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One sIverv light mad joined the twain;


II was the Widows Evening Star,


For she was with her own again


.Ms.e- FORK. l5ii


Report Of tf.e Minority of the Committee


on the Post- Office.


The Report CT the minority Of the COMMITTEE
ON the Post-O Office and Post Roads advocates
radical reform in the whole system of levying
postage, and the total abolition OF The tranklng
Privilege, except so far as the officers OF the
Post Office Department alone are concerned.


II commences with history of the Depart
ment at its first organization in HIS, comparing
the number of Post. Offices and rates Of postage
then and at subsequent dates, and showing lhai
there has been no reduction of this scale, though
the cost of all other transportation has very much
decreased


1t rests, however, It's strongest argument IN
favor of modification of the law upon the es.
1ablishment of the numerous Private Mails or
Expresses which have occupied the profitable
routes, it being notorious that the majority OF the
routes in this country could not sustain them
selves but for the excess over actual disburse-
ments on those connecting the great dep0ts OF
trade The effect of these Private Mails will
be to take possession of these profitable routes,
and reduce what supports the Department a
present to the same condition with those which
are a burden upon 1t.


Relative to the Franking Privilege, the Report
Gays:


The entire abolition the ranking privilege. except
The business fthe Office Department it,e unQual
tedly recommend This reform which, than al
otber. dsnned by the people; and the enforced
By the of the Department us evenuc measure 1t
has always been that the fot-Oce Department nut
be supported from It's revenues but no; To be TAXED tor
cly II would be grossly UNJUST To lax the communal
~ the transportation OF the letters OF individuals and
would be eQutnbe Ia the letter
guch, the expenses o the milton Let the Post Office
its own expenses. aud nothing more 1t sn KIND o JOINT
facilities must contribute the payment OF the
proportion TO the extent they enjoy them Thus prcpie 50
iust eQaa has always been upheld theory but like
many other edged prncip OF our Govcnment
stantly violated practice. Ii true thn, the Post Office has
not except during the emergency been required
tribute money support the other departments o the Gov
ernment but ceiuny ha, contributed largely BY The
poation their and documents free postage There
be difference between eonubu"n IN money aud the
pend, half million dollars the transportation of irnSed
oGov-rnnen,a eiiecuny asif |, col eced the AMI
afterwards repaid the treasury AMI the business
veyinE its own letters eeciuy taxed therefor as il the
money collected BY the 'aIs sp.herer..


The abolition Of the ankns privilege ofSenaor> and mem
oer Of Congress we lear VIII he the least sccertabe OF any
large the reasons which influence Us TO aSet The Post OF
nee department OF the Government entirely DIS,
tinc from the Legislative supported by rcvene
the burden OF the Congressional postage ought not n be thrown
Members or the aIes Of the CLERK and other officer. i may
be said that the flank the privilege o the constituent and
that would be UNJUST compel members 10 postage
cttor and papers scnt To them public Officers which they
have personal interest s be true. and good
for reundlng the postage; but be ior sub
yect ing III, Department or individuals who have
: 1Agan the frankng privilege boon To our constu.
they have ar-hi to r.ncu'h and the remuneration
ry 4 hpli II
have right To control us Ill It's exercise and with
hc policy and the welfare of our constituents require conp
The most imminent danger 10 institutions then
tendency cenalzaon and the anklne privilege dong
more than anything promote L, The people, overlook
ng purer aud better OF Intelligence home.
becoming accustomed TO turn their eyes Tor information 10 the
Capital alone and poured GU, 70 them under the Con
kre'sopal frank IN eoPous but tubd streams envelYped III
eorne nearly promted the country press one OF the most
abundance OF highly spce4 reading direct fro,i
the Capitol during the leisure hours c Winter. eyw have
Abolish the tankng privilege. and the will
revive. and be able furnish It's with abstracts OF
poran questions presenting 10 the public und distinct
md view q tne great interests OF the nation and the
sided publications which enanae from this city The princ
nsrstood by constituents then speeches instead
beng published here and burdenng the mails their trans
poraton ds,nn, parts oil the Union, Will be published IN the
journals home uud circulated and read more exensve,
by those who most Interested IN the ma,te Aer speech
has been read. pamphlet form. by the principal part his
subscnbeN. journalist cannot afford TO republsh IT, for





bore Another and great benefit to .u, from the abolition H.
It's tendency - destroy te ndeeen'ent TO Hake Batese
o,he people are wasted by speeches having earth
often told by these oraors OF the aour that they do
n,eud, uite, word appc3be 10 the question before
Preclude them from distributing their ucubra;ons under rauk
and hope 10 con,ne them somewhat the
subject the sessions Will be shortened and the business much
better done, and with great OF expense AnothSi
SAVING w De effected IN public prutng Subject documents
really valuable and for which the receiving them
more time 70 attend TO ths estluate du, es in the House
and less Tor abseuca during ITS sngs, leaving with
atioa 10 send for its .ecsnt members Many public c0d
eraons of vital importance appear To US 10 demand the abo
ibs rahec, viii be seen same light by Others ,yheu they


direct their attention To IL But If there uninauenced
ieresthc abolition Will them great amour, OF
hSor asd sSpsass How many houss OF toi and eudgey are
speeches member distributes How srge portion OF his
most m,akeny suppose are printed nj the public
and that he h., do u,he matter to direct and
with the frankns pvese and his SAVING in money be ia


oss than sufficient to pay all Inc SSs,ase which viii be
ysi,h to have influence oGe then and we ande them only
70 the 0seea 50 s1 DsS %sds 3 Ha by The sbSo
amount postage which they viii be ubecred " 'ne


The Report then goes on to show, by reference
~ the condition of the English Post, Office De
partment, that by the great increase OF letters
which reduced postage would cause 10 be writ.
ten, it would do what it does not now-pay for
itsslf


The Report also advocates the payment of
postage when the letter is mailed or an increased
rate if the POSTAGE collected as at present. On
the whole we like the proposed bill of the minori-
ty better than that of the majority, because TIE
rates of postage it demands arc smaller.