The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-02-13
corrsspondenes OF che phonix.


WAsHrNaToN, D. O., February 8. 1870.
For some weeks past the people of the
District have been exercised with refer
ence to their form of government. The
county and city of Washington have q
lager population than some of the
Territories, aud more than sufficiently
large to entitle them to representation
in Congress. The District is at present
under three separate and distinct 60
vernments. The County is governed by
Levy Court, the members OF which are
appointed by the President of the United
States. A portion of the city is 60
verned by Congress, and portion by n
Mayor and two boards, these latter be-
ing elected by the people. The people
of the County have no vote or voice in
the laws or electing the law makers. and
consequently live under q monurchial
form of government. The people of
the city, while they have vote for mem
bers OF the two boards and for the May
or, elect officers who can only control
about one-half the property of the city,
Congress controlling the other half; for
the Government owns it, but pays no
taxes upon it.
1t has been proposed by large majori-
ty of the people owning property in tho
District, to have the present government
changed to territorial form, thus Civ
ing us delegate i'll Congress, a Governor
and Il Legislature composed Of two
branches. This would place us in po-
sition where we could demand our rights,
and we would have some one whose
business it would be to look after them
The matter is now being pressed upon
the attention of Congress 10y gentlemen
and property holders, without respect to
party. The present city government
has become intolerable. Tho Mayor
who was Democrat, but was elected on
the Republican ticket, has lost the con-
fidence of every one. We heard one Of
the most wealthy and Influential gentle
men III the city remark few days since,
that he intended to SEQ the President and
say to him. that he would make him IL
present of fine horse if he could find
half-a dozen gentlemen in the city of
Washington who would believe Mayor
Bowen on his oath. This was strong
language, but nevertheless language
which you can hear on the street daily
The project Of territ orial form of 60
vcrnment is advocated by many members
of Congress, and it is earnestly hoped
that the matter will culminnte in this
before the expiration Of the present ses-
sion.
In our last we had not time to give
facts and figures upon the bill to abolish
the franking privilege, but in this we
will try and give some which may be re-
lied upon. The Postmaster General, in
his report to Congress, fixed the sum OF
80, GOO, 600, rs the cost Of unpaid matter,
that is, matter which is franked by the
department by postmastcrs and by mem
bers of Congress, and which passes
through the mails FREQ OF postage. 1t is
difficult to find out by what course OF
reasoning he has arrived at this exact
sum. He starts out, however, by stat
ing that somo 81, 900 persons are clothed
with the franking privilege to cover
official correspondence. The number of
persons connected with the House and
Senate, who are allowed this privilege is
29S, leaving about 81, 300 persons con-
nccted with the post Office and other de-
partments of government, who are
privileged to frank letters and docu-
ments which pass through the mails free
OF charge. Almost all of this number
of 81 300 persons are postmasters undor
the direct control of the Postmaster
General, and who are only authorized to
frank matter upon official business.
Now if these persons are not allowed the
use of q frank, what follows? The Co.
vernment must of necessity pay for this
matter out of the National Treasury. In
this event, it is evident that the manu-
featuring and transportation of postage
stamps, which will have to be substitut-
ed for the frank, will be much moro ex-
pensive than the frank itself, and thus,
instead of saving, we have additional
expense.
A carefully prepared statement from
the folding room of the Capitol, shows
that the number of documents of all
kinds issued to each member of the for
tieth Congress was 2, 1852, and that these
documents weighed S,013 pounds. 1t
also shows that 47 pounds less of docu-
ments were delivered to each Senator
than to the Representatives. The postage
on these documents, ut the rate of six
teen cents per pound, would have
amounted (had they been mailed) for
each member, to about 81 1882 for two