The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-16
POST OFFICE FRAUDS AND POST OFFICE REMEDIES.
Cese OF Postmaster WestcOtt-R0bberies In
sh@ PhiIateIphia Poet OMce-Postmastcr
Gene1 al Hcits View OF the AmasE-Arc tnere
ppx aysshOnest Post ONCE Omcaals, &C., &c.

amy dishonest Post once Omcias, &C., &C.
N rom the washington Constitution June 10
We nave from various and reliable sources that
since be -enoyai the Post Office at Philadelphia, Mr.
ws,cot certain of bis friends neye been unceasng
b snJs,vo-s TO prejudice the public mind against the
P,esidsn TO this end are assured that the grossest
,7e Of tie facts Of the case and the grounds of the
iscta1u which has been made have been put crcua-
ton Deeung the correction Of these Interpretations
bid AZ acG simple Justice 10 the administration and
,hs cogrlfg, publish below the report submitted by
the P9snas.s General to the President the 18th OF May
last s1t r1toa as We understand formed the basis Of
Which bee pursued needs other yndcaton than
tbs faSnsltc BY the pain and conclusive statements
waca tl.s paper presents
pos1 OFFICE DEPARTMENT, May IT, 1859
S.s-sucs ~ communication addressed to you the
80 rsisct u relation 10 the charges preferred against
Gd.t1 Yaesc0s Pos master at Phadelphia he has filed
Us dspar, meet various sftdav.s and printed argu.
psL, r. is -c'erce which have been thoroughly examn
aad a'ierod As me case Is now regasied as clos
o. H. 10 pagers submitted since the date Of my former
nc' cha-ge the aspect Q. the fActs as then
st1te. any manner weaken the moral and legal
lL.ei q, sc g he dTawn theieiiou.
T5a accusation against Mr wescoa as then recited is
tbs TnJ the close OF the second quarter year 1857
he efs there was deceit in the cash hand,
compared with the accounts OF the receipts OF the office
O. s. 81; IS. HOW or by whom this sum had been
sirecg. 10i shown nor could It be as:ertaned In
w1a, :-cto Or NTH VIVA, vigilance or skill the uvesA
gs..o1 p-gsued does not aprear 4 does appear,
tcHcveg lba; the ipqgry did not result attaching
suspcioI % ssy empleye OF the oncs more
thss @ lncheE Mr.. Nestoot, il his letter to tns de
pa,rec. o. tbs 9th February 1852 speaking Of the den
ca es tbs iaagcage 'It then became clear til. c,ns
4bs hAa been distracted from tiIls bu. whe
tEer the clerks in charge Ct them by others was
Impossible 20 te, IN an office where the money
saE9F mvce exposed, and where more than a huntred
me
t5vuI ttls kao Wedge only of the amount of the loss
be snoeedse whatever Of the thief thieves bv
'e money had been stolen, he determined to hold
bis ctslhs and CHER employees rsponsibe in body
cspng ias-asom thtleen in lumber, for SPECIAL
give5, WHICH reasors seem 10 aaye had no correction
with tn Supposed guilt innocence OF those thus ex
lates d Il2ss-httg seven Ia Iuuber-upon wdon the
coubu r- was 10 be levied This end was accom- plished
9ei the .ad concealed from the department by having
receipts -g1e1some Of them IN blank to be after wards
, rled up--f1E suus smocntipg IA the aggregate 10
oioes ;. receipts were giyen Inese yo co
hUs prepared were hled with tine auditor for this
GepHtusct and upon them Mr.. Westcotrs iof
thaE Qusstsv were settled aud allowed.
The iss aspect in whi;h tnis transaction ateu
tou tat % OF official oppression.
Uuli ,S W. strott knew b. whom the embezz .em at
or tief' cr-plsI4G OF hsd been cotamttrd be had
rza. 20 TIE indemnity which he has eoiorced In
the 40 scca Of such kho sleoge, tee suggestion OF
suoh contribution ss he levied gross inpropfiety,
casm-on consequence CT the relations subsistng
between hrnset and bis oierks-nyolvng absolute au.
taOri,y the hand aud absolute depeneence oa
the oGhsr-such suggestion would necessarily carry
with al The force Of a command Bet he gave tho
proposition such gentle form his requisit was ope
raue arc il was yielded TO By those who felt that their
places acd ta!y bread dependent upon
oience. That The clerks were cot liable crmina'y or
cvlly Sod5 tor the pecuIaton Of more OF their
1Vmbsr, s proposition too Clear both G and morals
color OF justice claim restoration of what had been
a5st-scsa1 But ne has himself declared shat it Gin
possible 70 ascertain who the guilty party was thl the
mcaey necessarily much exposed. :" and tuat there
more thar hundred persons who al free
~ all rhora, q course, haa Opportunities for commit
Cng the theft. IL these words, from hs own lips is
soprt compete condemnation Of lis o)1dlct II no.
ros,eie that be could have believed that all or ma
josiy man. Of the clerks were involved IN the
offence aa saew, ihersf.re, with eZlire certainty
that, IA obls-g al 10 conti1bcIe, he pun
isaing Che innocent for the guilty, and thus
rNAFr rat In inn nal 1liatn in ne
public jrstice Thai he prompted to this step
from connected with toe gut OF the par
ties eyied on g made mantes from another fact Had
he had any sufficient 10 believe suspect even
sast shese ces had perpetrated the larceny embez
element would nave been MS duty once 10 nave dis.
charged all to whom such belief suspicion applied aud
this duty may BE- safely assumsd, Re would uuhesa
tHsy have performed He, however, dis missed none Of
them from which the inference inevitably results tina. Of
the CT minalty of none oethen he satisfied II was
not tnen, on the ground of such crimnay that ne pro-
ceedad but because he desired and had resolved
im6ursed for the money whioh had been stolen
The position taken in the defence and urged by Mr.
Wes;cott IN paiaton OF his colauct-that .ne derived
no bsnea, from the acts sgnally faacious 1t had
been misfortune suffer a neavy paclniary los.
from .heto- ernte Element and for the amoun nus los
be was Directly responsible TO the government. Il wa
subsstlg liability which had TO be met either frou hi
private funds from the funds Of Others He
that should be from the latter. Toe contrib iton
Of the clerks the, eore for the purpose OF uguhrg
this hsbiity, direct benefit and pecunary gain
and bee1 b. Tim applied to his daily expenses
oIdiaNy business engagements Neither, tnen, 10 the
resortec TO- in the motive which led 10 it, can
there be f9rrd q feature Of justification The
act waa not the :u. Of haste or Of nsapprehenson Of
OF others 1t wG deliberately and cslcuiatDSiy per
formed, alS for the attainment Of selfish AID nar
cenayy end. lis avowsl and bold j1sthelton at this
NorneBt indicates either moral ottuseaess imperec
ton OF neral perception, which srgues anything but
Qualification fo Office whose duties involve thea
Of Integrity and the delicate scrupulous
appreciation Of she rights Of others
tn. light in which this transaction next presents itself
II vic he naf al
An act &c provide for the better organization Of the
Treasury &C., approved 9Th August 1916. Tna. act de
ch-es tina. ''aDy officer charged til the disbursement
Of public moneys shall accept or receive transmit
tue Treasu-E Department to be allowed in his favor any
receipt or voucher from creditor of the United States
without hay1g paid to such creditor such funds as tue
said oihcer may have received for disbursement, or
ouch oh funos he may be authorized by This act
20 take exchange the full amount specified IN such re-
cept voucher every such act shall be deemed 10 be
conve SOC by such officer TO his own use OF the
specified in such receipt or voucher and any Off
agent OF the United States and ali persons advisng or
participating in such ac being convicted thereof before
any court OF the United States Of competent Jurisdiction
sts be sentenced TO mpr fol- n OF not
thnn six months nor than ten years to tue
equal TO the amoent OF the money etnbezzeda, The
Charge that Mr. Westcott has rendered himself o,noxons
to the penalties of this act has been defence by
u sreer-1bi:a however has not the force of an aryr
meat, or which the defence stood much more ip need
The efe1ce was created and defined By his statute and
nothing can be simpler or easer OF comprehension than
the eiemnts OF which IL consists. These elements seem
10 be all present with entire dstncness in the trausac
toa unoer examination. Mr. westoott an Officer
he not only accepted, but caused to be prepared aud
bsntted TO the Treasury Department, to be allowed
In hie favor not one, but fifty vouchers or re.
cep.s without having in single instance paid to the
public creditors" signing said receipts the full amount
therein specified" That he did not pay them the fall
amount" for which they receip;ed is distinctly admitted
by him, and sought TO be justified The money was
IN the hands Of the clerks under their control
and IL sense An they be said to have received il
However well the trans action may have been n
the parties Immediately erned it's true was
ntsnded to be concealed from the government and was
80 coccealed for between two and three years when 10
OF events and from the rrepressbe nature
Of truth The deception exposed Mr. Westcotts con-
duct strikes ne as bringing him fully within the pur view
Of the statute whether considered in reference its let
ter, or spirit, or policy.
Apart from the question Of Mr.. westcots having in.
Cured the penalties Of the statute his conduct pre-.
pairing AID presenting TO the government vouchers
known and intended 70 be false, claims attention as
grave offence against the service This q growing evil
for the repression Of which too much soctude cannot
be FELT or too much vigilance exercised From the 25st
section OF the rules and regulations of the Post Office e
partnent he knew that he entitled to no Gallo vance
or remuneration for losses by fire. robbery or theft 10
hat b.