The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-24
The Erani,ing Privilege.

An old topcr oncc told us that he cole
Quit drinking easily enough IL people """',
only believe tina: he had quit "hca ~ '"'
done 50. The philosophy ct the fc'',.''' = ~
in The fac, that the topper was hhhSc' 4"
az the nut,lic, and rart&n% ci INC Scnei'
f.o,;,r. never did himself believe mat 10
would quit his cups. SO It is with Congress
s,d ,,.c public in regard 10 The Thanking pri'
viIsrc. The public do not believe that The
,,cn,hers of Congress will long abstain from
frsn.lnc their letters and speeches; and
they, being part Of the public, do moi
themselves believe it; and so we shall prola
bly, soon have another law comforting thf
franklin. privilege upon them. The E.'c III"
was repealed in the House of i"l'&Srn''-
tiyes in q moment Of excitement 70 WTc'N i
bit of petty spite upon tie Senate i"F hs'its'
pretended to hc in favor OF the E!i "h.cH IL
had rassed and sent to the House for !ta'
nurr,cse--ro. no. for that purpose. bat I"
throw upon the House the lc>ponnsh!!l'y q:
defeating The bill.
Next winter it will be shown that The re-
real Of The law hes effected little or no say
ing in the cost OF the transportation oil TIC
mails, and added little or none to the re.
ccirss of the ros.-0i.icc Department. Forth
with the law will be rtCnac:cd, and ff-nking
will flourish and become mere popular than
ever. Eut this showing VIII hc a fraud Upon
tie public. The existing contracts 10!
Transporting tho mails were made With TIE
understanding that the contractors were
10 carry III the pubic documents that
might be sent over thcir lines, and %
arc great deal higher than they would
have haen If it had been known that
there was to be no Thanking privileges long
as the contracts lasted. STAGES and ether
vehicles are run or some lines Wicrca horse
would do rs well. Tic liar ii,;s-tEoSc
which undertake 10 carry III lie mail matter
that comes a!ong with ''saiciy, certainty, AID
cclcrity"--wcrc perhaps doubled in auo;;nt
because Of The existence Of the traukin.,
privilege. or ccursc no fir test Of the
merits Of tie HeW law en- be bad until tie
existing ccNricts expire and new ones are
entered in,o l.asc't Upon tie Fac; :hat En tiec
matter !, 10 20 through the mails.
Frauhing was long ago done away with in
Great Britain. Even tic Queen h2s to pay
postage upon her letters. The experience
ofthat country demands, 10 Tuotca remark NC
made last week. that the mails shall be cheap
TO all and free TO none. Here every letter
TRANSPORTED through the mails is taxed IL
least ono cent more than it ought to BE, that
avlrcious congressman may save Il few dol
lars aud yaluclcsS newspapers may indthcil'
way through Tic mails 10 people who are
not willing to ray ten cents year postage
upon them. b Tie way. this last rcmal k
presents some al our editorial brethren in
bad light. They should be ashamed of
camor for a place anon. plupcrs. The pre-
tcncc that any newspaper is Il di>>cllinatUr
o. llsciI! Information and m cnlightcncr OF
the public, upon which this same public is
not willing: 10 pay cnc-tiith OF cent per
week rs postage, is too absurd TO be seriously
exposed.
We trust that ir. CErswEl.I. will not fail
to put into his next anntial report ull the
arguments which he can find in favor OF the
continuance of the new law. He deserves
credit for the boldness aud pcr>iStrncy with
which hc las pressed tnis reform.