New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-13

ycus question, and So coo 900 had been unpro6tably
ffiiteIed away with lightning rapidiy. AT that tine,
TOO they epent two three days in giving their aen
ton, not to the bill ise but to the question of general
legislation. TIE bill hao now back to them with
the proposition Of the Senate fer REFORM and now they
were met at the very threshold by the Senate, who
had rensed to pass the bill which the exigencies OF the
public service demand should be passed speedily.
They that within the last twelve months the vari'
Gus departments Of the Government bad become EN-
barTassed and crippled by the determination OF the
Senate not to pass bill unless, indeed that the Com
mittee agreed to add to it which he did not
believe necessary. They thus placedin this posi-
ton that they either consent TO piece Of legisla-
| ton which they did not approve Of, or adopt the
alternative of allowing the operations of the Govern
ment TO be cogged and crippled. Ii they consent 70
the action Of the Senate in this matter they would put
ii out of the power of the House, in all time to come
to resist any future attempts to alter the legislation OF
tbe country by mtaps of an Appropr alton bill. The
Appropriation bill, when rent to the Senate, does not
require amendment-indeed can scarcely admit Of it
because it il drawn up perfectly. and with ykwto
meet tbe current expenses OF the Government nsroto:
fore the amendments consisted almost altogether OF
additions to- changes in, the existing law, and the
bill is sent back with these amendments al the very
time when they have not had time even to read them
and when members return to their homes they are in
profound ignorance of what changes have been made
in the laws. This not just and even If the changes
were necessary they ought not to be compelled % the
Alternative of adopting them without consideration
because OF anxiety which at all times prevails, OF
passing the Appropriation bills AS to the franking
privilege, he was opposed to its proposed abolition
After ali what was this ranking privilege the
privilege of spending perhaps hundred dollars Tor
the publishing Of members speeches, aud Inc
privilege Of working day and night to circulate these
speeches among their constituents and thus keeping
the people informed of what was Transporting at the
seat of government. Instead of privilege, he looked
upon il placing aborious duty upon the shoulders
of members, and he for desired very much that
bis constituents should relieve him Of the burden it
entailed They might well say that it was through
privilege the officers of the navy were sent abroad TO
uphold the national flag in all parts OF the world, as
well along the sckly coasts OF Africa as upon the
classic shores of the Mediterranean The officers Of
the army enjoy privilege which is sighting priv-
lege, that they may put men to deah or be put TO
death themselves in time of Let all these priyi-
leges be abolished at onee-he roaming privilege the
fighting and the Senatorial and representative frank
ing privilege. The plea for the abolition Of the frank
ing privilege is, that great deal will be saved to the
country thereby; but he did not see how IN this way
a saving could be effected. Ii was said that the Post
Office should be a selfsustaiDng department. lie, for
one, however had never thought that this should
necessarily be That proposition proceeded upon
the assumption that there was no portion OF the
people of the United States who derived benefit
from the operations of that department except those
who received letters and newspapers by mall ana
who paid for the benefit thus received. But this
was great mistake. There were thousands OF men,
cutivators and laborers, who never received letter
in their lives, and who never subscribed to news
paper and who could not read either II they DID,
These men learn nevertheless, through The working
of the Post Office things OF great advantage TO
them They learn from their ueighbors the market
prices, and the rate OF labor and where laDor Is
wanted The farmer the lab0rer, the mechanic, and
the merchant, and all classes of the community, each
in bis own way, made acquainted with what
passes in the great world beyond them through means
of the Post Office, and thus all are benefited Inc
POST fice is the great duser of knowledge, and they
would be opposed TO the instruction OF the people VINO
wOud attempt to lessen It's usefnlness they might as
well ex pect the Courts Of law to We setsustanng as
| IL, D,o4 nan fpan
sustained by those alone who receive letters and news
papers by mail. lie looked upon the attempt TO abo
sh the fIankng privilege as subverslve OF the nrst
principles of instruction, and subveIsye OF the p1ln
cipes upon which the Government was established
This was not monarchy, oligaIchy but II was
popular government, sustained by popular opinion
Tie Government w ss ruled and controlled by the
people, and how could the people discharge the great
trust they held if their representatives, here
kept them in ignorance of the action OF the Execu
snd sending Si5'"' important documents to their
constituents was not extensive matter after ALL
For instance supposng that the cost of printing one
copy of the Presidents Message amounted to so,OVo
a fecond copy would cost only ~ cents more, ana
third copy would cost only 10 cents additional and 80
on He was opposed to OVERRIDING the work. but a
medium o1ght 10 be observed. He was opposed 10
amendments proposed in this way mo- only because
the SeDaes amendments did not come before taen ia
proper manner but also because he objected 10 the
theory of the projected change. lie did not believe
the fTankng privilege involved so great an expense as
IL
but by aboishing the franking privilege would the
Government save that amount! lie was convinced
that they would not. One great evil they would cause
by abolishing the fraIkDg privilege, for, whatever
errors might be committed here you take 1t out OF the
power Of the people to correct them, by cutting OIL
Communication between the people and their repre-
sen,atives by refusing to furnish them with oinclal
documents For these reasons he was opposed to the
amendments proposed by the Senate.
| Mr.. COBB Dem. Ala advocated the giving ont of
the printing of the Post Office blanks by contract.
Mr.. FLORENCE Dem, Pa said that 1t was a
mistake that seventy per centum would be saved, Dut
| about thirty would be.
Mr.. COBB replied that that was worth saving, He
also advocated the abolition Ct the franking privilege
The good in the system not equal to the evils:
Mr.. STANTON rep, Ohio concurIed IN the views
taken by the gentleman from Virginia Mr. ml'sonl,
and like that gentleman felt 1t obligatory upon MN,
thus early in the session, to prevent # possible; TINS
vile practice Of Incorporating independent Legislation
| upon appropriation bils. -,
Mr.. BURNETT (Dem., Ky.l asked what rule did
| they violate by adopting amendments OF TINS kind'
Mr. STANTON-AppropTiatio bills are indlspen-
sable TO the carving on of the Government. Without
them thew could lot move, and the public service
would be brought TO deadlock. Every memoer
upon that floor mQeratively Obliged 10 NOle 70 as
| not 10 defeat the purposes Of BILL lie held as
great Injustice and calculated to lead 10 nasty anu
ruinous legislation TO incorporate motion OF gresV
importance to AL appropriation BILL in the last hours
of q session. and compel them to stop the Wheeis vi
| Government TO acquiesce IN measures which tney
believed TO be destructive OF the Puohc "eat l;
pripcipe by adopting rule which prohlblts tue ,fv
duction of any amendment to an appropriation , On.
| which proposed to change any existing laws Iha .
rule WAS founded on common sense, ana recomnehu9u
itself TO the House. lie submitted, tne'elo,o' ' ,m
House could not with proper regard to its own dlg
nity and privileges permit rule to remain unrePeaeu
| among those which regulated the business OF the
House, and by which they org mate ep ht