THE POOR LETTER-CARRIERS.
" Cnirisrmas comes but once a year "; to letter-carriers, however, it comes no more. Their Christmas-box, as it was announced last year, ceases; we do not hear that their Christmas-walks have ceased. They have lost their holyday gift, but they are not to have the holyday itself—the privation for which they were slightly com- pensated by the gratuity.
They are to have no compensation. How is that ? Is it that the Protectionist Ministry has really foresworn its desire for com- pensation to any injured interest ? or is it that the letter-carrier body does not amount to a " considerable interest"? They are ruthlessly handed over to the principle of "unrestricted competi- tion"; but it is not extended for them. They must not compete the one with the other in politeness for the stray silver of the open- handed.
One striking moral effect of the altered regulations we foresee. Hitherto, many persons have declined to give the postman the coveted shilling, "on principle " ; but now that it is prohibited, we have no doubt that many of these persons will feel a sudden impulse of generosity, and will only be prevented from indulging their munificence by the official prohibition. No doubt, numbers of them will ardently desire to pay a compliment to their humble attendants ; and they will deplore the cold restriction of official duty. We doubt, however, whether any of them will discover a mode of conveying to the postmen the silver expression of their kindness ; though such conveyance will never prove to be physi- cally impossible.
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