Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-02-06


on them. because ihey viii really make
money by 1t. They have for several years
been considering the question of raising
tho priceof their daily issues from two to
three cents, but they hare hesitated about
doing it for fear their patrons would not
justify them in It; but if we require them
to pay half cent stamp tax. they will
then raise the price,. and can afford not on
ly TO pay the tax, but will receive hall a
cent additional profit on every paper they
SELL
Now. sir. there is nothing very strange
IN tile fact that newspaper publishers sho'd
be somewhat sensitive in respect to the
legislation of Congress upon this subject
do not blame them for it. do not
blame any men for attending to their own
interests; but think they ought to be con-
sistent; and when they ask Congress to
make sacrifices of privilege. when they ask
them to give up the ranking privilege,
they ought to he willing for the public
good. to give mp privileges that are dear
to them, if such sacrifice were required;
but as have said, see no reason what
ever why this should diminish their cir
culation to the extent Of one subscriber
There is one other suggestion 1 desire
to make in connection with the comments
of the New York press. 1 find in the New
York Evening Post, which paper I regard
as one Of the ablest edited papers in the
city,-(a gentleman says they have all
read the editors poetry at my expense
Il Laughter]-an article, in which the
writer says: 500
"If the Government would issue two
cent stamps for the postage of letters hav-
ing the ordinary weight. and sell them to
the private expresses for cent each, the
expresses would carry and deliver the let
tiers for the remaining cent; the public
would be better accommodated than it now
is. and the Treasury would obtain ten times
the amount Of money which can be extort-
ed under any modification of the present
system. Mr. Colfax, will find. on inquiry,
that this arrangement might be made with
the expresses, and it is hardly necessary to
represent to man like him how much.
by carrying through such a reform. he
would deserve the gratitude of the ecun-
try for Kidding it of an odious monopoly
which is standing reprOach to our legisls-
ton"
Now. sir. we have got the same monop-
oily in the hands OF the Government in re-
gard to the coming of money. A man
owns the gold dust or bullion in his pos
session. and yet the Government steps in
between him and the use of his property,
and tells him that he shall not place any
stamp upon his gold by which it may CIR
culate as money, nor shall it circulate as
money or become a legal tender, except
through the medium of the Mint convert
ing it into coin. There is nothing very
strange in the clamor which is raised in re-
gard to the Post Office Department.
There is always q clamor in reference to
any far-reaching system like the Post Of
flee system. affecting all classes of society
and controlling so much patronage as this
Department does. Ii any gentleman sup
poses the Post Office Committee. in the
duties they have had to perform. the com
plants they have to bear. and the lcgisla-
ton they have TO Struggle for here. have a
bed OF roses on which to ,epose. feel very
much like saying tothem. as the preacher
did who invited anybody who thought
preaching was such an easy matter. to get
up into the pulpit and try it. Laughter. ]
But, SIR. Jet our post office system bc des-
troyed, and you will find the people CON-
ing up here and demanding Of Congress to
know why we have diyerged from The path
marked out by our forcfathers and follow
ed for three quarters of century: why we
have destroyed so universal and wide
spread blessing. They will ask US why
we did no perfect the system when we had
the opportunity; why we did not do it by
the passage Of this bill as well as by the
abolition Of the Thanking privilege
l repeat. that If this bill becomes law.
and the bill passed by this House some
days ego becomes a law, in my Judgment
and in the Judgment of the Committee on
the Post Office and Post Roads. the Post
Office Department will be able very nearly
to pay its own expenses from its own reve
nues and as the country increases in popu
lation, and the now sparsely settled por.
tions become more thickly populated, the
revenue and the surplus will go on increas
ing.
Now, Dir. Speaker, ! am willing. in thu
} time yet remaining Of my honr, to answer
any inquiry that may he proposed; and
will first yield to the gentleman from Hi
nois. [Mr. LovEJoY.
Mr.. I.ovEJoY. There were several ques
tons which l had in mind 10 ask durin,
the progress of the gentleman's remarks
and one occurs TO me now. The gentle
man made some rougA estimate as to how
, much would be CAMEL in the way of reve
nue. to the Post Office Department if al
the newspapers in Cincinnati should b.
taxed; has the gentleman ever estimated
how much would be gained to the revenu
of Government if all the boxes of straw
berries in Cincinnati were to be taxed
the vendors were required to put postag
stamp upon each box. or if tax were lev
led upon all the great variety of article
which are exported from that city?
: Mr.. CoLFAx. will answer the gentle
mans question with pleasure. If tn
Constitution had provided for Congress
( Establishing routes for carrying strawber
: ries by the Government and all the law
t of Congress by uniform construction 70
f seventy five years had recognised the pro
< priety Of carrying that article, would ex
tend the sane provisions to them. But a