Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-08-29
Trtat OF . r. N.

A postmaster sends to the z. s. Mlh
the following amusing account of his Off.
cial experience duriag the 6rst few days OF
the operation Of the new postal law. lie
seems to have rather enjoyed the scene OF
confusion aud creature complaints which
S always the Temporary result Of a change
u postal m,tters. however beneficial il,
may ultimately be. We trust that by this
time the irate public Of B. have be.
come more reconciled to the new order Of
things:
B--r. n. T., July 4.h, 1868.
EDrroR U. s. MAIL:
DEAR SrR-My Complaint Book 10
ready, and now, like patient disciple Of
'IzAak,' am waiting for bites. I could
have had it full all ready, had l taken
down all the complaints that have been
made here since the New Law took effect.
The Department very wisely limited the
boundaries Of complaint to the reports of
letters lost or strsyed, otherwise postmss
ters and their clerks would have their time
fully occupied with this new feature Of the
postal service.
The New Law went into effect at this
Office, very carly on the morning Of the lst
Of July, very much to the surprise OF msny
who guessed they were goo for five cents
who always psy their POSTAGE who can
pay for dozen postofices, and have mon
ey ieft;' who left their change at home.
supposiug they were good for ten cents for
| ha Nax va~
was perfect leveller of distinctions. With.
in my glass stocksde, loop.holed for letters
instead of mnskets, resisted, for one day
at least. the onset Of my poorly armed as
sailauts. With no other weapon than the
law-'Thou shalt not deliver TO any person
paper or letter until the quarters postage
is paid am proud to report officially.
that / outfanked the enemy completely,
and at night had tull possession Of the field.
with very triaing loss to editors, aud, 1
trust, none at all to the Department.
have demonstrated to my entire salts.
faction that, so far as living up to the law
in the collection Of postage is concerned, q
good General will make the war short,
quick aud decisive Now 1 write you in
tue firm belief that you are the postmas.
ters friend want you to stand by me,
until am proved guilty Of the charges that
have been made against me.
A crazy woman has written tue Depart.
ment that 1 have cheated her out of five
cents in making change. An old gentle
man says he will report me because l failed
to put paper in his box that was intend
cd for him, though plainly addressed to
somebody ese-'l should have known by
the looks Of the prappcr that the paper was
his Another swears that l am q ID
small pattern, because he is worth $l6,.
900, and would not let him take his pa
per, when he promised to send down the
i've cents the very next day Another
says he will never take another letter or
paper from this Office, but viii! 60 home aud
collect his bills in advance, aud see how
they will like that
| Quo man swore that he would report ME
for collecting postage on daily papers pn1-
Eshed in the c0shty-'he had read the law,
aud knew they were free Another man
says tho Government is all going to pieces,
because il don't make postmasters do as
they agree He paid two shillings for a
box twenty years ago, with the positive un'
derstsnding that he was always TO hsve
box, end never pay any more Some, who
live ten miles out, are down on me, because
1 dou's keep the office opeh oil day Sun lay,
so they eau get their letters il they happcn
to come to town to meeting. Tue above
are only q few Of the couplaints. but
enough, perhaps, to give you little idea ol
how stand in the estimation Of my perse'
cuted and involuntary patrons
| don't want to be turned out ID c0nse.
auence of them without q fair hearing.
therefore, l want you to show up to the
Department my defence to these com
plants in the MlA. il am obliged to au-
swer. J. W. A., r. ".