The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-06

vice Pr09laenC.
Me.nbers OF the Cabinet. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I
S Ss1sss s' 9 ssssssss ii
Delegates IN Congress. neutrality-suspicious.. 8
Secretary OF Senate anu Clerk OF House Of Rep.
Assisiant secretaries, chief CLERK. &c, state
Ass, nDr ATTORNEY General aud CHIEF clerk
Assistant Secretary. Commas. oners, chief clerk,
&C., Interior Department. ................... Is
Chiefs Of bureaus, chief clerk, &c. Navy Depart
Ohlefs OF bureaus. chler clerk, &C.. Of War
department. ...................... 81
Assistant secretaries, chief clerks, &C., Of tue
IRE. sury DeparIinenL-:::::: ............. %
.nss4sGant tOsJnlasLers General, superintend-
ents Of foreign mails and money order sys-
TEN ana cher clerks Post once Department. 0
Total. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 440
Add internal revenue officers assessors and
assistant collectors ana deputies. .......... lis
POstmastefs On lat November, 1850. 1913
Total. 81 1888
III tins stalement alone - an army OF ST. saa, vino,
generally speaking load the mails At Will with what
ever matter they please. Some OF them, to be sure
are granted only limited privilege, vet, practi-
caly, the restrictions are no longer operative. To
these should be added the countless most VINO al.
dress communications to members OF Congress-
delegates the Clerk OF the House Of Representative
the Secretary Of the Senate, heads Of departments
heads OF bureaus, chief clerks and all others au-
tnat any cheeks whatever can be imposed and en-.
forced against privilege 30 widely extendedl s,n.
BuJ Cne UlIuCullcb luCTcdbe Wuen ~ IA .npthar
c1nssicFed that the judges who s.aclde upon the
0ennneneas OF irankS ore Sie enlre corps or 21S7S
lostmastcr. sea.scred ali over the country none OF
whom, with tie utmost diligence, can hope to
OF more than lew OF the privileged. In the
larger offices wnere one hour Is the longest time
that can he allowed Tor making up the mails, and
where " is necessary to receive and manIpu-
late thousands OF letters Oal,y, II il impossible
even II the genuine signatures were known, TO
MAKE systemalic attempt 70 exclude matter I'M
properly ranked. " nat Is the RESULT Bound ess
frauds, OF course wlthoat possibility OF detecting
them, or even hope Of preventing their further
increase. In fact every irank counterfeit Or gen.
une, equally ellecuve and the extent OF the EVIL
is hmived only by the wants o. those who desire to
il has been well said that ''there ia no middle
ground between boundess ranking and no frank
tngu The truth Of this Observa Will be perfectly
manifest tO all who VIII take the rOuOe to inquire
Mt0 the subject With tne appliances now at the
command Oh the department. Or That can De devised
In l(s interest, 1t would be sheer lmposslbllty
to eliminate fraud from the exercise OF the ranking
priyLexe The privilege Itself Ii Inc fruitful motner
frauds and evasions perpetrated under cover OF this
system To be equal In amount to the hostages upon
matter bearing genuine signatures tand this IL no
exaggeratlOn), The total expense ls sweled 70 an
amount equal TO the entire dcncit o. the department.
for the last fiscal year. Certainly these stupenaous
frauds should be prevented; and rs they cannot ne
separated from tile practice OF the system the only
How Ia 1t possible ior the department TO escape
from the slough into which IL has been cast long
IS government fastens inextrlcaby about It's necK
~
burden imposed by the ranking privilege further
reforms can ever be made In the way OF reducing
domestic pOstages- An appalling deficit Will be o
perpetual bar to al progress, all substantial nn-
Inc objection that Congress may desire to print
and disseminate public documents should not avail
against the appeal Of the department for deliver
enee from the frauds that are fast overwhelming It..
II the privilege be abolished official publications.
may sui be forwarded IN the mails. It Is only
asked tnat they. ike all private matter, may be
with postage ueaa Dc sna argea ina. TINS
the knowledge Of pubic affairs among the
people, then It may be said, in reply,
give information to the people, far more telling
expedient may be resor,ed TO- An unburdened
can do more than Congress to engnten the masses.
Better far tnat the ranking privilege should be
abolished. and that all newspapers sent to regular
and bona tide subscribers nom known 0nice OF
publication should be carried free, without regard
10 weight throughout the United States, as now
published. the receipts Of the department.
FOR the last year from newspapers and
ia the depSrtmen can iorero pPovded n
can be projected against the frauds, moro than
three times IN amount, lnseparabe from Inc frank
Should CONGRESS conform to my recommendations
In this respect confidently predict that millions
department Will be at once redeemed from Its
present cOndltlon OF chronic bankruptcy, and that
the postal service will speedily become the potent
cOadJut0r OF the people III developing and adoInlng
our great country.
NY predecessor addressed to the Speaker Of the
House OF Representatives letter, under date Of 9th
January last Ia relation to the postal telegraph
closing an elaborate communication on the same
subject from Gardner J. Hubbard, Of Boston. This
Is a subject OF great Importance, and deserves the
me st careful consideration. Several European ma
tons have adopted the system with apparent sue
concerning 1t until greater degree OF efficiency can
be attained In the service as ut present constituted
has supmitted to me coGitcaton Of the statutes re-
latng ~ the postal service when has been referred
to o committee Of competent gentlemen OF long ex-
perlence in the practical working of the department
Tor careful revision Their report VIII be presented
to Congress at an early day. The codincalion. when
perlected and adopted by Congress, VIII greatly
iacilitate the public business
Regarding the present as favorable opportunity
CAL the aL.cDuon OF Congress to the penat laws
providing for the punishment OF offences against the
postal service. The penalties prescribed are In
many cases too severe, and, BY reason Of their ap
In the minds OF Jurors and Others In behalf
OF this class OF Offenders. Experience has
Shown that a.. the certainty Of pun.shmen
commend that the terms OF imprisonment In most
cases be shortened and graduated. with more
careful regard 10 the nature and character OF the
offences winch the trainers OF the laws designed TO
PUNISH and prevent.
reorganization OF the department has become q
necessity. The Recommendation OF my predecessor
in that regard Is cordially approved.
1t would DO unjust to close this report without
making q proper recognition Of the important SER
woes Of the heads OF the respective bureaus OF the
department, including the superintendenIs OF for.
elm mails anu OF TIE money Order ONCE. They ar 9
ali gentlemen OF singular fitness Tor their several
POSITIONS. In oil things they have come up
to the fail measure OF my expectations
and I esteem myself most fortunate In
having secured their valuable aid. In consideration
Of the ability, integrity Industry and zeal they have
continually exhibited earnestly recommend sucn
IN increase in their salaries as Will afford them the
means OF a respectable livelihood, their present
compensation being inadequate for that purpose.
have the honor to be, with great respect your
.obedlent servant
John A. J. CREswELL, Postmaster General.
me PKEsIpENT.