Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-12

vided by law that any writer of letter on |
which The postage isprepaid may secure q !
return thereof, without additional postage,
after remaining uncalled for thirty days,
By merely indorsing his name and adj
dress thereon. This appearing to be the
simplest expedient that can be devised,
compatible with safety and accuracy, the
department urges its universal adoption,
with caution, however, that every writer
should indorse his own address, and not
trust to the business card of e hotel or
firm with which he is net connected.
FRAMING PRIVILEGE.
The Postmaster General fay0rs the
abolition of the franking privilege.
He says that the most potential reason of
all for the abolition of the Thanking priv
ilege is found in the incuTable abuses
and frauds which seem 10 be inseparable
from its exercise. When the number Of
persons who are clothed with the frank
ing privilege, and of judges who are ex-
pected to pass upon the commences of
franks, is considered, the opportunity for
boundless frauds will appear to be almost
| infinite The following statement, made
up from official sources, viii show how
far the privilege is extended under ex-
istiDg laws:
/ STATEMENT OF OFFICIALS EXERCISING THE FRANK
ISG PRIVILEGE.
President of the United States and his seCre-
tary. ..-.-...-.,....''. ..''....''--.''
1 Vice President
| Members of the Cabinet. -. ...........
United States Senator'S Observation-Disclosures. "a
Members of Congress. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 24l
| Delegates in Congress. ..................
Secretary of Senate and Clerk of House Of
House of Representatives .....-.-...-......
| Assistant Secretaries, chief clerk, etc, State
Department. ...................
Assistant Attorney General and chief clerk.
| Assistant Secretary, Commissioners, chief
clerk etc, Interior Department ......-..... IL
| Chiefs of bureaus, chief clerk, etc, Of the
Navy Department. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. II
Chiefs Of bureaus, chief clerk, etc, of tho
War Department. ..............-. Il
Assistant Secretaries, chief clerks, etc, of
the Treasury Department. ................ AZ
Assistant Postmasters General, superintend-
ents of foreign mails and mOney-Order sys-
TEN, and chief clerks of POstOfhce De-
partment. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
4lO
Add internal revenue officers assessors and
assistant collectors and deputiesl ......... Ais
Postmasters on LIST of November, 1863. 27,37s
Total. 81, 1888
In this statement alone is an army of
1898, who, generally speaking, load the
mails at will with whatever matter they
please. Some of them, to be sure, are
granted only limited privilege, yet, prac-
tically, the restrictions are no longer oper-
alive. To these should be added the
countless host who address communica-
tons to members of Congress- delegates,
the Clerk of the House of Representa-
tives, the Secretary of the Senate, heads
of departments, heads of bureaus, chief
clerks, and all others authorized TO frank
official matter
He says, however, that it is not pro-
posed or desired that government officials
should be personally taxed for the transmits
sion of their public correspondence. 1t
is asked, on the other hand, that every
department. every member of Congress,
and every public officer, shall have q lib
eral allowance of stamps for hostages,
subject to a proper accountability, and
that the sum necessary therefor shall be
appropriated out of the general treasury.