New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-17

States could give the people among whom no had lived
| for 80 years. but little information concerning
! his (Blar's) personal character As to the
Postmaster Generals complaint, tBnt he had been
compelled 20 travel 900 miles to defend himself against
charges made by Senator TrumbuIl and himself, it's
shown by the files OF The Globe that all the Accusations
made by Senator Trumbul and himself had been made
| in Washington the floor Of the House and Senate.
and that tho feeble effort there made 20 de-
end POstmasterGcncra Creswell that that gentleman
had travelled 900 miles to make The PostmasterGen-
era officer Of the United States, and Justly liable
to criticism in any part Of the country.
THE CHORPENSIsG CLAIM.
He then gave brief statement history Of the Choir
penning claim. quoting in fun the Of 1857, under
that claim had been settled and then stated
briefly the charges made against Mr.. Creswe First,
that, under color Of authority 10 investigate and adjust
the claims OF George Ch0rpennng given by act OF July
| 1870, be had allowed him $4,000, when in fact
nothing was due; second, that the pretended
claim OF Chorpennng papable ana
unmitigated fraud, having been previously fully exam
ned under the OF 1851 by Postmaster General Brown'
and by him finally and cOnclusively settled. ana paid
| Of third that Mr.. Creswell was perfectly familiar
with the whole and know to be fraud and 80
Knowing his allowance OF the claim act OF gross
corrupton fourth, that Mr. Creswell cannot defend
himself under any construction Of the act of July 1870
because the circumstances OF the passage OF that acs
mark II Enthusiastically trick and fraud Inc act "
self was obtained by deceivng Congress. and the Post
master General and his late assistant, Earle, who
| had resigned for that purpose, aided In the 90
| eeption. The first charge was admitted even Oy
the Postmaster General TO be true and but Tor Inc
nterposition of Congress- tho money so allowed Woud
have been paid The second charge that tine preehueu
| claim OF Chorpennng groundess one, paipaoio
fraud had not been denied even by PostmasterGener
Creswel who in his long and labored defense here had
| not said word as to us Jusnce' inS
was the plainly IndefensiOle point OF the who's
case The Postmaster General had Travelled thou
sand miles TO defend himself, and yet coud not SAY
that the Chorpennng claim was anything out Hdu'
although he was the person into whose dlscretoh Oo
gress had committed nvest cation and settlement OF
the claim TIE speech OF Mr. Dawes was referred 10 as
an exposure of the fraud, which speech Congress In
dorsed by unanimous repeating the resolution OF
| Jnly 1870 since which time Congress has put lhto
several appropriation bills clauses oroidding tho
payment OF the Chorpenning claim; thus showing us
distrnst OF Postmaster-G Creswel He then pro
ceeded to show the Postmaster General mado
che allowance he knew it TO be a fraud no hid once
reopened the claim and reaGrmed the decision oi POST
master-GenerI Brown, rejecting the claim. OrihuhS
for the lake Of argument what was not true tat POST
Creswell was compelled ~ the ACT VI
July 1870 TO allow claim, 1t not his duty, II tht
act was hastily and fraudulenty pas ied, "a was wen
known 20 report the matter TO Congress for moro &c
| berate actoni
| cREsyELL INTRIGUING BEHNY OF THE CLAIM.
But every apology disappears when 1t Is shown tha'
GENERAL CreSWel CO1nNeu AZ Ib>SNV
that resolution In Mr.. Creswel'S speech h. sad he
had nothing to do with its passage, while In his speech
| at Jackson he says. speaking Of Chorpenning;
He goes Congress for relief When the matter came
before the Posohco C9nm1t d SaoJ pIed in writ
Ing giving the facts. 1t has been charged upon me ~
my enemies, that never gave the iacJS 10 the COnt
tee bur replied that haf made decision against the
application OF ChopenninR to reopen the case OecauSo
| it was " res ddjtdtcdtd."
Here WAS the adm sson OF Postmaster General Creswe
that the st-Ofce Committee had called upon him
for facts and that he had replied In writing "here
that reply Why has 1t never been furnished 10 the
pubicl No mention OF such letter was made by MI
HILL who spoke for tho Committee, and 1t Is not men-
toned even in Mr.. Cresweps letter to Senator Ramsey
the Chairman OF the Senate Committee. As for himself
he did not hesitate assert his belief that no such
letter was ever written. The speech Of Mr. Hil who
followed Mr. Dawes conclusIvely shows that no such
| letter was written. Mr. Hill says
Mr. Speaker the papers connected with this case were
referred 10 me In the PosOce Committee for inyesiiga
ton called the Postmaster General and asceralned
that there were unsettled claims ana tha ne In9ughs
some money due upon the contracts unsettled ana
unpaid; but ne could not state how much, meyer sup
posed do think that any member OF the Commit
tee supposed that any eonsiderape sum was uuo
SG tbs small balance only was due
all having implicit confidence in the Postmaser neral
leave it with him. See how adroitly this Postmaster
General deceived this trusting committee ne tells INN
that himself decided that they were fully settled
qdadeata BY Genera BTHwn that some.
thing was due on them" while admits that tney
Notice how carefully Postmaster General Cr,s-
well guarded against alarming the C9mmlttee , no
small and thus the Committee was impressed VIII ~
pcit confidence and referred the whole matter 10 l
10 audit and allow small balance The Committee was
| very deftly handled indeed They were mado 10 oe-
leye there just enough money due TO REQUIRE ts
massage OF this resolution but not enough 10 make II
necessary for the Committee to examine INTO the mater
thoroughly II Mr.: Hill was TO be believed ana tneie
wss doubt OF 1t, the Postlaster-ueherl oeli'ml-
ately deceived the Committee and thus occasonod the
| passage OF the act OF July, 1870
| CREswELLs PARTNER CHoRPBsSNG's ATTORNEY.
Tie attorneyshp of Earle, the former law-partr Of
Creswe and his late First Assistant Postmaster General
and who managed this matter through Congress, and
who then had and still enjoys cOnhlentel relations with
MI Cresswe also tho nature OF this trans con
Although Senator Morrill, had the floor OF the Senate
asserted that Chorpennug was stepped ali over vita
| crime, and his associates engaged In putting claims
| through Congress utterly unworthy Of belief, yet
Mr. Creswel aserts hero that Mr. Earle is avery hon
orabe The precise date Of Eares ressnatop las
not been stated by Creswe but 1t WAS early enough
to prepare a brief of hundred winch inere
was allowed Si4S,O00 ON claim which only "shei Sr
| a very stunning lawyer, certainly. Putting All
these facts together. no impartial Jdry womi
hesitate to convict Ceswell of being party to tls
stupendous fraud from its inception To It's close Tue
passage OF the resolution is laid AZ his own door DY M
did not propose TO bandy eptbels Mr. Cres~el be
he had shown that Mr.. Creswel had conspirei with
| dshonest claimant TO take from the Treasury n"f
a million OF dollars to pay a man 10 WHOM or. D"S
asserted tue Government dd not owe ono reu cent i'
trivial and unimp0rtant matters while all IN. i ri'i
facts alleged by Mr.. Trumbul aud himself had Deen
ignored Mr. Cfeswell mad sought 10 withd a" ''..L-
| tion from his deinquences by assaing mh We
perfect storm OF epltheS ana ny L.ro,e Jisp Lat
torical pyrotechnlcs He showed eoSoihSi , ou 80
there nothing In the act OF s,o ai,"t ilu
the Postmaster General 10 sIIor e us Brow mi ,
srned and acted upon by three POSlastcrs GENERA
,hot conaTess An referring to the basis Of coinpou-
ton allowed by the act Oh lo,V' in,J J ~