Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-07-01
Political Virtue.

Political Virtue.
The virtue of o political party consists
in the willingness of that party to expose
and correct its own errors. Errors creep
into all political parties, and for these
too party is not responsible, for they may
exist for while without its knowledge
but when such errors become notorious,
and ass urged upon the attention Of the
party, II becomes criminal not to heed
them.
Power will not lie dormnat, especially
political power; and those who possess it
are apt to WELD it, not always so much
for the interest of the public, as for per
Eonal interests.
This is exemplifed by the action Of the
Postmaster General in procuring petitions
for the abolition Of the Franking Privilege.
This great reform" as 1t has been called,
has turned out, as we intimated several
months ago, to be one Of tho grandest
humbugs of the age, in which no man, in
Inc United States, public or private, is in
terested but the Post master General, and
his twenty thousand subs and emf
ssares scattered broadcast over the land
in every town and rural district.
Senator Carpenter, Of Wisconsin, has
exposed this whole scheme of abolishing
the Franking Privilege, and We give it in
his own language. lie says:
"But what have we seen ? The Post
master General has throughout the United
States about 5000 deputy postmasters-
$4,000 ministerial officers of the law. The
Postmaster General pulls a rope in his
Office and twenty-eight thousand bells are
set ringing in the various cities, towns,
and hamlets of the Republic.
What have they been directed by their
chief to do ? To execute the law? No !;
but to avail themselves of their position
and exert their influence to create and
consolidate public sentiment, and bring
it to bear upon Congress to change the
law. These petitions were all printed by
the Postmaster General at public expense,
and were forwarded to the deputy post
masters, together with a printed circular,
signed by the Third Assistant Postmaster
General, requesting, that is directing,
deputy postmasters TO procure signatures
and return them to their Senators and Re-
representatives. in Congress. These petitions
and circulars were transmitted from Wash
ington under the frank of the Postoffice
Department as official business. The
deputy postmasters properly regarded
them as official instructions /; indeed, such
they were. The petitions were circulated,
signatures were solicited as a matter Of
personal favor to the postmasters, who.
of course, were ambitious to satisfy their
chief that they possessed influence in their
localities, and were transmitted to Con
gress under the frank of the deputy post
masters, which by law extends only to
official business, altogether constituting
the greatest abuse of the franking priv.
lege that has ever been known in the
country. And it is believed that not a
petition has been forwarded to Congress
upon this subject at this session, except as
have stated"
Now this is truly an interesting state Of
affairs to be brought about by the minis
terial officers Of the government, and be-
cause IL was concocted and carried for
ward by them, thousands have Joined TIRE
army of postmasters, under the influence
that they were to accomplish some great
public good, when in fact there would not
be man in the whole commonwealth
benefited in any possible way or manner
by abolishing the Franking Privilege, cx-
eept the postmasters.
This is a grievous error in tho admins
.ratioa of this department of the govern
ment, and we hasten to record our protest
against it. If this innovation and abuse
of power were to pass unscathed, We would
soon be afflicted with an aggression from
some other branch Of the government
for instance, suppose "General Sherman
should send out to all his subordinates
throughout the United States printed cir.
cuars with blank petitions to be signed
and forwarded to Congress for an increase
of his pay, or for any other amendmant of
the laws relating to the Army and who
can say how potent sergeant in regi-
rentals and with side-arms might be in
occurring signatures If instead of doing
this General Sherman should detail officers
osthe army, supported by proper escort
of soldiers, to appear in the Capitol to eA'
press to Congress their wishes III regard
to a law for the reorganization OF the
Army, you would say, that we were
npproachlng the worst hours of the French
revolution"
No virtuous political party will demand
Of It's sembers blind support of the