Year: 1862

Speech of Mr.. Colfax,


rs THE HOUSE, JAN. 81, 1862,


On the Bill Requiring Newspapers to be


Carried in the Mails or to Pay POST


age. nfaa.


Mr. CoLrAx. call for the regular order
of business.


The SPEAKER. The regular ORDER Of bu-
siness is the call of committees for reports,
and as unfinished business the bill Of the
House (No. 215) to regulate the carriage
of printed matter outside the mails, report
ed from the Committee on the Post Office
and Post Roads. the questicI, being on the
engrossment and third reading


AR. CoLFAx, Mr. Speaker. as this bill
is an important one, and one that has been
most severely criticised since its introduc-
ton by the most influential papers in the
country, trusts that l may have the at
tention of the House while 1 explain its
provisions. and defend it as fal as can
from the attacks which have been made
upon it.


think I need not tell the House that
this is an unpopular bill with the great
metropolitan press of the country. and
with the newsdealers who receive their pa
pcrs comparatively free from all charges
for carriage. Indeed think the House is
my debtor in one respect for the large
quantity of reading matter which they have
had furnished them of late, for since the
introduction of this bill we have had nu-
merous intelligent and able papers sent to
all of us. free of charge. containing criti-
cisms upon the bill marked for our perusal.


But. sir, conscientiously believing that
the objects of the bill are right, and not
withstanding the vials of condemnation
that have been poured out on me, stand
here to-day for the purpose of vindicating
it from the attacks that have been made
upon it. and for the purpose of vindicating
the Committee on the Post Office and Post
Roads in their action in reporting it.


The committee were perfectly aware,
while the bill was under discussion in the
committee-room, of the fact that it would
be an unpopular measure with the great
newspapers of the country. They have
reported it. nevertheless. because they con
sidered it their duty to report it-a duty
which neither they nor / thought we could
evade.


When we came here at the commence.
ment of this session of Congress. the cry
was going mp from the loyal men in every
section of the country. TAX AND FIGHT!-
Sharing in the general anxiety. l like my
fellow members, have been waiting and
listening. with the hopes of hearing the
words Forward march!'-that magic
word which empties your hospitals, and
stirs the patriotic blood in the veins oi
your officers sad soldiers. Sharing. too
in the general willingness Of the people to
submit to taxation for the purpose of reno
waiting the country. it was our duty as a
committee to look around us, and especi-
ally to that branch of the Government
which. under the direction of the Speaker,
has been placed measurably under our
charge, SO far as the Congressional enact
ments are concerned. and see if we could
not, without increasing the burdens upon
the people of the country, assist in produc-
ing additional revenue. W


The tax which it is proposed to levy
upon all the various branches of industry
in the country, is for three purposes: first,
to carry on the war energetically and SIS
cessfully; second. to desray the ordinary
expenses of the government; and third. to
wipe out deficits that exist in the various
branches of the Government.


During the last year the deficit in the
revenues of the Post Office Department
was about $4,000. 600. During the pres
ent year. by cutting off the mails from the
so-called seeded States, that deficit has
been reduced to about $4,000. 900. II
follows. therefore. that If we do not in
some way. decrease or cxtinguish that de-
felt we shall have to levy a tax on the
people at large for the purpose of paying
it We are proposing. for the purpose |
have named during the continuance of this
war. to tax the people in basket and in
store; we are proposing to tax them on all
that they produce and all that they con-
sumo; we are proposing to tax the poor as
well as the rich. The burdens of taxation
are to fall upon all; we are seeking all over
the land for objects of taxation. Now,
sir. if can show. and think can before
l get through, if the House will listen, as
they are now doing so patiently, to these
dry, uninteresting statistics--I say, if l
can show that this bill will in all proba-
bility. with the bill which has already
passed the House abolishing the ranking
privilege. nearly. if not quite, wipe out the
deficit. and make the Post Office Depart
ment realize that almost impossible Chi
mera (ss it has been for the last ten years
consideredl Of a self-sustaining Depart
ment; II | can prove that these measures
will accomplish all this without imposing a
single additional burden upon the people.
then the Committee on the Post Office aud
Post Roads will, notwithstanding the de-
nuncistion of the press. feel that they have
been justified in reporting the bill. wheth-
or the House feel willing to brave these
denuncistions by passing it or not.


Now. sir. the FIRST thought that would
naturally suggest itself to Post Office
Committee seeking to make the accounts
Of that Department balance, If possible.
would be to make all the mailable matter
pay postage. This shall show was the
intention in establishing the Post Office
Department. aud was the intent of our
fathers when they framed the Constitution
To effect this object fha coromiffoo a, THAR