Show POSTMASTERS OF OP O OLDEN DEN TIME Ninety Years Ago Incomes Arg- Arg by Acting as Agents The postmaster ster of today may think he has troubles of his own but there was was- wasa a time about the year 1817 when queer things were expected of post post- masters An old pamphlet dated April 1817 states that a II new daily and thrice a week paper was to tobe tobe tobe be printed at the seat of government After the virtues of the proposed publication publication pubU cation were set forth the to editor-to-be t says Postmasters are hereby authorized to o receive subscriptions for the Gazette Gazette Gazette Gaz Gaz- ette and for all moneys collected and transmitted to the editor at the city of Washington a. a a discount of 10 per percent cent will b be allowed Distant subscribers subscribers sub sub- subscribers scribers will have their papers carefully care care- fully ully packed and nd punctually forwarded to o order It is to be presumed that a copy of this pamphlet was sent to each postmaster in the United States Under the system that then existed this his method was entirely proper and andt it t is claimed that postmasters derived considerable income from such sour sour- ces cog N The prospectus further states that thata thata a competent reporter will be employed to o furnish the proceedings of Congress for the Gazette and that all interesting interesting interesting inter esting articles of intelligence will wUl be carefully selected and published The rhe to Editor-to-be in writing of himself himself him him- self says As A the humble guardian of the public public pubic pub pub- lic ic weal he will occasionally use the privilege he has a right to exercise in n expressing his bis temperate disapprobation disapprobation bation of such suck measures of the coun coun- try ry If those opinions should sometimes sometimes some- some times imes be erroneous he be wishes them to tobe tobe toe be e ascribed to the common of human judgment which cannot be always in the right As far tar as it may maybe maybe maybe be possible he be will labor to be impartial impartial im im- im- im partial but that there will be a bias and that that bias will be in favor of the he present dominant party he be has to too much candor to deny and too much honesty to conceal What he can do within his humble sphere shall be done for or the good of the country and if it he 10 fails faUs he be will console himself with the be reflection that he had discharged his duty to the utmost of ot his ability and power |