Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-04-11

tnlhB tuot OCCurs.
No department or institution of Government
is more abused than the.Post Office Department,
while we sincerely believe no other public insti-
tuition confers more substantial benefits on So
ciety or is more advantageously managed for the
public interest. We of the press are, perhaps,
most annoyed by the occurrence of apparent
irregularities in the management of the business
OF the Post Office; yet we have rarely had occa-
sion to trace up the history and career of miss
ing letter, without finding that theresponsibiity
for its non-receipt was not justly chargeable to
the officers Of the post. This fact is so forcibly
illustrated in late publication in the New York
Times, that We transfer it to the Stars COL
umns, as follows:
"Losr MONEY LETTERS.
- To the Editor Of the NeV York Daily Times:
SIR In late issue of the Times, I observed
an editorial article complaining of the loss of a
large number Of money letters sent to your address
through the United States mails, at the same time
furnishing your readers with list of such valua-
bic letters lost in the month of February, you saw
'"'W We keep record Of all letters containing
money sent to the Times, and which never reach
their having been sent The following transcript
from that record for the month Of February,
alone, shows the amount lost, and the proper
ton that were registered
"Then follows the list referred to- embracing
some thirty letters sixteen of which were 'regis-
tered' at the offices where mailed, and the balance
were sent as unregistered and in the ordinary
way.
''As all registered letters delivered from this
office have to be receipted for by parties to whom
they were addressed, or. by their authorized
agents, have made an examination of the receipt
books in the Registry Department. and find that
the Postmaster holds receipts for all the register
| ed letters enumerated by you. The receipts are
signed by the young man, who was, until recent
ly, regularly employed and authorized to receive
registered and all other letters for the Times
office. IT, therefore these valuable letters failed
| or Of the Post Office Department.
az. HoLpRoox.
Especial Agent Post Ofice Department.
" We have satisfied ourselves, by personal ex-
animation, that the above is substantially correct
and that the losses of money contained i'm regis
tered letters has been due, to some extent at all
events to the unfathfulness of agents in our own
employ. We desire. therefore, to relieve the
Clerks in the Registry Department of the CITY
Post Office, from whatever suspicion our former
statements on this subject may have involved.
- We may add, Also that we are satisfied that
merchants and business men generally are far too
careless In regard to the class Of persons who are
sent to the Post Office for their letters 1t is very
common to intrust this important and responsible
duty to those employers who in the most infe-
rior positions, and who are most inadeauateIy
paid for their services. direct temptation to
dishonesty is thus thrown in their way We are
satisfied that the matter deserves more attention
than it receives
The gist of this story is as follows: The pro.
prietors of the Times, on finding thas they had
been robbed by somebody, charged the offence
on the officers Of the post. On investigation
they find that those thus accused are blameless
in the premises the robberies having been com
mitted by their own postofice boy, clerk, or
| agent
The SCHEME TO ABOLITIoNIz. New YORK
CIrr.-There is great excitement in New York
city just now, in relation to bills pending
before the Legislature at Albany, which if they
become laws, will materially change the city
government and make New York an appendape
to the State Executive. We have not the bills
before us, nor have We room to give them in de-
tail If we had. They propose to have New
York. including the appointment of the police,
entirely governed by commissioners, who are to
be appointed by the Governor from the rural
districts, if he chooses. These commissioners
are in no way responsible to the people they
are to govern, or to the city legislature but are
totally independent; their salaries, which are
to be $4,000 or $4,000, are of course to be
paid by the city. The Mayor becomes a mere
nOnentity, and the present able incumbent has
announced his intention to resign when the
bills become laws. In fact, all the elective Off
GERS are stripped of power, and become only
clerks for the commissioners. No wonder that
New Workers cannot think of submission to this
legislative and party tyranny, and confess from
the strong language We have heard used by ex-
cellent and quiet citizens now temporarily here,
we should feel no surprise if an organized effort
was made to prevent the operation of the pro-
posed law.
The whole thing is fragrant and fagitious
wrong, inflicted by Republican party legisla-
| ture and executive, because New York dared to
give 10000 majority for Buchanan. This is the
alpha and omega Of the whole transaction, as
is plainly visible; the people of New York, the
Common Council and the members of the legis-
lature from the city have opposed the bill siren
uously and zealously, but to no avail New
York city must be made Republican, and the
leaders think these laws will accomplish that
end. Then, too, the Governor has so many
partizans to reward, that six or eight commits
sioncrships with fat salaries, cannot be lost
merely because the citizens Of New York do not
want any change. -
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE-Among
recent appointments is that of the Hon. John
Appleton, recently in the editorial chair of the
Union, as Assistant Secretary of State. This
is an important Office, requiring not only abili-
ty, but practical experience, in public affairs
In England, and elsewhere in Europe, the posi-
ton or Office has existed for centuries, we be-
lieve. Its utility was originally urged on our
Government by Mr.. Secretary Webster. In the
manifold duties of the State Department Mr..
Webster soon perceived that some able and ex-
perienced business man, possessing the conf
dence of the Secretary, was required near at
hand to attend to the thousand and one calls on
the head Of the Department, while the Secreta.
ry might be engaged in preparing important
state papers, negotiating treaties, &C., in fur
nishing reports for the information of the Presi
dent and Congress, in giving audience to foreign
ENJOYS, and gancing around the world among
our foreign relations, &c, &c.
In the temporary absence of the Secretarv