New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-23
SEAMAN AND MANY OTHERS SAFE.

On last Monday, in the Circuit Court Of Wash
ington, Mr.. Seaman, who held the Office of Super
intendent Of Public Printing under Franklin Pierce
was arraigned on charge of malfeasance and en-
bezzlement while in Office and at once acquitted
We not informed whether the District Attor-
new on behalf of the United States, put himself to
the the trouble Of calling any witnesses in the case,
or going through any other legal ceremony intended
to display desire for conviction If he did not do
So but allowed the indictment to fall to the ground
without any attempt at substantiation, he did
wisely, for no doubt he must have known
that this indictment was drawn on an unfounded
charge, and was, in fact, friendly Indictment,
manufactured by parties interested with Dir. Sea-
man, in order to save him from probable con-
victiOn and punishment on some one or other OF
the many hundred charges which were, three years
ago. rife and capable of proof at Washington.
AS the history of this case has reached us, it
presents one of the most ingenious modes of eyad-
ing the practical operation of justice, by appearing
to court the shadow of that blinded goddess.
At the time when Mr. Seaman was removed from
his Superintendency, there was proof on record
before Congress and the country Of the most
astounding depredations on the public treasury
carried on either through the connivance or
neglect of the Superintendent. Cornelius Wen
dell was involved in serious suspicion by much
of the evidence; and Messrs. Campbell, Hall and
Co. of this city who had supplied-as they
still supply-all paper needed by the Depart
ments, were compelled to appear before Com
mittee of Congress, and give evidence as to any
presents or discounts which they might, or might
not, have made to the officer charged with the duty
of certifying as to both the quality and quantity
of the materials furnished under their contract
Thus threatened, Mr.. Seaman, it is said, de-
manded immunity from prosecution, under penalty
of what is technically known as squealing, If
hard pressed and, no doubt, in the course of his
four years service under Mr.. Pierce, such man
as Seaman could not have failed to pick up good
many ugly secrets. But, as public opinion de-
manded victim, or the semblance of one, and as
some sort of tub had to be thrown overheard to
appease the whale, nice little arrangement was
finally made, by which the ex-superintendent was
to be indicted with great flourish of trumpets
on a charge trumped up, and wholly without |
foundation; and under cover of this subtle con-
triyance, the officials at Washington soon found |
themselves able, without much cost or personal |
risk, to claim credit for any conceivable extent of
public virtue.
AS proof the nature of the charge made In this
in Indictment and as an example of the power which
Mr.. Seaman still held, and to some extent still |
holds, as a whip of scorpions over many high |
heads both at Washington and in New-York it |
must be sufficient to cite the fact that while still
under indictment and untried at Washington, he |
was appointed to lucrative Office in this city by
the Secretary of the Navy. We believe his new |
position had attached to it salary of 81 800 |
year, and the further possibly lucrative privilege
of making contracts with engravers for certain |
maps and charts required by vessels of the United
States at this port.
Even at this moment, we believe, Mr.. Seaman
retains an interest of $4,000 in the Printing
Office at Washington, which Mr.. C.. Wendell is
now striving to force the Government into pur-
chasing as National Printing Office, to be car
red on by salaried officers, rs means of saving |
Uncle Sam from the depletions which printers, |
papermen and politicians have been in the habit of
making on the Treasury, through the Seamans and |
Bowmans of Executive favor. 1t is not little |
suggestive, too, that Mr.. Seaman should never
have been tried ON this friendly indictment until
just about that very time when the statute of linn
itatons would interptse to prevent fresh and
true presentation by the Grand Jury on some one
of the many other charges which might not have
been go easily disposed of.