WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON", 1859
302
have been a tax to the general Treasury, and would not have drawn from it to support the Department or to make up a defi- ciency in its revenue. The revenues would have been sufficient of themselves to have supported the Department. It may be said that the franking privilege prevents money going into the Treasury. It takes nothing out of the Treasury; but if it had been paid out of the general Treasury, I do not conceive that money could be better disbursed than by diffusing intelligence throughout the country at large. The people have been in the habit of receiving it; they are expecting it. They derive advantage from it. Intelligence is communicated to them through this medium which they could not otherwise as effici- ently obtain. The distribution of the Patent Office reports is deemed of the first importance to the agricultural interests of the country. They regard that as one of the greatest conveni- ences of the Government, not so essential, perhaps, as some others, but a convenience delightful to them, and one that is beneficial to the general interests of the country, because it is promotive of agriculture. You could distribute these with the i-ame facility that you now do, if you adopt the propositions now before the Senate. Will you transport all your mail matter by way of horsehack, or in small vehicles? The traveling com- munity at large are interested, too, for the transmission of their persons as well as other matter, _from different sections of the country. I can tell you, sir, that I do not want the postal inter- est impaired in the country that I represent. It is of general importance; it is of convenience; it is .a new and extend.ed domain. The population, I grant you, is sparse; and the cost may be deemed onerous, by some gentlemen, to the General Gov- ernment; but we must have these mail facilities. If the popula- tion is sparse and far-dispersed throughout the country, it does not lessen the wants of those who are there, and who feel a deep interest in the mail facilities of the country. Raise the postage, Mr. President, to the proper pitch, and you will find that all the evils which are complained of in the Department will be removed. I am willing to do that. I am not contending for the franking privilege for any benefit I expect to result to me individually, for my concern about that matter is about closing; but I feel that it is an interest that ought to be maintained. The withdrawal of the franking priv- ilege from members of Congress will be detrimental to the
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