333 OF DEBATES IN CONGRESS. DECEMBER 31, 1832.] Reduction of Postage. [SENATE. to be diffused, the burden of an unequal tax was not to was perfectly true that, of all the departments of the office, and a more unlimited discretion, and a greater latitude in the application of the funds of the department in the making of contracts and extra allowances, at the mere will and pleasure of the Postmaster General, than The tax on a letter from a distant friend, what was it to in any other department. There had been a degree of the rich man? It was nothing. But when the poor man latitude allowed which was extremely impolitic and danreceived a letter from a distance, he found it something. gerous. Why was this? It was the people's money. The postage on newspapers was also very considerable, Why had it never been looked into? Why had one man as it was on every branch of the post office. He would been permitted to expend thousands and hundreds of legislate emphatically for the poor and ignorant, by thousands among contractors, to liquidate such claims as spreading all knowledge through this channel at the least they might bring forward, and no examination had been He derived his ideas on this subject from instituted? He made no charge against any individual. possible cost. It was there that he was early He merely stated the fact, that all this unlimited discrethe place of his birth. taught that knowledge for all the community should be tion had existed, without supervision and without control. paid for by all the community. He derived his views, or Why, he would ask, was this? It had been suffered to prejudices, if so it was considered, from the system of exist, because the funds had been furnished by the defree schools in New England, where the rich man who partment. So said the gentleman from Tennessee, who had no children was taxed for the poor man who had a seemed to think it quite sufficient to show that all was He (Mr. S.) family, in order that the burden should rest on classes. paid out of the funds of the department, as much as to It was the feeling which he had thus imbibed in infancy, say, you have nothing to do with this. and which had become fixed in maturity, which had in- observed, that there was not a department of the Government in which there was one-tenth part of the paduced him to offer the resolution. tronage to be found which was now exercised by the head of the Post Office Department. But it had been said that this was Chapter 2 of a series of measures to prevent the reduction of the tariff. If the post office were to be subjected to the annual He had consulted no man before he offered his resolution. He did not know that there was a single Senator scrutiny with which the appropriation bill is watched, His object or to the specific action of Congress, the responsibility who even knew of his intention to offer it. was single as it was simple. Whenever the subject of of the department would be increased two-fold, and the custom house, and the tariff, and the duties should there would be an effectual check on its expenditures. be specifically before the Senate, he should be prepared He was not afraid, in this view, of the effect of an alliance Nor did he think it an objection, that to express his opinion by his vote, and by his voice also, with the treasury: there would then be more scrutiny if he deemed that his duty required it. He had merely and more caution. intended to bring before the Senate, at this time, a sub-the Government should pay for the amount of its postage. He did not wish to throw this department on the treasury, He had no objection ject on which he thought that all were prepared to act. He had stated that he thought Government should pay but he had no apprehension of it. for the expense of postage. He did not wish to go fur-to postpone his resolution for the present, if the Senate ther. It had been argued that the West ought to be were not prepared to act upon it. against the reduction, because the East benefited most This is in amount largely by the transmission of letters. to say, the East supports the Government, and must be held to it; and the West must not be permitted to be taxed. He did not believe that the Senate could be brought to listen to an argument of this character. Mr. GRUNDY expressed a perfect willingness that the Whatever the resolution should at once be acted on. Senator from Maine might wish, as to the effect of the reduction, every step taken in the business leads indirectly to the result of making the department a charge The money subtracted from the upon the treasury. One gentleman had said, if you once allowed the trea- post office must be made up by the treasury. The deSuch sury to be called on, there will be no end to draughts on partment could not apply any where else for it. And the the treasury. He would merely say, that the treasury effect of a reduction of postage must be to prevent a reThat the necessary expenditures of always had been called upon. What, then, became of this duction of the tariff to precisely an equal amount. argument? It had also been alleged, that, his resolution must be the effect. allowed no latitude to the committee, and that he had the Government must be the limit of its revenue, was a thus been deficient in courtesy. When it was known doctrine to which the public mind was rapidly confirming. that he had presented petitions to the committee, and One of the most ingenious modes which can be adopted that they had held them in their hands several months, for keeping up the tariff at its present level, was that of it could imply no want of courtesy in him to present a keeping up the expenditures of the Government to the resolution which emphatically called for some action. present amount of its revenue, instead of bringing down It had been said the taxes to the limit of the necessary expenditures. He His object was to produce reduction. that no latitude was allowed to the committee. Now, he was no advocate of a tariff, especially of a high one; was of opinion that there was great latitude allowed: the and as the department had heretofore sustained itself, he mode of reduction and the amount were left to the dis-had no wish to sanction any measure which would make cretion of the committee, because he believed that their it burdensome hereafter. The department had always knowledge made them better qualified to fix these points, sustained itself, with the exception of the annual approand that they were most able to prepare the details of a priation of about sixty or seventy thousand dollars for bill. It was his wish that they should mature a scheme clerks; and as a set-off to this should be taken into consideration the franking privilege given to members. of reduction, and present it to the Senate. The gentleman from Tennessee had produced an ar- When he saw the first Senator from Maine rise in his gument which he (Mr. S.) must confess, however plausi-place, and then the Senator from Delaware, and then the ble it might appear, had no weight with him. That Se- other gentleman from Maine, he felt a variety of apprenator had stated, that this was the most unmanageable of hensions from such an apparent concert of action. But all the departments; that there was a want, not in the now that he understood that each was acting for himself, present incumbent, of responsibility, which, if once a he felt himself greatly relieved. He was glad to find that resort to the treasury were allowed, would prevent any each Senator was acting for himself, per se, and that they limitation of draughts hereafter. He (Mr. S.) believed it are not in alliance. He did not know what to think of the VOL. IX.-3 SENATE.] Reduction of Postage. [DECEMBER 31, 1832. proposed bill of the Senator from Maine, (Mr. HOLMES.) the public burdens. He believed the Post Office DeHe could not tell that any thing was likely to be gained in partment would sustain itself, and would at last intrench intelligence from the members who were going out of itself so strongly as to be out of the reach of even the that body. They would, in all probability, be regarded power of Congress itself. Several calls had already been as politically dead, defunct, and would soon be forgotten. made to which no answers had been returned. As to the The gentleman from Maine might be considered as gone tariff, he saw no connexion between that and the present forever beyond all hope. As for himself, he had yet a resolution. The resolution might have the effect of glimmering hope remaining; it might, perhaps, like many checking the department; and to check it, he would go other of the hopes of that side the House, end in disap- still further, and put an end to the practice of making pointment; but however that might be, he trusted the extra allowances to contractors. There was enough exSenate might be able to get along tolerably well without pended in the department to diffuse information through him. He had frequent business at the Post Office De-all the country. He was in favor of the resolution, and partment, and generally found members of Congress against the amendment, and he hoped nothing would be there. It sometimes happened that a contractor took it done to give the resolution the go by. into his head that it would be more to his interest to Mr. HOLMES said, the Chairman of the Committee on carry a mail three times a week, than to take it twice; the Post Office and Post Roads had talked of dissatisfacand he accordingly prevailed on the member of Congress tion. What did he mean by dissatisfaction? The counfrom his district to go to the department and express the try was in the hey-day of prosperity: all the wishes of expediency of the change. The next year the same con- the other side of the House had been gratified. Was tractor may have discovered that he can make still more there any dissatisfaction there? We, said Mr. H., on this by having a daily mail. The member of Congress is side of the House, do not complain, although we have again called upon, and the contractor being a man of in-been whipped abominably twice. There is no dissatisfluence must have his wishes gratified. The Posmaster faction on this side. The gentleman from Tennessee has General ought to be armed with some weapon to defend got his President, and his Vice President, and his Cabihimself against these attacks. He might now say that the net, yet he talks of dissatisfaction. resources of the department would not permit this in- The gentleman at the head of the Committee on the creased expenditure; but let the treasury once be open Post Office and Post Roads says this is an unmanageable ed to the department and the member of Congress, and department. Upon my soul, I believe so. Since he the contractor would soon find it out, and there would no and I have been together on the committee, I believe it longer be a limit to applications and to expenditures. has been found to be unmanageable. I will insist further, There would, in fact, be no other check than a money from being unmanageable it may have become a malimitation; and the navy and army would not cost the naging department and whenever we find we have a country more than the Post Office Department might, and managing department, we should keep it constantly in would, if the barrier between it and the treasury were to our view. This department has great power to manage, be removed. while it is irresponsible. What is the cause of prodigality The gentleman from Connecticut was very anxious for in a servant? Irresponsibility. Why does a servant squana reduction of the postage because Major Barry had not der the property of his master? Because he is not reanswered before the end of the year the call made by sponsible. The conclusion is inevitable. Whenever you that Senator at the last session. Was there any force in trust a man with untold gold, he will usually tell out a that argument? The object of the resolution was to ascer- tolerable quantity to himself. I make no charge, but tain the amount of the expenditures on account of the merely point to the conclusion. It is a general maxim, mail in each State. Now, because that call had not been an axiom in Government, that while you hold officers to answered, the Senator from Connecticut would reduce responsibility, they will be found prudent; but when you the rates of postage. He must confess that he did not relax the responsibility, they will become prodiga'. quite understand this logic. If that resolution had been There are, it is true, some men who will be economical answered, and it had been shown that the State of Con without responsibility. The Chairman of the Committee necticut paid more of this tax than Kentucky, which had on the Post Office and Post Roads thinks my case beyond twice her population, here would have been a theme for all hope. I think it is so; I have declined. Some say an argument most grateful to Connecticut, and which the my popularity declined first, and I declined afterwards. Senator would doubtless have made good use of. But Perhaps I and my popularity both declined together. there was another little matter which the Senator would Now the gentleman from Tennessee has not declined. probably not have touched upon. He would have left How stands it with his popularity? Have they kept pace the subject of the expenditures in Connecticut in ships, together? I have taken no part against his re-election, and barbors, and light-houses, to have been disclosed by although it has been said that he is as cunning as a fox. *some other Senator. Yet, if all things were taken into But if we get another in his room, I am afraid it will be view, if all expenditures were balanced, there would ap- getting out of the frying pan into the fire. The gentlepear to be nothing unjust nor unfair. The popular plan man had said, that he would not make the post office a was to point out to any particular section something in charge on the treasury, lest the opportunity for lavish which they appeared to be oppressed, without making expenditures should be abused by an improvident extenthe view general; and thus to excite discontent against sion of the post roads. If the gentleman were to carry the Government. These remarks, however, had no ap- that principle through, he would not go far with this plication to the tariff, which, in his opinion, formed a just administration. The gentleman would not permit the exception every where to the observation. Postmaster General to have unbounded resources, because Mr. FOOT said, the gentleman from Tennessee seemed he would not then have the excuse, when pressed by apto think that there was no relevance between the call plicants, that the funds were insufficient. Needs he such which he had made at the last session and the present an excuse? Are not the men to whom these high offices resolution. That Senator, however, had attached an are entrusted, men so firm that they can refuse when importance to the call which it had never possessed before, their duty requires it? He would give the Postmaster in his estimation. That gentleman knew nothing of Con- General power, presuming that he would never want an necticut; it was not a complaining State, although there excuse for the performance of his duty. If a political was perhaps as much intelligence diffused over it as over friend asked him for an increase of compensation, he any other State of the Union. The people there never would not, if a correct and faithful officer, hesitate to remade complaints, but cheerfully bore their proportion of fuse. Let the responsibility be increased; and if the 37 JANUARY 2, 1833.] OF DEBATES IN CONGRESS. Spanish Claimants. [SENATE. Resolved, That the Committee on Foreign Relations be officer abuses the means intrusted to him, Congress would have the power to apply a corrective. If the course instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing once suggested here had not been also arrested here, none the means by which the claimants under the late treaty of these allowances to contractors would have been heard with France can obtain the evidence of documents relathave been presented to the commissioners under the late of; but the responsibility would have been found effectual. ing to their claims, when such evidence and documents He would hold every officer to his responsibility. Mr. GRUNDY asked for the yeas and nays on the pas-treaty with Spain, and are deposited in the State Departsage of his amendment; and a sufficient number sustain-ment. ing the call, the yeas and nays were ordered. ness. rate. Mr. HOLMES introduced the resolution with some Mr. BIBB made some remarks in opposition to the remarks, and stated that the commissioners acting unresolution; in the course of which he adverted to the der the treaty with Spain had, after the termination of fact that a merchant in Kentucky having got for himself their labors, lodged the papers in the Department of He referred to the case of a friend, whose the situation of postmaster, had thereby saved to himself State, as was supposed for the purpose of allowing to in postage two hundred dollars, which was more than the the Spanish Government access to these documents, in amount of all the other postage in his office, as he kept up case of need. a considerable correspondence for the benefit of his busi-bill had been before the Spanish Commissioners, and had There the postage tax fell on those who best been rejected, on the ground that the capture was made could bear it. He went on to show that this was gene- by a French vessel. Through him (Mr. H.) this gentleman He considered it a matter of great labor had made application to the State Department to procure rally the case. The case having been taken out of the and intricacy, requiring elaborate calculation, to arrange his papers: but owing to the construction which the Sea perfect scheme of reduction of postage, adapted to all cretary had put upon his duties, it was found impossible distances; and doubted whether the post office itself to obtain them. could furnish the materials for such calculation. He con- hands of the Spanish Commissioners by the rejection of tended that the present tax was not oppressive on any the claim, the papers could be of no future use to the one, but that it operated as every fair tax ought to ope- Spanish Government, and ought to be returned to the Mr. WEBSTER admitted that cases of individual inAt the last session he had expressed his opinions claimant. on the subject of the reduction of the newspaper postage: those opinions had undergone no change. He then convenience might have occurred, like that which was adverted to our rapidly increasing population; settle- referred to by the gentleman from Maine, but he had ments were extending themselves; and the voice of jus- never anticipated that it would be thought necessary to tice, in a tone not to be resisted, demanded that the Go-invoke the action of Congress. It was provided by the vernment should carry into those new settlements the treaty with Spain, that the documents should be deposibenefits which were already enjoyed in the old. This ted in the Department of State. There would conseconstantly increases the expenditures of the department; quently be some delicacy in interfering with this proviIt merely meant the expenditures must continue to increase, as the ramifi- sion. He considered that the whole of the difficulty had cations of the system are extended into all parts of the arisen from the narrow construction which had been country. It should be the aim of Congress to keep the given to the term State Department. There was no preexpenditures of the department, as nearly as possible, cise locality to be attached to the term. within the receipts, avoiding at the same time that mi- that the papers should be left in the custody of the ExThe Postmas- the gentleman at the head of the department were well nuteness of legislation which entailed more cost upon ecutive. He could not decide whether the doubts of the country than the subject was worth. ter General felt himself bound to keep the cost of all his or ill founded, but there could be no impropriety in makimprovements within the means of the department. If ing use of the papers, while they were under the conthis check were taken away, and he was permitted to trol of the department. It might not be correct to give come to Congress, he would be unable to resist the them up to any individual, but an inspection of them temptations which would surround him. Experience under the charge of some officer of the Government, every where had proved, that the Post Office Depart-to whom they were intrusted, would be the kind of fament can only be beneficially managed by subjecting it cility which would not come in conflict with the meanto this check, and the moment it is removed, the advan- ing of the treaty. He was certain that the Secretary tages of the system are destroyed. Dr. Franklin esta- of State would be ready to render every accommodablished the department on a small scale: it had from tion which he regarded as being within the range of his Mr. HOLMES repeated what he had said concerning that time been extending itself to keep pace with the duty. extension of the country; but it had always been kept. within this check, and he would not be willing to break the difficulty he had found in obtaining what he wished. in upon it, because we should inevitably have to return His object now was the institution of an inquiry which to it. Whenever a specific scheme of reduction should would lead to some arrangement between the Committee be presented for consideration, he would be glad to exa- on Foreign Relations and the Secretary. He then asked if the commismine it; but he was not one for rashly uprooting every a correspondence which he had had with the Secretary. He would not, The answer was "No." thing. He was not one who, to obtain a favorite point, He had asked if the claimants could have the papers. would throw every thing into confusion. to get rid of an imagined wrong, go into a convention of sioners could obtain them, and received also a negative all the States, frame a new constitution, and throw every reply. thing into chaos. So it was in regard to the post office. He would keep it within the checks with which it had always been surrounded, and not, by a rash inundation of means, render it a rank source of corruption, instead of a department useful to the country. The Senate then adjourned to Wednesday. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 2, 1833. SPANISH CLAIMANTS. Mr. HOLMES offered the following resolution: He referred to Mr. SPRAGUE reminded the Senate, that when the act of Congress was under consideration, he had offered an amendment with a view to meet cases of the was then stated by those who had the views of the de precise character of that which had now occurred. It partment, that it was unnecessary, and that the fourth section made ample provision. Such was the opinion of the department, and such also was the opinion o the Senate. Now, it was found that there was a diff culty; and it was proper that there should be some inquiry The resolution was then agreed to. SENATE.] REDUCTION OF POSTAGE. is the department enabled to render all this gratuitous service? The answer is obvious. The postage which is reThe Senate resumed the consideration of Mr. SPRAGUE'S ceived on private letters, over and above the fair cost of resolution on the subject of the reduction of postage. their transmission, pays also for the transportation of these Mr. EWING said, that, when this resolution was offer-official letters and documents; or, in other words, those ed by his friend from Maine, he did not himself suppose who write and receive private letters pay a tax for so dothat the opinion of the committee was such as required ing to the amount of $500,000 annually. Now, I do not these special instructions in order to attain the object in deny, that, in cases of great national emergency, when all view. I was well aware (said Mr. E.) that, at the last the resources of the country are required to be called session, a majority of the committee was opposed to a forth, that these also ought to contribute what it may to reduction of the rates of postage; but, since that time, sustain the Government; but surely the transmission of one of its members has ceased to be a member of this knowledge, the transmission of letters of business or of body, and the Senator from Missouri (Mr. BUCKNER) has friendship from one part of the Union to another, should been placed on the committee in his stead. But, since be among the last subjects of taxation to which we should that gentleman has expressed his opinion here so deci- resort. It is not true, in fact, as has been suggested, that it dedly adverse to the proposed reduction, it is clear that is the rich who read and write, and therefore pay this tax; there is the same majority as formerly against it in the and if it were true, it forms no substantial argument in its facommittee; and that, if we have any action on the sub-vor. But the fact is distinctly otherwise: it is to the rich, or ject there, it must come to us charged with instructions those who are comparatively so, that letters, papers, and from the Senate. I, sir, have been, and still am, in favor public documents are sent under official franks, and for of some reduction, and some modification in our rates of the transportation of which those who write and receive postage. I am satisfied that justice and sound policy private letters pay. The man of business pays a large require it; nor do I think that the efficiency of the depart-amount of postage, but it is repaid to him by those who ment, or the fiscal concerns of the country, will be inju- employ him; and the merchant charges his postage as a riously affected by such a measure, if it be judiciously part of the cost of his goods, and his customers pay it; so executed. that at last this burden falls, like most others, upon the mass of the people. The Senator from Missouri furthest to my left (Mr. BENTON) was right in saying that a reduction of impost In addition to this, the poorest portion of our commuis not always a reduction of revenue. It would not be nity, even the day-laborer who has emigrated from the so here, to the full extent: for, by lessening the postage old to the new States, and who has left parents or friends on letters, you will increase their number; and pack-behind him, pays now a tax to the Government for the ages, also, which, at the present rates of postage, seek privilege of reading or having read to him the news from other modes of conveyance, would be forwarded by mail, his native place, or the simple effusions of parental or fraif it could be done at a reasonable cost. I agree, also, ternal love. Justice, it is true, requires that he should with that gentlemar, in the opinion that there is an un-pay the reasonable cost of transmission; but in the present reasonable discrimination between single and double let-state of our finances, there is no reason why he should be ters; and, at the last session, I suggested (in committee) charged beyond it. The same rule applies to all, whata modification which was intended to remove the inequality, but it was not acted on. A letter written upon a large sheet of 'cap paper pays twenty-five cents postage if carried four hundred miles. If it be written on but half a sheet of paper, no matter how thin and light, and contains a separate scrap of paper, however small, it pays double; if it contains two bank notes, which do not add perceptibly to its weight, it pays treble postage. Now there is no goo rason for this, the bandage (to use a term of art) on each letter is the same, the weight of the double or treble letter is often much less than that of the single one, and yet it pays twice or three times as much. This is manifestly unj ust, and requires correction. From this concurrence of opinions as to the premises, I confidently expected that the Senator from Missouri - would arrive at the same conclusion with myself; but in this I was mistaken. I will not quarrel with his logic, though I cannot assent to its correctness. ever be their condition. The transmission of intelligence, the interchange of opinions and affections between individuals in different sections of the Union, should be countenanced rather than discouraged; and a tax imposed upon these, for any purpose, except in cases of necessity, is injudicious. If I be right in this, and if the chairman be right in his view which he exhibited of the state of the department, the postage ought to be reduced in the aggregate about $500,000--the sum which appears to be levied through the department for the use of the Govern ment. I cannot concur with gentlemen who think that it would occasion extravagance of expenditures, if the department were permitted to receive through the treasury any por tion of its support. The honorable chairman has said, that, of all the departments of the Government, this is the most unmanageable. If, by this, he means the least responsible, I concur with him. Sir, there is more than two I was not a little struck with the views of the Senator millions of dollars annually received there, and disbursed, from Kentucky, [Mr. BIBB.] That gentleman moved a we know not how. It is true, we are told in the reports resolution at the last session to abolish the duty on news- of the Postmaster General that this aggregate sum, or papers: he is still in favor of that proposition, but is unwil-near it, is expended in the transmission of the mails; but ling to leave the matter, or reduction generally, to the the precise manner is not at all disclosed to us. We know committee: it were, he says, intrusting them with too ex-not how much is sunk in affording those unreasonable fatensive powers. He therefore goes for the amendment cilities which the honorable chairman says are so often which instructs them to inquire into the expediency of asked, and are pressed for with such earnestness that they reducing, and thereby leaves their powers wholly unli-can be limited only by limiting the means of the depart mited. ment. How much in extra allowances to contractors, and The facts communicated by the honorable chairman of how much in changes of contracts from hand to hand, on the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads furnish terms disadvantageous to the Government! We know nostrong reasons for the adoption of this resolution. He thing of this, nor can we ever know, while the present tells us, and I rely implicitly on his authority, that the de-system remains untouched, and the committee unchanged. partment now not only sustains itself with its own income, As a matter of theory, the Committee on the Post Office but that it performs services for the United States to the and Post Roads, to which I belong, have a right to inquire value of more than $500,000 yearly in the transmission of into these things; and if there be improvidence and waste, official letters and documents free of postage. Now, how or misapplication of the funds of the department, to dis 41 JANUARY 2, 1833.] OF DEBATES IN CONGRESS. Reduction of Postage. [SENATE. close it to this body, that it may be exposed to the public. vorable to the object, it would be easy to move to refer But our excellent chairman, tender of the labor of some that report to the Judiciary Committee, where its errors of his committee, and prodigal of his own, has been a kind might be revised and corrected. The other mode was to of middle man between us and the department, and has introduce a bill on leave, stating the amount and mode of 'dealt out to us just so much information as he considered reduction; that bill would be sent to the committee, and if Over and again they reported against it, their report would come up besalutary and suitable for us to `receive. has it been attempted in this body to look into the affairs of fore the Senate, where it would be reversed if wrong, and the department, but always has the honorable chairman confirmed if right. He was prepared to vote for the amendextended his broad ægis over them, and all beneath has ment, or he was willing to refer the subject to a select comIn truth, sir,mittee, for the purpose of inquiry, but he was not prepared been thus far sheltered by its ample shade. as long as this department shall be sustained entirely by to set up his opinion against that of the committee. If its own receipts, without resort to the treasury, there will he was in possession of sufficient data, he would have no Mr. BUCKNER commenced a series of observations be an indisposition here to scrutinize its disbursements. objection to vote for a peremptory instruction. And it is unsafe, and contrary to the whole theory of our Government, to intrust to any officer the disbursement of by disclaiming all sectional feelings and views, which he large sums of the public money without accountability, declared he had never allowed to influence his opinions and without scrutiny. I bring no charge against the pre- and actions, and he hoped he never should. On the consent head of this department. I rest my views on general trary, he was in favor of every thing, the tendency of principles, and hold it most certain that if there be not which was to promote the interests of the whole. The now waste and mismanagement there, there will be; for it is hasty remarks which he had made when this subject was inherent in the very nature of the system, as it now exists. before the Senate on a former day, had not been dictated But, sir, if the rates of postage were so modified that by a spirit of envy or jealousy. In reference to the effect the department must resort to the treasury annually for a which this resolution would have on the interests of the sum about equivalent to the value of the services which West, he had spoken of it as unreasonable that the memit renders, (and I would not consent to go beyond this bers from that section of country should vote for a propopoint,) the amount and the manner of its expenditures sition which bore injuriously upon their own constituents; would become a subject of investigation before the com- but he merely intended by these observations to stand by mittees of Congress. We always realize the fact that the the interests of those he represented, as other gentlemen money in the treasury is the public money, while the pub- from other sections of the country would feel disposed to lic money in the hands of the Postmaster General is, I do. He had stated that he was opposed to a resolution know not why, looked upon as the money of the depart- which compelled the West to pay the postage of the East. ment. There would, therefore, be more restraint and So far from intending an appeal to the West, it was his less danger of extravagant expenditures in that, than in object to address himself to the generosity of the East, and to invoke their feelings of magnanimity in aid of his He did not desire the West to be influenced by the existing state of things. Mr. KANE then rose to state his objections to the reso- views. The Senator from Maine had sad that lution in the form in which it was offered by the Senator sordid prejudices; but that the East should be actuated from Maine. In that form it gave no discretion to the by noble views. committee to deviate from the peremptory instructions of he was desirous to dffuse knowledge and dispel ignoHe also was willing to diffuse knowledge and dis the resolution. It did not give the power to inquire into rance. any abuses which might exist; it gave none to equalize pel ignorance; but he would not put his hand in another the rates of postage. What, in fact, was it? The original man's pocket for the purpose of showing his charity. He resolution directs the committee to bring in a bill nolens would not put his arm, up to the elbow, into the treavolens, and without saying why, to reduce the rates of sury, to display his kindness to any particular part of the postage. And the Senate were now called on to say, not Union. How was this proposition to be considered? The whether the committee should go into an inquiry on the gentleman from Maine propo ed, not that every man subject, but whether the rates of postage should be re- should pay for his own learning, but that the poor and Was this the way to duced or not. He said that he was not prepared to give honest yeomanry should be taxed in order to accommodate the rest of the community. his vote on a question of so much importance. He admitted that there was one point on which all seem-diffuse knowledge? Every man ought to pay for what ed to agree. If the rates of postage could be reduced he received; and to tax another for it was unjust. If the consistently with the means of the department, and with-East paid the greatest share of the tax, it was because it out embarrassing its operations in any degree, all were had the greatest share of advantage. He who received willing that the reduction should take place. And there the greatest benefit ought to pay the greates! s'are of was a class of Senators who were willing to make the re- the cost. ductions, even if the operations of the department could He went on to state that where there was most traffic be carried on with the assistance of the treasury. He did there was the greatest necessity for the information circunot belong to the latter class, although he was one of those lated through the post office, and there the greatest who agreed that if the rates could be reduced without em- amount of postage should be paid. The East had the barrassing the means of the department, it ought to be greatest share of trade, and if it was taxed the most heavi done. But unless he was prepared to admit that the ad- ly, it was to pay for its own postage, and not the postage ministration of the department hitherto had been corrupt, of the West. He expressed his regiet that any proposi and its expenditures characterized by profligacy, he tion should be introduced at this time, the tendency of could not vote for the resolution in its original form. Be- which was to increase the agitations which now disturbed cause the committee at the last session had come to the the country. While he was one who would not add to conclusion that there ought to be no reduction of the rates the present excitement, he would not be induced to reof postage, it had been contended that there was no way frain from taking every step necessary for the public inHe was not one of those left but to give a peremptory instruction to report a bill. terest, but, at the same time, he would not sanction the He was not prepared, unless without further investiga- introduction of new schemes. tion, to set up his opinion against those of the committee, who imagined that any great danger now beset the Union, whose attention had been long and sedulously addressed or that the moment had arrived when this fair fabric of to the subject. It was easy for gentlemen to get at their human wisdom was about to be destroyed; for he looked He relied, in a great measure, on the chief mag' object, and it might be done in one of two ways: in the to the operation of a redeeming principle which existed first place, if the committee should make a report unfa-in it. |