Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-02-25

the intelligent farmers of the country.
These parcels of seeds have been hither-
to sent through the mails free of ex-
pense. There is no other mode BY which
they can be properly and widely distrib-
uted. Cut off the franking privilege
from the Agricultural Department and
its pulse will cease to beat. 1t will be
dead. The farmers of our country ask
for few favors, but they will not submit
to be entirely ignored and treated with
contempt. 1t will not do to abolish the
Agricultural Department under pretense
of abolishing the franking privilege.
Senators must stop the slaughtering bill
of the House long enough to ingraft
saving clause for that interest which no
one would venture to strike at openly
and directly.
/ have thus indicated six points where
the House bill should be amended. These
are by no means all. There are others !;
for instance, the correspondence of for
eign Governments, which now comes
without charge, and in consideration of
which that of our own Government is
transmitted everywhere free abroad. We
cannot affo to cut adrift from this in
ternational reciprocity.
The proper course, it seems TO me,
would be to recommit the bill and allow
its friends-and | suppose it must have
some friends willing to lick it into shape
under the intelligent advice of the
Postmaster General, to prepare more
complete and perfect bill, including such
notifications as all must admit to be
necessary, and not send its fore parts in
! to the world months before its hinder
parts are born; otherwise it may oper.
, ate practically as awkwardly as would a
cross between kangaroo and giraffe
If | may be permitted to borrow the thun
der of my friend, the Senator from Mas
sachusetts, should say 1t will moi
N0fh II Will not WOTh
/ have said about all that I care tc
say on the present occrsion, but few
words more may be pertinent to the gen
eral scope of the subject.
Let me give an extract or two from 8
!, report of one of the most prodigal ant
extravagant Postmaster Generals we ev
er had. / mean William T. Barry. w,
!, may have something to learn from ever
this Democratic Postmaster General. III,
says:
"The Post Office Department has al
: ways sustained itself without any ex
: pense to the Treasury. Besides the con
) veniences which it extends to every sec
A ton the Union, it furnishes the mean
to all the department of the Govern
: ment for transmitting its communica
II tions to all parts of the country free o
e expense. On its present basis it can b
V conducted securely.
? "I have no hesitation in giving tn
opinion that the establishment ought a
: all times and under all circumstances
{ to rest on its own resources, ihdependen
i of. the national Treasury"
e That doctrine ought to be as curren
% to-day as in January, 1882.
l. The world is said to be ever more es
1t ger to believe evil tales than good an
( therefore l regret that the Postmaste
IS General, if he is to be held responsible,
It should not have chosen to couch the p,
titions which he desired to send out fl
+ signatures and have returned to bear o
lie the action Of Congress, in language le'
1T likely to becloud its reputation for inte,
ID rity. There is nodoubt they would ha,
lie been signed with equal alacrity, an
,e would have proved equally potent. h
is has been an honored member of bot
in branches of Congress, and while l a
h. sure that he was never guilty Of ar
Of abuse of the franking privilege, not eve
he of petty infjelities, l feel equally sui
a. he would not claim any greater puri'
n, for himself than he would cheerfully a
or cord to others. There may have been
ce few counterfeits franks used, but that Il
he revenue is now or ever has been seriou
to ly impaired by such petty frauds al
on forgeries is violent stretch of an U
es- sound Imagination. The letters eve
,st which are constantly received by mer
MP bers of Congress with the postage unne
mt essarily paid thereon beyond doubt +
exceeds in amount all the franks impro
on erly used.
The wits of the press have sometim
de fabricated such vastly funny stories
IN that some members of Congress we're
ct the habit of saving money by sendil
mt their clothes home to be washed. l fe
ro- that members of Congress are hardly G
IN. titled to credit for proper economy, mu
,as less to be perfumed with ridiculous e
he cess. One hundred years ago memb
ry. from Old Sarum in the British Parl
re- ment might possibly have taken such
nat license; but that any American ev
ar did thus is rollicking libel, never