The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-02

InG FRANKl>.G pKVlLEGE-Eow II QrE-
1@!i- AND WAT IT CgST>.-In the Senate
igaIoy-->
The. t!cc- President laid before the Sc
~. C a communication from the Postmas-
,er~Grneral Stating that 5000 hlani; PC
trion= .oc the abolition CT the franklng
privilege were sent throughout inc country,
a-i 5000 accompanying circulars, the
,o;ll cost Of which WIS S49Q &c, which was
betrayed ~ hecon.rcssion2l printer, none
81 the expense being charged to any fund
Il the post~olIice Department. The petit
ions AMI circulars were prepared under
tA" direction ii the poStIuuster-Gcneral in
,.rre,dauce With the views expressed BY TIE
Igcs:dtu, il hi. late message, and in re-
~p9ase 10 wla, was believed 10 be q very
.@ueval wish Of the people that the frank
suE privilege should be abolished.
The Department made no attempt to in
auepCe the views Of poStmasters, but sim
!!y requested them to give citizens who
favored the abolition Of the privilege an
opportunity Of expressing Themselves. From
Incomplete data, being all Mt his command,
tie Postmaster-Gcneral submits the follow
j.s s;atistics from 45t ros;ot!iccs for the
u1nth of January: Numtrr Of free let
'.rs sent, 6G,90l; TIE hostage thereon at
ocular rates wo~ld amcUnt TO $llT.30G
fHr weight Of free printed matter sent was
",l94 pounds, and til" postage thereon at
OCULAR rates would nave amounted to Sl2,-
81 SO. Total cost Of free matter sent from
al p0st-ofccs, embracing most OF the prin-
III a! Offices, was $50. "a 90. Considering
iaiR exhibit, the PostmasterGcNeral con-
c!HJcs ~ q safe estimate that If full re-
turus had been received from al the Officer
'hc aggregate amount would have exceeded
$4,000. or S2,400,0 900 per aunum as the
amount which would be yielded if postage
'qs paid on The free mail matter.
Iho General says it il i'm
roS9lble &c give precise information as t.
'1e frauds which are practised, because tht
..snkel matter is always scaled, and tho
avg does not ALLOW the breaking Of seal
but even the comparatively small amount
- free matter returned to the dead letter
oce disclQses many cases of abuse, wheit
Locke, papers, and circulars, no: printed by
order Of Congress, and even business anC
social circulars, have been TRANSMITTED
under cover of frank. The system itselI
invites to fraud with promise of impunity
!! here il no grounl between no franking
and roundless franking. Although unable
t. tive facts in detail, it is yet notoriou!
Mat the frauds which have been perpe
Grated under cover Of the frGnking privilege
are enormous, and the Administrations
aays that, without giving offence, he hopet
bc may be permitted to say that in times o.
excited political campaigns tie varioui
POLITICAL parties have not hesitated to en-
ll0v the frank TO transmit whatever Of
printed matter they have wished to dissent
rate. The Postmaster General further says
that the recent agitation for the repeal Of
tnis privilege has resulted in an increase
IN the sale Of stamps and stamped enve-
lopcs for the month Of January, 1870, over
tic same month Of 1869. This gain
amount5 to $3ll $3.50.
He concludes by reIterating his views in
favor of complete and total repeal. He
makes comparison of the postal revenue
Of Great Britain at two cents, and without
the franking privilege, to the revenue from
postage OF the United States at three cents,
and with the franking privilege, showing
that l. much larger relative revenue IS de-
eiyed by the former Government. lie con-
kludeB thus:
II believe sincerely that the time has
come to attempt such reforms Us Will make
cur postal system worthy of our country
aud people. believe with equal sincerity
that these reforms canuot lie made while
tho iranking privilege is allowed to con-
time. Hence most earnestly renew my
recommendation for its repeal. Doubtless
measure of 50 much importance may be
safely committed to an enlightened and pa
triotic Congress"
THE DISABILITY BILL.--The volumineus
disability bill which recently passed Con-
yress did not reach the President until
Monday. There need be 10 fear that it
will not receive Executive approval.-Bo'-