Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-09-28
POLITICAL.
From the u. $. Telegraph.
TIE PNSIMAS TER GP.NER

From the u. s Teieeraph
THE PuSfMAS TER GENERAL.
We now proceed 10 redeem our pledge rein.
tive TO the charge OF dctalcation made against
the present Postmaster General.
Ga thu death e Nj. Jordan. Postmaster nj
Lexington, XIV John Fowler by the secomnen.
daiion Of Henry Clay, vas appointed 10 I'LL the
vacancy. His appointment Was dnied Drrem-
ber ! |, lsl3. and his bond January !, 1914
James Morrison was one OF his surelies the
mani, of the q hers are moi reCollepled.
On the 5tn Of August, 1918, letter WINS nd
dressed d, X J. Mtigs. tut POSTMASTER Gene
al, 10 james Nous ~, Ms one OF the sprrties
oil Iohe fswlei, aav 'ing Inn that Fowler was
nearly 5000 III arrears that he had JUS failed
% pa, 4 dral, lof 5000 snd that unless h.
shn uli Immediately pay = balance due FROM
him. the principal put atIt, into the United
States Branch Bank ~ Laxhgton, he would
be superseded by The eppntninent of another
Po master. and his hood pni IN SUIT lie bos.
,eel paid noIbing after this before he close Of
TINT year, except Que dralt Tor $3.50 drawn in
Ocluh'r.
There appears 10 have been strong rcluc.
lance 10 the removal Of Mr.. Fowler from . (
fee, both on the pah Of the Pos master Cen
einl, mud Of Mr.. Fowler's friends ~ Kentucky
aud the matter was therefore permitted 10 rest,
for mora than three mouths longer when il
WAS 6naly agreed thai Mr.. Fowler should give
| new bond and 50 remain IN office Accor-
dinghy he gave ma additional bond dated No.
vember p 1918, with SIX surcties, VIZ Corno
! lius Co,lf, Thomas Fletcher. John L. Mason
William 1 Barry, John Patrick. md Benja.
min Johnson. The bHlaneo due fiom him to
he department AT the close Of the quarter then
running, viz on the 3lsl OF December, 1878,
was 80 373 80.
At
without lqudaing This balance, or even pay.
| lng the whole amount vi his current receipts
nIl on the 10Th Of December, 1921, n letter was
| written bp The Postmaster General To William,
| l. Barry, T. q oil Lexington, enclosing II blank
COMMISSION, aud requesting hun TO select n
sui able person for successor 10 Mr.. Fowlrr.
! lhc stnding blaEk appointment ioa person
having the confidence OF The department au-
tnorl2ing him To make n suitable ssleeilon
hid been done in hundreds oi instances, and
on rlIts occasion there was special reason foi
! Il. The Pos master General had been iuiprm-
el thai Mr.. Fower's Disfortunes were the sole
cause oil his delinquency and being Irsolveni
yet without fnnlf. IL wac desirable 10 put the
Office lnlo other hands with as little delay rs
possible aud yet without any measures caIru
atrd 10 cRst n censure on Mr., Fowler MIR
Barry. the mutual friend Of Mr. Fowler aud 81
the department was intrugted with This delicate
TASK Nor did he, III any degree, dIsaprolni
| he confidence Teposed III him ior br selected
the present incumbent, aud better appoint
meut was never made III any place. Mr., Flick
In, The successor OF Mr.. Fowler. gave bond
| with satisfactory security in January, 1879
NJ Fowler then owed the department go
3oS ", being So, 1870 sc more than that he ow.
81 when The IA tond aa- gwen
The first bond having James Morrison Tor
one Of his sutttcs, was known 10 he good for
the whole amount due. IL had not been can
cellcd, nor is validity impaired by the add.
tiooal bond subsequently, given. Blu, when, in
February, 1923. "A suit was ordered for the re-.
covery of IN money, the original bond could
| moi be found. II l. believed 10 nave been, by
some means, Withdrawn from the aflice ; but
| no account of IL could ever be given. The
| sum OF @0 373 81 OF the amount dne, had no
other security for II. payment, and 1t was al.o
the best security for the remaining sum of S3
400 56 which had accrued subsequent 10 the
daic Of the last bond An accouni was made
nut at the department., IN which SO 873 30 ol
the monies paid by Mr. Fowler, after the Civ
ing If the additional bond, aud subsequent to
the Isl of January, 1919, were applied 10 the
| liquidation OF the balance which had accrued
before the date oil the new bond. 10 this APP
plicaion Mr.. Fowler himself o. jected, and III a
letter TO the Postmaster General, dated Sep
tember %, 1922, while the suit was pending,
he thus express MS views aud intentions
" have always intended that he Payments
made 10 the United States, since the exc cuiion
Of my last bond as Postmaster, should be ap-
piled TO the discharge of arrearsges accrued
since the execution Of that bond and If not So
Done | have TO desire il 10 be done. II never
could have been my intention 10 make any So,
curItes in the .asi bond, responsible for the
balance which may have existed against me
previous TO its execution, which would he thu
case # the payments which have made frou
the receipts Of the Office nee the new bono
was e1ecued, we're applied to the balance du,
on the first bond. II any other course ha
been pursued in the settlement Of my HccouD
dferen, from lbe one here pointed out, il ha
been contrary 10 my wishes aud know ledge
and have 10 direct that all monies receive.
from me since The execution Of my las, bond
now IN suit. be applied TO the discharge an,
satisfaction of that bond"
Such Was the direction OF Mr.. Fowler. Til,
, suit. however, went on against the sureties il
the last bond for the whole amount due iron
8 Mr.. Fowler. The loss of the first bond was nc
the fault Of tue sureies in the last, and oug
not TO operate To their injury. The suretes I
y he lasg bond delnVred 10 the declaration, 40