Under the post
master he could rob the mail, and be
/ ing deputy United States Marshal, hi.
very first act was to establish an i'm
mense manulacfory of countertci
money. Llaughtcrl but he held hi
office there for two years after thcs,
facts were established True he wa.
liberal man he owned a ncwspapc
press, and they could not have Dem
ocratic press there without giving i
the patronage of the post Office. il,
spent his money freely, and he coulc
afford to do so, for he made it himself
[laughtcrl OF all beyond what he go
by rohbimg the mail.
1t is these abuses, extending from
the highest to the lowest officer unde
this government, connected with tn
Post Office Department, that prevent
it from becoming a sclfsustainin.
concern. 1t is absolutely ncccssar
that different and more economical
system be introduced. | understan
that the present Postmaster Genera
is laboring with all his might to re
form many Of these abuses. | hop
he will succeed in rcmcdying many {
them but do not believe the frank
ing privilege is the greatest or one {
the greatest abuses.