The printer of this paper earnestly solicits the attention of the public with regard to his situation-a situation in which he presumes not only all the printers, but every freeman in this country, will conceive themselves very deeply concerned.
He knows not on what ground the Centinel ventured to charge the postmasters with unfair deportment in the circulation of newspapers. Upon a liberal investigation of the subject, he cheerfully acquits Mr. Bryson, the gentleman who has the management of the post-office in this city. The Printers early represented to him that they did not receive an exchange of their newspapers as usual. He introduced their complaints to his principal, Ebenezer Hazard, Esq. post-master general. His answer, far from affording the desired redress, contained a resolution, under new arrangement, as he terms it, to persevere in the same line of conduct, to lord it over the printers, and thereby prevent the free communication of the sentiments of the people, in a impartial and unrestrained circulation of newspapers through the channel of the post-office. The eastern mails have arrived for several weeks past, and no papers have been received by the printers, except a few from some inconsiderable towns in the states of Connecticut and New-York, and now then, by way of grace and favor, a single solitary paper from Boston or New-York.
This is the situation of the printers here; a situation truly alarming, and deserving the immediate attention of the people themselves at large. When the vehicles of intelligence are closed at this alarming crisis, by the vile edicts of a despotic post-master: when the venerable usages of the country from time immemorial, are invaded to answer the dirty purposes of faction and party, or to gratify high-throned authority, and printers are debarred of their ancient privileges of interchanging their newspapers, let any man in his sober senses say whether Americans are not degraded from their rank as freemen into that of slaves and vassals. Such oppressions and atrocious exercises of power, were never expected in the morning of our peace and independecy, when the great orb of freedom uplifted his beamy head "to chace the shades of night:" nor will they now bear the test of light.
The post-office, in its creation and establishment, was evidently intended for the good of the people, not for the emolument of a few of their servants and retainers. Hence arose the privileges now claimed by the printers of a mutual intercourse of newspapers through the channel of the post office: and until now never did a post-master, not even in the hot moments of royal zeal or stamp-act fury, assume a right to discontinue the communication of intelligence in this way. As old as the post-office itself, it has been customary for post-masters to despatch the papers of printers. This custom is therefore an established, uniterrupted custom of the country, that has antiquity, sterling antiquity, on its side; and as such is as obligatory as any positive law of the land. What right can the post-master general have to violate permanent laws and usages? Is he an officer of the public, and bound to adhere to such laws, or are the people the humble captives and tenants of his will and plearsure? Shall respectable rules and regulations fall a prey to his flimsey systems and temporising ARRANGEMENTS, or must his discretion submit to well concerted rules, sanctioned by experience, having a reference to the common welfare, and not accommodated to times or things, local or partisanning circumstances? A more oppressive engine could not be pointed at the press, nor levelled at the vitals of the printers. 'Tis to martyr freedom, and shake our privileges from the centre to the extremities.
Printing presses can never be better employed than in defending the birth-rights of the people; and the dignity of hte post-office is not to be preserved by the arbitrary hand of power, and an overbearing disposition towards the printers, or in sowing the seeds of jealousy and discord. On the contrary, true dignity consists in looking after and supporting the general good, in which every citizen in a greater or lesser degree is equally interested. Tyrants and despots may flourish like a bay tree, and look green for a-while-But there is a time for all things, and monsters and oppressors are sure to wither.
Having offered these sentiments, which are purely from the printer's known attachment to the Freedom of the Press, he would willingly close. But as endeavors have been made to injure his paper, he would claim a moments more indulgence on the occasion.
Since the promulgation of the new scheme of government, several strictures appearing in this paper, under divers signatures, have given offence to some of its most zealous friends and advocates; and, in order to display the length of their revenge on the printer, have withdrawn their subscription, and the most ungerous means have been essayed to persuade others to pursue their path and follow the example. But let such persons now be told, that the only fault they could find with the printer, he flatters himself, was his love of integrity and impartiality. Freely has he published respective pieces relative to federal measures, both far and against the new constitution. No restrictions were on his paper-nor has partiality ever shewn her pallid face. What crime or offence has he committed in supporting an impartial line of conduct in his office? Is this the reason his paper should be treated as diffusing licentiousness, faction and rebellion? And is it for this the pigmy prophet DANIEL, the incessant trumpeter of the fugitive production of Galen and his infamous disciples, attempts to dishonor the Independent Gazetter, and to proclaime its approaching destiny.
These base attempts to predudice the printer and his family, he is happy to find, have, on trial, proved abortive-they could not be otherwise, as they sprung from bass born minds and principles-For many of his fellow citizens, considering the procedures of his enemey as unworthy and illiberal, have repelled the premeditated injury, and generously contributed to the support of his paper, by enrolling their names as subscribers, and advancing their monies.