Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-06-16
Tovler's Defalcation.


deplosble spectacle Of the chiefs Of the Post o.
ace and Treasury Departments mutually blaming
each other for the fanit Of Ez-Postmaster Fowl
er's defalcation Of one hundred and flty thousand
dollars. Mr.. Postmaster General Holt says the
responsibility rests upon DIR. Tate, the Sixth Au-
eitor Of the Treasury. The Auditor casts the
blame on the Third A.sistant Postmaster General
and he throws it back upon the Auditor. Set
tiny a. de the f rmal courtesies OF official cores
dignity Or child's play. 1t is observable that
both sides admit by implication tina, there has
been culpable neglee, somewhere in Washington,
and where that il, it will be tie effort OF this ar
ticle to show.
Tho laws governing the Post Office Department
make it the duty Of the Postmaster General TO
"obtain from the postu,asterr their accounts YOU
chers and balances once in three month" and he
is required to see TINT said accounts aud balances
are ranaered within one month after the close Of
each quarter. Ii is Furthermore made his duty
by law 'to superiu;end the disposition Of the pro-
ceeds Oh pos, Offices and other moneys Of the De-
partmeat, and to prescribe the manner in which
pestmasters shall pay over their balances. And
upon this subject Of payments, Of proceeds and
balances, the Act Of 9th August, 1876, common.
ly called the Sub treasury law lnascs it the
duty Of the Postmaster General To direct the post;
masters in tho cities OF New York, Charleston,
Boston, ST LOUIS, Phust.iphia, Washington and
sN.w Orl:aus TO pay over to the Assistant Treas
nrers Of the uu,tei SiaLcs or the Treasnrcrs Of
Tbs Minis IN hose Giles respectively, all public
motley iect,d ty them or in their hands, ut
Least ei.ee in zach week. and as much more fire..
que, Z, 40 Ls. in has dlscr ctoD, may think pro.
per-
Under these plain provisions Of law, observes
the Philadelphia Inquirer, 1t wns tie duiy OF the
Postmaster G,neis! " see that NJ. Fowler paid
over to the Assistant Treasurer Of tho United
States at New \ .rk, all he money collected by
him, in his hands, "a, least oncc III each week.
and more frequently, # necessary. But he did
not do Il. Neither the Postmaster General nor
any OF his apologies can deny these facts But
they may answer that one but the
New York Postmaster GOULD know how much hc
collected or was in his hands but himself, aud
that, therefore, the strict execution of the re-
quirements Of law depended on The personal inte.
gritty Of that officer. Such plea would DO a Ia
mentable confession Of inefficient administration
of the law. There is, however, really no Difficult.
ty in ascertaining the amount that should be paid
at all vigilant officer could determine 1t daily,
il necessary. But apart from this, aud weak and
inadmissable as such plea mus. DO held it is not
without replication that sinks the Postmaster
General stiii further in the wrsnk. Years ago.
with view 10 cover this very possibility Of short
payments, a standing order was issued by Mr.
Hollis predecessors, ins,ructiHg the New York
Postmaster TO pay over the exact amount Of his
balance at the end Of the quarter, the moment it
was ascertained Not when ascertaincd by tho
Department, but when ascertained by lie Post
mas'er himse!f. The Postmaster General will not
deny that 1t was his duty to that this instruc,
ton was obeyed. Bit he did not It. If he had
Fowler could not have remained dcfaulter for n
single day after he reported his FIRST heavy bal
ance, and this happened according to all accounts.
OF least year ago.
There 10 escape from the above statemen,
Of the duties f the Postmaster General, for it il
made from the law. Neither is there any ESCAPE
from the irresistible conclusion that the postmas
ter General, account of his uttcrs aud disas
trous failure to that the law was faithfully OBJ
served, is solely responsible fer the New York do
falcation.
Now as to the Auditor. 1t is his duty unde
the law to examine and adjust post Office aeoount
and to report balances. but the balances that mr.
reported by him, are in the first instances tn
mere differences between the gross proceeds Of
Office and the commissions allow to the postma.
ter. In other words, the nett proceeds. But IT,
postmaster at the end OF the quarter may mt
owe one cent Of this. for it may have been pal
by him on drafts or deposited in the Treasury.
Sach accounts, and the balances on the face
them, therefore never show the real indebtedne,
Of the Postmaster. After they are adjusted al
reported, it the Auditor hinsclf desired to kno
the real balance dine by Postmaster for Il
quarter which they cover, he would have to O.
anime the books Of ths Third assistant Postmd
ter Gen.TI, for all payments to the credit Of Pos
masters in the first instance recorded there
1t is there that the true Indebtedness of q pos
master is first made known, all other balances
ing merely nominal. Corresponding with Il
books of the Third Assistant, the Pustmast,
sends an account recitng the nominal balance,
balance of hostages, reported to the Auditor, or
stating aiso the deposits and payments he h,
made and the resulting balance. This also SHOW
the true indebtedness according to the postma
ter's books, and this account and all the partic
ars of which iii made, are sent originally to Il
Post Office Department and not to the Auditor.
I. 10 the balance as ascertained in this account
the Third Assistant Postmaster General, (whi
Fowler appears to have rendered every quartz,
that the law and long standing instructions
qnirsd the Postmaster &c ed to see paid
once. Simultaneous with Fowiers repors Of |
rpe balance a. the end Of every quarter, tb,