The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-07-07
corrupt Congress will be without dignity,
originality or truth.


The Case OF sx-Postmaster Fowler.
The action of the government authorities in
entering q moae proseq1i in the indictments
against Isaac v. Fowler, for embezzlement Of
the public funds while Postmaster OF New
York some years ago, has naturally excited no
little comment among all classes With many,
perhaps, the result of this long latent prosecu-
ton finds favor upon the grounds urged by
the District Attorney In presenting the case,
that the New York public were magnanimous
and forgiving. The argument may weigh with
others, that Fowler did not enjoy the fruits OF
the defalcation himself, and that he was not
only urged to the commission Of the theft by
his political friends, but that the money was
appropriated to the uses Of political party,
with the knowledge II not the actual sanction
Of the Postmaster Generals Department at
Washington. TO our mind these facts, if they
be true, are an aggravation of the offence, and
we are disposed to regard the matter Of the
defalcation and the condoning Of the offence
by the government authorities as great moral
wrong, dangerous precedent, and proceed
ing wholly unworthy of great, free republic
can government like ours 1t presents itself
to us as an incentive to crime on the part Of
public officials. What right has the govern
ment or the political party it represents to
authorize the stealing Of the public funds for
party purposes-admitting that these were the
circumstances under which this defalcation
arose-and not the personal extravagances Of
the individual ofiiceholder For Fowler,
personally, we have no i'll will. II he was
used as q tool by politicians we regret his
weakness, but we protest against the principle
introduced into our system Of dispensing law
and justice as developed in this case. The
poor man who steals the price Of loaf to
keep his children, it may be, from starvation,
finds no favor. The State Prison is his DOOM
but people will argue that man who happens
to be politician can go SCOT free for more
heinous offence In fact that politics, when
used in behalf Of the ruling powers legalize
felony.
1t is against the bad moral effect or ssuch .
course on the part Of the government that we
protest The case Of Fowler is but single
illustration. This course may be and probably
has been pursued in many other cases. We
have seen young men led astray, in commercial
life, into the commission of crimes against the
community consigned to Sing Sing for term
of years, which they Will probably serve out,
while fellows who have some strong Political
affiliations and political friends are pardoned
after few weeks incarceration. The effect Of
such proceedings is more domoralizing than
can be easily imagined. 1t Is q temptation to
commit crime of which many avail themselves
and which has an. evil influence upon the en-
tire community.
If Fowler had any Of the instincts Of an
honest man he would rather feel relief in his
unobserved exile, conscious of tho wrong ho
has done, than seek to return to the scenes Of
public life of which he once made so conspi-
cuous feature, No doubt he will be received
here on his return with the same eclat that the
rougher elements Of New York society accord
ed 10 Bill Poole on his deoease. The sachems
Of Tammany and the braves Of all tho demo-
dial embrace; but we should suppose that the
ex-Postmaster would prefer the retirement which
appears he has been enjoying 10 ease and
onviable notoriety which awaits him here.
The story Of this defalcation has been dead
for many years. The public had forgotten It,
and the name Of the official defaulter had been
blotted almost out Of memory by the frequent
cases Of q similar character that have since
occurred. But the whole tale is revived by the
late judicial action, and we are reminded
thereby Of the disgracetul fact that for the past
five years or more men OF influence in the poll
tical world, men even in judicial station, have
been exercising their power to procure par
don for a man who, whatever the extenuating
circumstances may be, was at best a plunderer
of the public Treasury, Of money obtained
from the hard-working and heavily-taxsd peo-
pie. We are compelled, in the performance
Of our duty az conservators of public morality
and public justice, to condemn the encourage
ment offered to crime in official station which
the law officers OF the government have thought
proper to extend in this case. 1t is a danger
Gus example to set in the very weakest point
of our whole governmental system.
TIE LAMRANDE EXTRACTION CAsE-The sin
gular escape Of Sureau Lamrande from the
custody of one Of the Deputy Msrshals in this
city develops very remarkable mode of
dealing with important prisoners. Here was
man accused Of embczzling funds from the
branch Bank OF France at Poictiers, who
escaped from that country and came to this
city and was here arrested on that charge.
His case has been under examination for some
time past before United States Commissioner,
and was so nearly concluded that the counsel
on both sides were to sum up the case on Tues
day but, owing to the Illness of the attorney
for the defence The final argument was post
poned until Thursday. The Deputy Sheriff
then left the court and took the prisoner to
a private boarding house in an aristocretic
portion of the city, to obtain a dinner, While