with the expenses of this branch of the public service--a mode of
raising revenue for general purposes universally admitted to be so
unequal and unjust that it has never been resorted to in this
country but in a single instance of extreme necessity, and then
only for a very short time. It is true, the post-office may be,
and is in other countries, successfully resorted to as a means of
extorting money from the people; but this must be where the
principles of government are widely different from ours, and the
leading policy being not the promotion of the happiness and
welfare of the many, but the advancement of the few, justifies the
use of any means which may subserve that end. There force and
fear, not justice and mutual good will, are the controlling
influences. According to the nature of our government, it might
with much more propriety be asked, by those who use the
post-office establishment, that its whole expense be borne by the
general treasury, than that they should be required to defray the
expense of the public service performed in this or any other
department; because it may with truth be urged, that although the
advantages of this department accrue _immediately_ to them, yet
mediately at least they inure to the great benefit of the whole
country."

These objections are of great weight, even under the old or the present
postage. With cheap postage, they ought to be conclusive. In the language
of the English Chancellor of the Exchequer, men who would then wish to
retain the franking privilege "must have a more intense appreciation of
the value of money, and a greater disregard for the value of time, than I
can conceive, if they insist on it." The only other reason for retaining
the privilege would be, that honorable gentlemen, in the receipt of eight
dollars per day for attending to the business of the nation, would be
willing to spend their time in writing franks at two cents a-piece, for
the sake of having their names circulate through the post-office with the
letters M. C. attached to them.

A serious objection to the franking system is, that it unavoidably tends
to constant strife and altercation between members of congress and the
department. The head of the department, naturally and properly careful of
the income of the post-office, sees with pain the vast encroachment upon
the revenue made by the franking system. He