The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-06-30


tion throughout the Des Moines Valley, Northern
Missouri, and Western Illinois.
The Fowler DefaIcats on---&17o, 600.
A history OF the immense defalcstion Of
Postmaster Fowler, OF New York ,rwould
throw very clear light upon the dark cor
ruptions Of the Democratic party. Gould
al the circumstances be brought to light, the
people would be enabled TO see how domi-
nant party, long ia power, fosters corrup-
lion, winks At the peculations of rascally Of
dciais, and covers up the growing deficits Of
government defaalsers, year after year, and
from one Presidential term to another. But
no such full light can be brought to bear up
on the subject as will illuminate the dark
and secret recessea OF official corruption,
because the whole power of the Administra
ton 10 exerted to exclude the light and pre.
vent investigation. Enough, however, has
been admitted by Postmaster General Hol,
TO justify bis impeachment u the next SEES.
sion OF Congress, and thereby furnish an op-
porsuni.y for the peoples repres sntatives to
expose the foul and fraudulent system of
Democratic official corruption in all depart.
menss OF government, and under successive
administrations thereof.
A full month before the adjournment Of
Congress the House adopted resolution call-
ing upon the Postmaster General. for infor-
nation in regard to the circumstances and
amount Of Fowier's defalcation. The iufor-
nation might have been furnished in three
days, but the Postmaster General, in order
TO avoid investigation and action by Congress,
withheld his response till the closing DAYS OF
the session, when be knew that it would be
too late for Congress to consider the subject
ct oil. Then be reported that according to
the accounts in the proper Office the defalca-
ton amounted to over $l55, 700, but that
Fovler's cashier stated it a. $l7o, 900. which
might be correct,..as the accounts of the last
quarter had not been adjusted.
As to the circumstances, the virilant post.
master General states that his frst knowled0e
Of the defalcation Was derived from a letter
OF Fowler's, in May last, eonfessing the fact.
he states, further, in regardito the time and
manner of it's commencement
sit will be observed from the Auditor
report, that the balance due from Mr.. Fow-
Ter on December 81, 1855, was So, 1856 TO-
The endorsement may be regarded az hay
ing bad its origin az this.date.'
Ernu that initial rar:al A..
progressed somewhat irregularly till March,
1859. When Mr.. Holt became Postmaster
General II amounted to $4,000. Here il il
In the Official confession Of Holt himself:
"When took charge of the Department.
10 March, 1869, the deficit did not probably
fall short OF $4,000. On the 3lst OF that
month it amounted to $03, 1913 98. 1t con-
tinued to augment until, atthe CLOSE Of the
FIRST quarter of the present year, it had
reached magnitude which would probably
nave rendered its concealment impracticabl q
for more than few months longer.o
There is food for weeping and for laugh
ter. The Department could not detect a de-
falcation of $4,000 until ii was confessed
by the cuiprit, but il it had continued much
longer and reached million or two the p.
NJ. General thinks they would probably have
found it out.
Referring to bis predecessors, Mr.. Holt
says that the ENDORSEMENT was concealed by
false and deceptive settlements and "dei.4sipe
bafdnces' entered on the books 80 that thew
appeared square at the time of his entry into
Office, while, in fact, he was 10000 in de-
fault.
III wasaccomplished by applying the de.
posItes OF the revenues alreadv rece;ved. NJ
the quarter ending December 81. 1854. 70
exhnguish the preexistng iiabilitv. There
VAS not dollar paid, but simply a transfer
OF the Indebtedness from one Quarter TO an.
other.
but as there was still larger sum than
that accumulated after Holt came into Office,
ana several settlements of quarter accounts,
the deceptive" and "delasiveo system must
have been still kept up; but Mr.. Holt don't
condeseend TO explain his own delinquency.
~ % the character Of these settlements, very
clearly.
lie says that Fowler bore such m unsullied
reputation that no particular vigilance war
thought necessary; and so the books and a O
counts we're not very carefully sorutinixad.
snd certain officers Of nm inferior grade be.
came negligent, &C., do. He finally Laws the
Diane % Mr. Tate, Sixth Auditor of the
rsssury Department, but don't think, after
htaas the Official negligence Of Mr.. Tate
Eticulariy censurable.
and lille bis predecessors, his underlings,
been -, ofhcers 10 other departments have
il the chief u this matter, Postmaster Hol.
the dsti.s oininal; for, by the lsw fixing
psrfornsns. Of Postmaster General, for the
annun. he il reodie h be is paid $1,000 per
sttention IN a. TO give his peysor.l