Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-12-28

ment, has turned out by lengthy and able
speech from him to be quite the reverse.
Mr.. Morrill,, as is well known, represents
an agricultural State, whose interests are
against any movement that may eventuate
a reduction of days work in the making
of crops. But senator Wilson, who strong
ly favors the government establishing eight
hours as legal days work, represents an
entirely different constituency. While the
eight hour bill does not interfere with in
dividuals and corporations on private work,
it effects individuals and corporations on
government work, which sets precedence
and establishes principle, that congress
men representing farming communities
fear will not please their constituency.
The repeal of the ranking privilege is
daily growing in favor, much to the disap
pointment of nearly every one here ac-
quainted with the benefits this privilege is
to members of congress. The abolition by
congress of the fac smile stamp last Feb
ruary. and requiring members and others
entitled to the ranking privilege, to frank
with their pens, was supposed sufficient to
guarantee the government against its fur
ther abuse to any great extent. The fac
smile stamp had been very handy insti-
tuition to those who availed themselves of
the opportunity to get franks. The getting
of half dozen franks from member
was equivalent to a permission to get hun
dreds and perhaps thousands; as it was
customary for members to employ either
his private clerk, or clerk of committee
to use his stamp, and when once authority
was given clerk to frank the smallest
number for friend, a friendly relation i'm
mediately sprung up between this 'friend"
and the clerk who would license himself to
frank as many as he pleased. 1t was not
a few franks occasionally for private cor
respondence that have made such an in
road upon the receipts of the Post Office
Department, put franks by the thousands,
in the way above mentioned, for govern
ment claim agents and other business firms
residing in Washington doing business
with the country at large To give your
readers an idea of the extent of these frauds,
| will instalce case now fresh in my
mind where a gentleman formerly chief
clerk in one Of the treasury bureaus, and
who resigned his office some three years
since to go into the more lucrative bus
mess of moIey broker and general claim
agency, would often neglect to send his
mail to thepost Office and would fill up a
street letterbox near by with franked let
tiers to the exclusion of other letters. 1t
happened that the attention of the post
master wa called to the fact that some one
was mOnpolizing the use OF a street letter
box. 1t was soon ascertained who this
guilty one was, and he was accordingly
summoned to appear before the department
to account for the way he obtained these
franks by the bushel.l The result of the
investigation, like many others Of the kind
has never been made public.
Blu; since the law has been modified ,and
its abuse made so public through the press
it has required more cheek than people or
dina:ily have to ask a congressman, Il Law
maker, to violate law. and make mer,
machine of himself, and occupy his time by
duplicating his name on envelopes to say'
a friend few stamps Congressman don
do that thing to any extent. From gooC
authority learn that but little illegitimat,
matter now under frank goes out Of Wash
ington through the L. ;. mails.
1t might seem that the agitation for tn
removal of the capital would have a dam
aging effect upon Washington, but TO tn
contrary, the idea that other cities want j
stimulates the people to the belief that
is worth preserving and improving, ant
they have at length gone to work in RICH
good earnest to make the capital of the ma
ton worthy of its sacred name. Locate
as it is in most congenial climate, an,
favored with water power sufficient to ruI
almost any amount of machinery, enter
prising men from all parts Of the union ar
now investing m)ney here. LIFE.