The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-02-07
CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20,
A wILYuL PEnvERsIoN or FACTS.


To whatever depths Of meanness and dccep-
ton VIC may expect to see the myrmidons Of Q
corrupt administration descend to do the vile
work Of Its party, we have not, heretofore, seen
President Of the United States and the head o.
one of the executive departments Of the govern.
ment engaged in deliberate attempt, over Off
cial signatures, to distort figures and mistate
facts, for the purpose Of dcceiving the country,
In the interest Of party, as to the actual condi-
ton Of public affairs. But II has been deemed
necessary, by the present administration, In or
der to show favorable relation Of expenditures
and receipts, in q department which, for some
years under o Republican administration, was
neutrality-suspicious. paying handsome
profit TO the government-to resort to this UNI
precedented course. In his last annual message
to Congress the President makes the following
statement "Thc report Of the Post Master
General shows the business Of the Post Office
Department, and the condition Of the Postal
service, In very favorable light. The receipts
Of the Department for the year ending June 30,
1867, including special appropriations werc
$l9,978,693. The expenditures for all purpos-
ca were Sl0,235, 438, leaving an uneIpended
balance In favor Of S743, 255, which can be ap-
piled toward the expenses Of the department for
the current year." Now, what does this mean
and was Il not intended to convey the impress
sion that our Postal service, after deducting all
expenses, yielded q net profit Of 1885 !
The Postmaster General in giving the net result
Of the business Of his Department states, that
the expenditures exceeded the receipts 81 $685.
600. To show the actual facts, and not to eI-
plain through what pervesion Of figures this
enormous discrepancy, between these high otH-
GERS of the Government, occurred, Is the object
Of this paragraph. Referring, therefore, to the
report Of the sixth auditor, who Is tho account
ing officer Of the Treasury for the Post Office
Department, VIC find the actual deficit Of this
Department for the year ending June, 30, 1867
to be zoos, 900 or about 82,000.O00 more than
stated by the head Of the p. 0. Department and
more than 100000 greater than the President
makes Il The amounts given by the Postmas-
er General, and by the auditor for the p. o.
Department are printed In the same volume and
the discrepancy Is the result Of an attempt OF
the former to exhibit an economical administra-
ton Of affairs In his Department, and Is produced
by counting the special appropriation Of Con.
gress Sor carrying the foreign mails as actual
earnings Of the service; while, at the same
time, he fails to charge the Department with
the expenditures for which the appropriation
was made. This garbllng Of public accounts by
the President and cabinet minister Is exciting
criticism here, and will undoubtedly be brought
to the attention Of Congress.
FERNANDO nEBuKEp.
When Fernando Wood had finished the sen-
tence, "This Ia the most infamous Of all the in
famous acts Of . most infamous Congress-" for
which he Was publicly reprcmanded by the
Sneakers. Oakes Ames, Of Massachusetts,, dis