, 1860-05-23
OUR NEN YO}kE1 LETTER.
Important Dtrf'opns'mfs CoAnssfed triIh
shs .ssH f1rk F0ssoa7e< En.tsz sfens-,st.

lEtHesTo1dsncc OF tie Press and Trbune.l
NEE iotS Mcnday. May II. 1860.
This morning had Il long interview with Mr.
uoratio King, First Assistant 10 the Postmaster
General, BOW in charge Of our Postoffice, and
gathered from him some Interesting details
bearing upon the late discovered entertainments
ofNr. Fowler. With the prominent facts in
Mr. Fowier's case, you a1c, Of course, familiar.
There seemed ut first exceedingly good
ground for the intimation, so strongly made By
the opposition journals, that the Administrator
had long been corertly aware Of the e,nbar-
rassments under which Fowler WAS laborinc-
il not OF an actual defalcation-and that he was
allowed to continue in seeming security, until
allegiance to 'O!d Buck aad was ti1c.ured
with Douglas proeliyities. For it WAS evident
that the detcit Of <l55,45U 81 had been gradual
ly rolling up during several years, and, before
it was understood how such debt had been
carried, the case certainly seemed bad one for
the Washington people. Mr.. Kings positive
Insurance, that ,hes had not the slightest sus-
picon of the criminal secret. has now been made
public, and there is nc reason why it should not
be believed. Eut the explanation given NE this
morning, Of the system Of the Ci.cumlocution
office, which renders such ignorance Of Treasu-
r. possible, ouly saves the Government from
the charge Of qaasi ccmplci:y, to weigh itheav-
liz down with the odium Of the most disgrace.
full and culpable negligence of duty.
In accordance with the Department re9ula-
tiops, Nj. Fowler made weekly deposits in the
snb-Treasurs Of this city, Of srch moneys re-
ceived as could be spa,cd above the amount,
which the requirements Of so large m
establishment as our Post Office de-
nl7nded should be kept on land- These de-
posits varied from 5000 to $4,000 per week.
At the end Of every three months his entire
quarterly accouut was Of course balanced up,
with as much celerity as possible, and forwarded
to Washington. There would naturally always
be greater or less balance due the Department
ut these periods, which he was expected to pay
over at once either By draft or BY deposit in Wall
street. Obviously. theW ashington system shorld
be such, that the accounts thus rendered from
the larger Offices, could be i, oaec examined
and adjusted But it has generally been the
case, that Ms. Fowler's account would not be
reached for this purpose, until weeks, or even
months, atter its being forwarded to Washing
ton. Relying upon this negligence, Nr. +. has
frequently delayed paying the quarterly balance
against himself uot,l late into the ensuing three
months, deyo:ing the interim to kiting pro-
cess in Wall street, and among his friends, By
which be would succeed in zaising the amount
By the time the Department fairly called for it.
Sometimes theee balances would be lsEge-at
others sinai, and the same variation e1iste>. in
the delays ofpsyment.
The account for the quarter ending Decesn'
ber s1st, 1861, showed a balance Of about $3.50
due the Government. No call for the money
was made from Washington, aad it ran along
for weeks unpaid. 1t length, from soue
una1certained source, rumors Of defalca:ion
got abroad, as such rumoss will, and reached
the ears Of Mr. Horatio King. He at cnce
turned to Mr.. Fowler's aeeouns, found that the
sum named vas due, and wrote requesting i'm
mediate payment. This WAS but short tine
prior to the exposition Of the ensuing quarter
March s1st. Fowler raised the $751; went
with it personally to Washington, assured the
Postmaster General tha. the thing was only an
oversight or delay, and should rot occur again-
This seemed all right enough, and the defaulter
returned to New York in better standing than
erer. c:]
few day. after the 3lst of ,farch, he for
warded the account for the quarter then end