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1/09/1843
State of New-Hampshire.
Your committee are conscious of the importance of the subject submitted to them, as well in re-
ference to the General Government, as to the whole American people. The Post-Office Depart-
ment is of great public utility and individual convenience; and under proper regulations, affords fa-
cilities of communication to all without imposing an unequal burden upon any. In a Republic
like ours, no class of men should be permitted to use the facilities of government for their own pri-
vate interest, at the expense of the people by whom such facilities are maintained.
Your committee are fully of the opinion that the Post-Office laws as they now exist, afford to
Members of Congress a monopoly unsuited to the spirit of the age, and uncalled for in the discharge
of their official duties. The principal expense of the establishment is borne by the letter correspond-
ents, and an unreasonable burden is imposed upon them by the enormous abuse of the franking priv-
ilege, tolerated by that department under the law of the United States.
The committee believe that the present rate of postage on letters ought to be reduced, and the dis-
parity between the charge of letters and other matter carried in the mail, corrected, so that the ex-
pense may be abated without diminishing the revenues of the Post-Office Department.
Believing that a reform on these points is absolutely necessary, your committee recommend the
passage of the following Resolutions:
RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened, That
the present Post-Office laws relating to "the franking privilege," ought to be abolished; and that
Post-Masters, Members of Congress and officers of the General Government should enjoy no privi-
lege of transmitting by mail, at the public expense, letters or other matter of a private character, and
which are uncalled for in the discharge of their official duties.
Resolved, That a reduction of the rates on letter postage, so that it bear some proportion to that
impose upon other matter carried in the public mails, is loudly called for--that such a reduction
would secure a more equal participation in the benefits which may and should be enjoyed by the
whole community; and would, it is beleived, greatly increase the revenue of the Post-Office De-
partment, and thus enable it to increase the facilities now enjoyed by correspondents, consequent
upon its establishment.
Resolved, That our Senators in Congress be instructed and our Representatives requested to use
their exertions to procure such a modification or alteration of the existing Post-Office laws, as that
Post-Masters, Members of Congress and officers of the General Government shall not enjoy "the
franking privilege," except in cases relating to their offical duties; and also, to procure a reduction
of the present rates of letter postage.
Resolved, That the Governor be requested to transmit copies of the foregoing Resolutions to
our Senators and Repsesentatives in Congress, and also to the Governors of our Sister States.
SAMUEL SWASEY, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
JOSIAH QUINCY, President of the Senate.
Approved Dec. 23, 1842
HENRY HUBBARD, Governor.
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