The New York herald., 1866-01-04

any rase sney nave been or no real value 70
the country in any instance that has reached
public notice for long time, and We hope tho
example Of making them useful, ss announced
above, viii be followed in all the customs dis
trlcts Of the country.
---
A DistinSuishea virginiaa On Ais
Travels.
DR.. r. B. Bradford, late Public Administrator
Of the city Of New York, did not create any
very great sensation while in s6nce but the
circumstances connected with his retirement
will give him universal reputation. After
using every effort to secure his rssppointment
to the position he has occupied for three years,
and after publicly promising to leave his
bureau in "perfect order " and with pure
record" he found his removal Inevitable, and
signalized 1t by informing the Comm on Coun-
Gil, in neat little note, that he was a defaulter
to the amount Of thirty-nve or forty thousand
dollars. This note is model of coolnsss. In
January its merit in this respect may be com.
paratively unappreciated; but had 1t been pub
lishad in August II would have chilled the air
like sea breeze. Unlike the confessions of
common criminals, 1T il as elegant and polished
as the best specimens Of diplomatic CORES
pondence. Although DR.. Bradford forgot his
honesty he could not forget his politeness
Belonging to one Of those hxst families
of virginia Of which We heard 20
much before the war, he could rob
safe like the lowest mudsill; but when his
offence was discovered he owned up to II with
an air so exquisitely chivalric that nobody
dreamed Of arresting him. He is like those
highwaymen Of the Claude Duval school, who
were such perfect gentlemen that the ladies
whom they robbed fell dead in love with them; or
like those refined Italian banditi, who deprive
unarmcd travellers OF their gold and drafts,
but shrink with abhorreDce from the meanness
of stealing watch or ring. And so Illegal
liant Doctor has gone off TO st. Thomas, instead
of being conducted TO the Tombs; and we pre-
sumo that Immediately upon his arrival he will
present himself to Santa Anna, and be pre-
pared, at short notice, to take part in the re-
ception of Secretary Seward, should that digni-
tsry drop in on his way to Vera Cruz.
But although Dr.. Bradford has left the city,
for its good and his own precious health, his
letter remains as one Of the curiOsities OF
criminal literature. "Gentlemen," he says to
the Common Council, ~ rogre. to inform you
that the annual report Of the Public Admins
traitor for the year 1866 will show deficit of
between thirty-fve and forty thousand dollars"
Any other man would have been quite crushed
under this revelai ion; but the Doctor sends bis
regrets to the Common Council with as graceful
an ease as II he were merely declining to at
tend an evening party. As for the sum be has
abstracted, II il "hetween thirty-ive and forty
thousand dollars" Like Mantilini, he cannot
remember the demnition total" A few hun
dreds more or less make no difference to IN
aristocratic +. r. v. The hircling clerks can
make ont the little bill and the Doctor will
give up his wifs's property, even to her jewels,
and 90 of to 81. Thomas. This reminds M Of
famous hero, who was willing to sscri-
fee the lives Of ell his relatives rather than see
the Union dissolved, but started Cor Canada st
The lnrst ANNOUNCEMENT Of o, daff. But What
ever the amount Is, adds the Doctor, It "has
been improperly used by me while holding
Office, and was lost in stock speculatlons in
Wall street." Hero ID another name to add 10
the list which embraces Windsor, Jenkins,
Lane and Ketchum. Here Is another Victim to
that mania for speculation which ruined 20
many people that few br9ker might be en-
riched. Here h another crime 10 increase the
account Of The numbers which these stock
gamblers have caused. Just how his defalca-
tion occurred the Doctor proceeds TO explain
II "was entirely from the use Of securities he
longing 10 various estates, which were de-
posted in the safe Of the ONCE, and taken
thereirem by me, and hypothccated ss mar
gins In stock operations" Whether the
Doctor met his fate st the Harlem cor
ner, or the Prairie du Chen corner, or the
Michigan Southern corner or whether he drib
bled along from loss to loss, as Wall street in
nocenls generally do, he does not inform Us.
But he reveals enough TO show that his Wall
street failure was IN slaughter Of The inno-
ceuis' in q double sense; Tor the sscurities
which he sbstrscted belonged to widows and
orphsns These poor people, aud not the city,
will suffer; and II In this feature which lends to
Dr. Bradfords crime . singular snormity We
case, however, until the investigation pow In
progress Is concluded. Our present object II
merely 10 call attention to the Doctors extra
ordinary letter.sn TO the fact that he has been
allowed 70 depart for 81. Thomas unarrested.
there to enjoy the pleasures Of the beat society
the delights OF monte with Santa Anna, and
the honor Of receiving Seward, until the news
Of his stock operations arrives and makes tina,
tropical island too warm for bis comfort.
PnuE MoyEY 70 NIvAi OyrcFRs.--we pub
Iished yesterday partial list Of the prize money
paid 70 flag o6icers OF squsdrons and COM
msnders Of vessels for captures during
The rebellion. This exhibit displays some curl