The sun., 1872-08-01
Another Colo..nI Swindlc


The ewhitewa-hiugrepo put f'r'hhS ihe
administration majority ir congress la''
winter, Whenever il be- ''he necessary u
investigate the drhts OF Government
officials. have L3l the eftcct Of establish
ing il ns on. OF the fundamental princl-
pies of the GEANT party that fraud and
robb1y OF the public funds 10y oAicchold-
e,- are not only proper but highly CONE
menlahlc. As a natural consequence Of
this the supporters Of the President are
making preparations 10 improve their op-
portuntirs in the future to the utmost pos
thle extent.
Among the leading mcnhors Of GRANT's
Administration 10 one has been more
persistent ia his attempts to obtain u-
creased facilities for nuudimg the pub
lie moneys than Postma-trr-Gcu,r
CnEswELI, who first acquitted celebrity
through his earnest efforts to pay one
CnoRPENNING S4l3GOO Of the peoples
money, an attempted fraud which was
sluelchcd mainly through the Efforts Of
Congressman DAWES. Since this failure
CREswELL has been industriously engaged
in the promotion OF new plans for obtain
ing irregular aud unusual powers such ~
In the hands OF dishonest man might be
used TO the pecuninry profit OF the person
possessing them. He has wanted Congress
"a place all the telegraph lines in his hands,
he has proposed 10 use the post Offices for
national sa' ings banks; he has asked many
unprecedented privileges; and il appcar
that he finally succeeded in getting through
the last Congress bill containing a most
remarkable provision, which it is easy to
see affords great opportunities for Illegal
gains.
In March last Mr. MDnRIrL II Vermont
brought Ia the notice of the United Stl,o,
senate a confidential circular which had
been addressed by GILEs A. SMIru le-
rently Assistant Postmaster-Goneral. h.
The Presidents Of several large railroad
companies proposing substantially to po-
eruc the passage of an act Increasing the
compensation for postal service hlty per
cent, without regard TO existing contracts.
IN consideration Of onc-thWd of such in
crease in pay for the first year. The
amount TINT is paid for railroad tru~pur-
tation Is about SG,Od1, ono a year. THE ad-
vance Of nifty per cent. Would amount o.
H0o0oo0, one million OF which r. wa po-
posed should 90 into the pockcts Of IA
Dlhcial who had apparently resigned nj
position IN the Post once Department
TO engineer th's scheme, and those OF
hi associates. The job wps so old that
its veiy cllIoutory cau-cl IL 20 bc diuc
gurdcd 10y Senators. who looked GA ia,
whole business us q swirdlmg sohDme I,
rStou money from the railroad men with
out making any return therefor
But the Washington Pd.r,D' has hruurhO
to light thc astonishing fact that tho suo,
ronarr-s which loutcd GIl-.s 4. SMITH
proposterous scheme actually pas-cd th.
very bin ne proposed 10 get through f1r Z
consideration! During the closing hour
OF t'c session an act was rushed throupl
Congress, concoctcd in the Post Once De
pa ltmont, which contained three huudroo
and tWenty-scveu sections relating to he
affairs Of that department, among wh,cl
was the following;
"sEcTioS 265. That the p0stmascr Goncral may cntc
Into cuntrnrr for c4.rj nE N" NAH Wlth raiWn CON
Postmaster General nun ufnu amy rnllrosd rn,,..
w.ii whon he may contract for tIe carrying Of M
coinpenrntlOn Ory und thut now allowed by law a. n
tWf WWt ~ not exceeding, however, Lity per oentuu
BY this provision Of the law the Posi-
Ela~tci-Grncrnl may hereafter award con
tracts for mail service on railroads L
whomsocyer he sees III. at whatever term
he choose, without admitting competition