Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-12
SEADOAED AIRLINE.
Statement from Superintendent Nc
bee.

PORTSMOUTH, VA, June 11.-Captain
V. L. McBee, general superintendent OF
the Seaboard Airline. to-day gave out
the following statement in regard to the
charges made against that company by the
Post-Ofice Department:
ut is not usual for just grievances
against this government TO be fought
through the press; but in view of the
statement i'm regard to alleged Irregular
ties in Matchmaker over the seaboard Air
Line road, recently published and said
TO have been authorized by the Pos:mas-
ter-General, i may be pardoned for using
this medium in setting forth the facts
before an impartial public.
I'VE are not responsible in any way
for the shipment of public documents
through the mail, nor have we exerted
ourselves to induce the movement of such
documents during the mail-weghing Pc
Rod. The ranking system is a personal
privilege granted TO members of Con-
gress, to which there is no penalty
attached. and for which the members
are alone responsible: nor has the Post
master-General, or any other government
question the privilege OF movement Of
their documents through the mail at any
time, in any quantity, or any direction.
See act March g. 1915. and act March
3. 1879 and also ostmaster-Generdls re-
port Of 1895, page l5S, which comments
as follows:
"'There is no penalty attached to the
misuse OF the frank privilege hence
there is no action that can be taken by
me further than to call the attention
OF the member to the matter
referring to the fifteen sacks Of pub
lie documents, claimed TO have been for
warded from my office, there was no Sc
cret about H. They were forwarded on
regular mail-trains. and It was the mail
agents duty south of Weldon TO count
the sacks and weigh the contents. as
they had not been previously weighed on
our line (as mail was not being weighed
on our portion OF the road between Ports
mouth and Weldon. otherwise the rail-
road would haul tons Of public documents
during the next four years. for which we
would not receive compensation; and,
when / learned that a post-ofiice inspec-
tor was going over the road trying TO
intimidate mail-agents by announcing who
he was, | sent for him TO come TO my
office and / would give him all of the in
law. | herewith quote the law, which
will be found on page 1884, clause 2O9. in
the United States Oticial Postal Guide,
dated January. 1896:
"a bulk package of franked articles
may be sent TO one addressee. who, on
receiving and opening the package. may
place addresses on the franked articles
and renal them for carriage and deliv-
cry to the respective addresses
This law seems TO be plain. and can
not see what more could have been done
than was done to comply with it. Con-
arming the above law. and In further
Justification OF the action of my clerk.
/ quote the following letter. written by
the First Assistant Postmaster-General TO
Senator who wished 10 ship
documents to California:
'Post-Ofiice Department,
"'Oifice of
First Assistant Postmaster-G General,
division officers,
90 Washington, ID. c.. March II. 1896.
Hon.---. United States Senate:
Dear Sir,-In compliance with your
request. 1 have the honor to ad-
wise you that section SO. page
i57 Postal Laws and Regulations.
expressly provides that bulk
package Of franked articles may b. sent