Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-02-05
abe CItarddS iltppblitan
Wednesday Morning Feb, 5, 1852.
CLEARFlELD, PA

Wednesday Morning Feb. 5, 1852
A REroRM or DoUBrFUL UTLrTY.-ThC
act to abolish the frOnking privilege to
members of Congress-to take effect lst
Of July next-hOs passed both houses, and
been approved by the President.
We have not read the bill, and there.
lore arenot accurately informed as to its
provisions; but we believe that it makes
i clean job OF it, and after the first ofJuly
next members of Congress will huye no
moro authority to transmit letters and
documents through the mails postage
free, than if they were private citizens
If this is the case, then we doubt its utili-
". But one Of two consequences must
result: The people will either do without
their accustomed information from Wash
ington, and remain in great measure ig-
uorant of the doings of their representa-
tives; or, pay them higher salaries, or
what amounts to the same thing, furnish
hem with postage stamps at the expense
OF the Government.
An industrious member of Congress,
who desires to furnish his constituents with
fair proportion Of the public cdocuments-
such as messages, reports, speeches, &c,
connected with the administration Of pubs
lie afiars-ir he be required to prepay the
postage thereon will spend at least halt
his present salary. If the postage is requi'
red to be paid by the persons to whom
they are addressed, the result will be that
very few will be sent, and very large
proportion or those that are sent will rot
be taken from the Post Ofices-and hence
the Post Office Department, after paying
the expense of their transmission and re-
turn 20 the Department as dead matter to
be made fuel for bonfres, or sold to the
uaper-m akers-will derive no revenue Mt
vi, and the people deprived of that
amount of information.
A reform Of the abuses Of this high privi.e
rge was much needed but not the total
humiliation of the system. We have
toasted much Of our intelligence as a ma
lion. Yet recent and transpiring events
show most conclusively that Tho rant Of in
formation was the cause Of our destruction
No man can now doubt that if the people
of the North, and the people of the South
had understood each Other as well eigh
teen months or two years ago, as they dc
now, they would not now be engaged il
each Others destruction. The people o
the South were led to believe that tn,
people OF the North not only acknowlsdg
ed the doctrine of secession, but that the,
were actually in favor of peaceable separ
alton and on the other hand, the pcopl
or the North were made believe that tn
South was poor, weak, dependent com
munity, without energy or resources
clinging to the North for support an
protection, and that in case she was stut
born and disinclined TO do what we Of tn
North desired of her, it would only be
breakfast job" TO whip her into terms
Such was the state and magnitude Of oil
ignorance previous TO the commencemer
of our present struggle. We do not pre-
tend 10 say that the longer practice ofor
present ftanking privilege would prever
similar Misunderstanding in the future
But when we see what great trouble ou
ignorance has brought upon us, shoul
we not rather seek to open and widen I'll
avenues of information to the people tina
to contract and obstruct them?
Notwithstanding the innumerab