for
the dissatisfaction with the post-office, then so widely felt by the
people, and the consequent diminution of its revenues, it argues thus:

"The _immediate_ benefits of the post-office establishment
accruing to that portion of the people only who carry on
correspondence through it, and these enjoying those benefits in
very unequal degrees, according to their various pursuits, habits,
or inclinations, it has seemed to be required by the principles of
equal justice that the expenses of the establishment should be
defrayed by contributions collected equally from each person
served by it, in proportion to the amount of service rendered. The
obvious justice of this rule, admitting as it does of so near an
approximation to exact justice in its practical application to the
business of this department, has commended it to all: and,
accordingly, the department has always been _professedly_ governed
by it: but, unfortunately, so wide has been the departure from
this just and equitable rule in the actual practice, that it has
become a word of promise, kept only to the ear, and broken to the
sense. Far from exacting of all equal contributions towards
meeting the necessary expenses of this department in proportion to
the amount of service rendered to each, about one-eighth part
numerically, and probably not less than one sixth part in weight
and bulk of the whole correspondence, has been privileged to pass
free of all charge--to say nothing of the immense amount of public
documents conveyed under similar privilege, while the expense of
the whole has been borne by high charges upon the non-privileged
part of the correspondence. It may be said this privilege was
granted, and has been extended, from time to time, for the public
service, and in furtherance of the public interest. Admitted; but
is it not perceived that it still involves a palpable violation of
the principle of equal justice, before shown to be at the
foundation of all our institutions, and an adherence to which is
indispensable in the conduct of all our affairs? How can it be
made to comport with any just conceptions of right, for the
Government to levy so large a tax, for the common purposes of all,
upon a portion only of its citizens? As well might the post-office
be used as a source of general revenue, as to be taxed specially