Lettermark

Part I documents the rise of lettermarking and explains how lettermarks damage American democracy.

Appropriations bills sometimes include funds for projects not requested by the executive branch. This allow members of Congress to 'lettermark' these funds by unofficially contacting executive officials directly and requesting that the funds are directed to their state or district.

We send young men "to College," hale and hearty, and the College sends them back duly stamped, — " letter-marked," i.e. invalids.

My Perigordin patois very pleasantly calls these pretenders to learning, lettre-ferits, as a man should say, lettermarked—men on whom letters have been stamped by the blow of a mallet.

When the ship arrived at its destination, a local craftsman could assemble a vessel, orienting on the lettermarking.