American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-01-30

From the message of President Davis we learn
that there is still in the expenditures of
the P.'st Ofi'e Department and above the in
come; and to meet this excess, Congressional
legislation il recommended.
We. speaking for ourselves. willing TO submit
10 any burden which may be actually necessary to
sustain government and. speaking for the peo-
pie. far = have any means of Knowing their
sentiments believe that they willing to sub
init ;o any which may be deemed essential aud un-
asnidahi-
That the Departmnn: should he self sustaining il
Desirable. beyond question; that the means of mail
communication from every part Of the Confederacy
should he a piete circumstances will permit
IL = fact which will not he g,iusayed. That CHEAP
POSTAGE FACILITATES rug TRANSMISSION OF IN
EoRx.rIo~ AIDS MATERIALLY IN DiFFUsISG
kSowLsDGE AND ISrELLtGE~cE AMONG THE PEo-
PIE. has already al nitre.i and cannot now be
considered question open for debate.
We state the foregoing propositions because like
the aSams in science. they are seif-evident ; and
whilst they not he overlooked or disregarded
If the Postal Bill receives that consideration which
we have a right to erpect from enlightened repre-
sentitves. they constitute at the same time the
samntn totum OF all the considerations which ought
q be brought II bear. either for increasing retain
ing or diminishing the present rates of postage.
Having no official reports before us. have no
data t. guide us in considering the absolute neces
sty Of increased rates; but can. we have no
,ubt. gsest the means of econom sing i'm the ex
peniitures aud. if the proper eTprt lie made we
have little Doubt that the expenditures of the De-
psrtment can be reduced to the limits of the in
come.
l. II the Postmaster General will take the steps
necessary to obtain the information he will find in
opinion, that there mail Inns in nearly eve
ry county of this State aud doubtless in all the
States, which may either he shortened or dscontin
ned altogether. without any public Inconvenience
In one OF the counties adjoining this we know of
tw' lines, if they have not been discontinued since
the war. which accommodate no neighborhood be-
tween the railroad and the common terminus of the
lines. distance Of about twenty miles. Every
paper and every letter carried those two lines
could he carried by mail stage-coach which leaves
the railroad about ten fifteen miles south of the
point where Of the horse mails crosses or leaves
fhe railroad. and has its other terminus common
with that of the two horse mails
!. The second mode of economising suggested
Is in the amount PAID t. railroad companies for the
transmission of the mails. Let Congress p.ss Law
fixing the rates In he paid these companies for their
services and let them be required to render the
service for the compensation thus fx4d hy law II
may be contended by that such a law would
be unjust towards the railroad companies. We
contend that il would not he that on the contrary
IL Is q duty which they owe. aud should be REQUIRED
Go perform FOR the Government.
When Government needs soldiers in the field she
demands those between the ages prescribed by law
These are required to leave the comforts of home.
to live upon coarse fare. and frequently on an in
sufcient supply of that cook their own rasions.
TO march through mud and rain to lie upon the
ground at night. and. in the hour of battle to ex-
pose their lives. For such services they receive
the sum Of fifteen dollars per month. Surely then,
those who are exempt from these burdens. hare no
right to complain If. during the at least. they
are required Go serve their country by carrying her
mails ut . compensation fixed by law.
We trust that our Representative from this dis
trct, and the Representative from the Kinds dis
tret viii give this subject their attention ana that
the country may not be burdened with anv increase
IN re present rates ef postage