becomes rigid in the
construction of the law; he deems every frank that does not come within
its letter an abuse; he adopts the assumption that franks were only
designed for the personal accommodation of the individual, and not for his
family or friends. He watches to detect some unwarranted stretch, he finds
a plenty; he examines a franked letter, he stops it; complaint is made to
the member whose signature has been treated with disrespect, an explosion
follows, the public service is hindered, and the honor of law is lowered.
At this moment there is a bill pending in congress, to protect the franks
of members, in consequence of a franked letter having been stopped, on the
ground that the direction was not in the handwriting of him who gave the
frank. Any espionage upon men's letters, is plainly an intolerable
grievance in a republican government. The British government were
compelled to allow franks of members to cover all that was under them, and
they therefore restricted them in weight and number. The only available
method for us is to abolish the privilege itself. The experience under the
present postage law proves that it is impossible to abolish the privilege,
except by establishing cheap postage. The act of 1844 attempted greatly to
restrict the franking privilege, but in three years every material
restriction has been practically done away. There is no middle ground
between boundless franking and no franking. The bill above referred to has
passed the senate, in spite of the most earnest remonstrances of the
Postmaster-General, so that now the frank of a member of congress covers
all that is under it, within the prescribed limit of two ounces weight.
Those members who are so disposed can frank envelopes for their friends,
in any number, and send them in parcels of two ounces, to be used
anywhere, without any more meddling of the post-office clerks. The remedy
will be, to reduce the rate of postage so low, that it will be worth no
person's while to use the franking privilege, or to seek its benefits from
those who hold it; or so that, if it is retained, those who use it will at
least show that they "have a more intense appreciation of money, and a
greater disregard for the value of time," than ordinary persons can
conceive!

It has been said that it will be impossible to secure the services of
postmasters, without giving them the franking privilege. But it will be
found that the cheap and uniform postage, always pr