New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-16
THIEVE.S AND RECEIVERS.

In the painful and evidently truthful letter
which Paymaster Hodge addressed to his OIL
fetal superior, contrasting his fault and giving
himself up to punishment, there is one re-
markablo statement to which we hope it is not
necessary to call the attention of tho authori-
ties of the Government. He says the money
was lost in stock spcculatiOns in New York,
tho greater portion of it with one firm, which
was acquainted with his circumstances and
knew it was the Government funds with when
he was gambling. Arc,thcre not two criminals
in this casci The one, a weak and reckless dupe,
tortured by wants springing from a false ana
extravagant life ventured at first upon an indls-
erection which led him swiftly into crime. lie
suffered losses in his spcculations greater than
he cOuld pay, drew on the funds in his charge
to make these good, and then embczzlcd more
darngly to recover his deficits. He pays IN
ignomny and<uin the just forfeit OF his OF
Tense; but where is the cold-blOodcd tempter
and accompice who encouraged his crimes
and shared in the profit of thcmT MAYOR
Hodge will doubtless give up his name to the
Government, if he has not already done 80,
and then it may be tested whether the law
cannot compel the restitution of this stolen
money, or the punishment of tho receivers.
If there is no such legal remedy, it is matter
which requires tho immediate attention OF
Congress to provide one.
1t has also come to light, in connection with
tho recent disclosure Of dctalcations IN the
Post-O Office, that tho officer inculpated has
been in the habit of clandestincy lending the
funds in his charge to business men. Ii TINS
is not crime by the laws of the land, botli
in the borrower and the lender, it should De
made one as soon az the legislative power can
act upon the question.
We have one word for The World about
these recent scandals. That worthy paper is
making itself very absurd in comparing these
two rhinestone of them committed by an OF
ficcr of the regular army and one by subor-
dinatc of the Post Onice-with the stupcndous
and cynical thcfts of the Tammany Ring. we
hope it will go on calling the attention OF the
public to the contrast presented ny the action
of the Republican party and press in such
cases. to that taken by the Democrats IN
the others. Major Hodge is at once
arrested and cast into prison, and
the property of Norton is made to pay the last
farthing of his dcfalcatons. The Administra-
ton, tho Press, and the party call out for
prompt and unrclenting justice. The public
has long known from the columns OF THE
TRIRuNE and The World that the leaders OF
the Democracy in this city have made vast
fortunes by Interpretations of tho public
funds Yet the party which they rule indorse'
the stealing and shares the plumber. Thell
clubs and committees read the proofs of theil
rascality unmoved, and pass resolutions of In
solent defiance; and The World itself, doing
bitter penance for its day of candOr, sustains
and justities this gang of robbers MAJOR
Hodge in prison; Mr. Connolly and Mr. Tweed
hob-nobbing with the editors of The WorlO
at the Clubs, and, through uplifted glasses OF
Dclmonico's Carte Blanche. taking roseate
views of the present and pledging each other
in the hope of Better luck in the future-that
is the spectacle to which the public gaze has
been invited We cordially second the invita-
ton, and trust the attention may be general