The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-04-05


We have received from the sAmerican
Bureau Of Newspaper Correspondence,
Washington city, printed circular aud
Washington Letter, from newspaper cor.
respondent, under the frank Of J f,
Farnsworth, NJ. G. This is but another
evidence Of the fragrant abuse Of the
franking privilege, which was not repealed
moment too soon. The Postmaster
General wisely recommended its repeal,
and adhered to his Recommendation in
succeeding reports The press took up
the subject and seconded his efforts until
the repeal was finally accomplished. In
revenge for thus daring TO interfere with
their ancient privilege, Congress turned
upon the press and Topped of the privilege
Of free exchange, which is blow aimed
at the press generally and of free cA-
culation in the county where published,
which is malignant stroke at the country
press especially, and also at Mr.. Creswell,
their object being to render the Postmas-
ter General, and the Department under
his supervision, odious to the people They
will fail to accomplish their object, for the
people will approve the etfofts of the Post
master General to make the postal service
selfsustaining. As to the country press,
the blow aimed at it, win of necessity fall
upon the people. The payment Of Eve
cents per quarter as postage on their local
county paper, is a small item to each in
diyidual, amounting to only twenty cents
a year But, multiply this sum by one to
two thousand, and the aggregate reaches
two to four hundred dollars, tax which
country newspapers are unable to bear
Subscribers to country papers, therefore
viii have to choose between. paying the
twenty cents postage, or witnessing the
discontinuance Of their local papers. Thi.
latter alternative they will not accept, fol
they cannot afford to dispense with theil
county papers, which, in business poinI
Of view, are Of more value to them thar
all the city dailies together. As to III,
postage on exchanges, this part of the new
postal law works detriment to the entirC
country 1t restricts the rapid and ex
tended circulation Of intelligence which
the free exchange system was wisely in
tended to promote. Everyone must Sc,
this who bestows the slightest reflection
upon the subject, and when Congress re
assemblies the popular voice of the eountr,
will demand its repeal.
The odium which these Congressiona
malignants expected to east upon others
will fall with redoubled effect upon them
selves, when it is remembered, that, il
addition to these regulations, prompted, i
is believed, purely by spite, they, under
the lead of the notorious Butler, passed
the retroactive salary steal, in order that
they might indemnify themselves for the
loss of the Thanking privilege, which every
body knows they have so shamefnlly
abused This man, Butler, whose name
is reeking with every foul odor, is the au.
thor Of this measure; and yet, he had a
sufficient following of Honorable Mem.
bers," to pass it. The moral status of the
last Congress can be definitely determined
by this act, which stands out, without a
! parallel, in the annals of the government
Some thirty or forty Of its members, feel
ing the shame and discredit which attach
to the whole transaction, have resolved to
touch not this price of Congressional hon
or. But. the fact that such measure of
infamy could receive the sanction of a
majority Of that body will stick to the his
tory of the AID Congress like the poisoned
shirt of Nessus