Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-01-30
SPEECH OF Mr.. COLFAX
OF INDIANA,
On, the Abolition of the Franking Priv
q. ilege.

ttflt eI tII VI lNOlANA, rfrI t.ef.fa Il
On, the Abolition of the Franking Priv
~ i ilege.
Mr. CoLFAx, now call mp the bill a.
bolishing the franking privilege. which was
postponed BY a vote of the House to this
day. -
The SPEAKER The regular order of bu-
siness is the consideration of bill, H.
r. No. 1911 abolishing the franking privi-
lege which was postponed to this day.
Mr.. CoLFax, / shall thank the Clerk to
read the bill and then will make few re-
marks explanatory cf it.
The bill was then read. 1t provides
that from and after the first day Of April
1862. the franking privilege shall be abol-
ished., r ,s.f1 :. -.. sf.f;,.
The second section authorizes all persons
now entitled to the franking privilege to
send all mailabe matter through the mails
without prepayment of postage, the same
having the name Of the person sending it
written or stamped thereon; and upon all
such mailable matter the postage shall be
collected from the recipient.
The third section provides that the post
age on such mailable matter shall be at the
rates now fixed by law, except that speech
es and seeds. stamped as such. may be
sent in envelopes, as now at the rate of
one cent, If not exceeding two onnces in
weight, and one cent for every additional
two ounces or fraction thereof; and public
documents. printed by order of Congress
and stamped as such, at two cents per
pound or fraction of a pound. For any
distance exceeding two thousand miles.
double these rates shall be charged and
collected on printed matter thus SENT
Public documents. during the recess. may
be sent from Washington to each member
OF Congress at his residence, for distri5u-
tion, without payment of postage; but
when mailed by him. postage shall be col
lected upon them from the recipients. at
the same rates as If mailed at Washington
city.
The fourth section repeals all laws son-
flicting with these provisions, so far as
they conflict with this law.
Mr.. CoLFAx, Mr.. Speaker, bill to a
bolish the franking privilege has passed
the Senate on several different occasions,
but has never yet passed the House Of
Representatives,. believe that such bill
has never get received a favorable report
from the Post Office Committee of the
House until this session. The bill is re-
ported by the committee unanimously, with
the exception of single member, who re-
serves the right to vote as he may think
proper after discussion OF the bill.
1t is we'll know to members of the House
that the franking privilege has been claim
ed as of great benefit to the people. and
opposition has been made to its repeal on
two grounds: that, in the FIRST place. the
franking privilege is a privilege which
keeps open the connection between the
Representative and his constituents; and.
in the second place, that it permits the
Transmission of documentary and Con-
gressional matters that may be of interest
to the member's constituents. The COM
mitiee not desiring to make too radical a
bic. in abolishing this privilege. not to In
terfere with the benefits claimed for the
franking privilege. 1t will be noticed that
this bill proposes to put members of Con
|, gress on the Same footing as soldiers ol
, the army. These are allowed. by the Leg.
islat;on of last session, to send letters
through the mail without prepaying post
: age. leaving the postage to be collected
from the recipient. The same privilege
, is retained in this bill for members.
The bill then provides that the postage
: on seeds. speeches. and public document:
Q shall he at the lowest rates now known
J under our post-office law. The speeches
D and seeds. stamped as such. are to be car
ried in envelops at the rate of one cent. j
| not exceeding two ounces in weight, and
one cent for every additional two ounces
or fraction thereof. Public documents
$ printed by order of Congress, and stamped
as such. are to be carried at two cents pei
9 pound or fraction of a pound. For any
r distance exceeding two thousand miles
! double these rates Of postage are to b
: charged. 81 s'i'ss - efs
e There have been three plans suggested
| for the abolition of the franking privilege
, The one is to abolish it entirely. leaving
members to prepay their postage as othe
0 citizens CT the United States. This is th'
| plan suggested by the gentleman from New
e York. Mr.. Duell J. in the substitute which
q he has offered. consider that this chang'
S is too radical, as nine tenths of the CORES
: pondence of members is not on our owl
2 business at all but on the business of ou
e constituents. they regarding US as being
: sent here as their agents TO attend to th'
S various matters Of business which all larg'
e districts must have with the Governmen
S Departments in this city.
1 The second plan suggested is to furnish
n each member of Congress with ono han
? dred dollars worth of stamps. to be uset
: during the session. This plan, it scemi
9 to me. would operate unequally. not in th'
: number of stamps given to members. bu
from the fact that the correspondence o
7 members differ in quantity. Some, mem
: bers from the Western districts have mucl
I larger correspondence than those from thi
: eastern districts. l refer, for instance tt
, the business with the General Land Office
!. Every Western member has to go to tha
t department almost every day. the Eastern
E members scarcely ever visit It. It is so II
: regard TO many other Departments. I fea'
the result of this second proposition woult
{ be that we would find these stamps being
= sold around tho streets of this city by mem
e bers who would not have used al viii
4 (which they were fr1rnished The r0emI1e,