New-York tribune., 1872-08-16
CHORPENNING.
GRANT AND THE POST OFFICE DEPART
MENT.

TEMPTED.
To The Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR know that you have been greatly pleased
in times past with the action of Mr.. J. A. j. Cree
we'll Postmaster-General in endeavoring TO procure
a repeal of the Franking Privilege. / know that
you have been equally outraged at the defeat Of all
his efforts by that same Senatorial Ring which
trolled the Philadelphia Convention, renominated
Gen. Grant and declared itself in favor of the
peal of the Frankiug Privilege. know also that.
doubtless in consequence of your predisposition IN
his favor aided by his action this subject, you
have at various times spoken warmly of Mr.. Cres-
wells conduct on one or two minor points; but 1
do not recall anything in THE TRIBUNE either yind-
eating even fully calculating the great Chorpen-
| ming case.
| Fully assured that friendship for any
| individual in or out of Gen. Grants Cab-
net, will prevent you from giving candid
hearing to the truth, beg your attention, and
that of your readers to tho following straight
| forward and indsputable recital of the notorious
| facts connected with this am the more anx-
ious that it should receive wide attention, since ono
of the promises currently made Immediately after
Philadelphia was that the President would tighten
the ship for the campaign voyage by throwing over
board the Cabinet ministers who had come 80 near
| laundering it, The crew heard the announcements
with the greatest pleasure, and accepted 10 with
candid faith. To this hour there has been no
| sign of keeping the pledge, and it is now
clear that President Grant intends to stand or
| fall with the men who surround him-with
Mr. Robson. who paid the Secor claim without au-
thority of law; with Mr.. Fish, who truclled to
| Spain, abandoned our citizens in Cuba, and blum
dered his way through the Alabama negotiations &C
| a rate never witnessed in the whole history Of
blundering diplomacy IN all the nations of the
world; with Mr.. Boutwell,, who absurdly claims in
creased economy when the figures show increased
extravaganza with Mr.. Delano, whose compica-
tions with Southern railroads notorious, and tho
bulk of whose time is given to them rather than TO
Government business; and, finally, with Mr. j. A. j.
| Creswell with whom this Chorpenning fraud was
| attempted.
In 1851, Mr.. George Chorpennng entered into a
contract with the Post-Office Department to carry
the mails from Salt Lake City to San Pedro Califor
nia for which he was to receive $4,000 per aInum.
In 1854 Mr. Chorpenning received q second contract
with an increased compensation of Sl25OO per an
num- and all mail contracts are made for four
years, Mr.. Chorpenning would have been entitled
upon the full performance of both contracts to tho
sum of S1O6OOO as stipulated compensation. tap
pears from the records of the PostOfce Department.
that upon the written application of Mr.. Cborpen-
ning and for his own benefit, some change IN the
original route was made by which he was enabled to
~
1857, Mr.. Chorpennng received a new contract
which was subsequently annuled by Postmaster
General Holt for the reason-as declared in HIS own
handwriting-that Mr.. Chorpenning "has not per-
formed, or caused to be performed, the service IN
compliance with the terms and requirements OF his
said contract, but has repeatedly failed 10 do so'
In 1857, Mr.. Chorpenning first turned up before
the Post-Ohice Department as a claimant
for increased compensation over and ABOVE
the stipulated price in his contract and was
allowed the sum of 1900 ard some odd dollars. he
then set up claim to be paid for increased distance
ND the coast caused by the change of route made at
his request and for his benefit, and also an addi-
tional allowance of $4,000 per annum from the lst
of july 1853. The case was, therefore, reopened,
and new claim denied Subsequently, however Mr..
Chorpennng did receive an allowance Of $4,000; the
last sum being for increased weight OF mail
although the contract specially provided that tho
mails were to be carried without regard 70 weight.
Mr. Chorpenning having succeeded so we'll next AZ
peaed to Congress and succeeded in getting leso-
luton passed, under which he received S"3,Gl7 20
more, and thus the celebrated case was supposeu 10
be closed forever.
Not so, however, for Mr. Chorpenniug turns
ND with another claim of Ss1.C00. which having
been examined by Postmaster-Generai Brown
that officer decides that his former action was
final and that the case was res ddiadiedtG
Mr.. Chorpenning next presented this new clam
10 Postmas.er-G General Holt who refused 10 enter
tain il. Ii is next presented to MI. Biaif, VINO,
after examination, reairns the action of fostmas-
ter-General Brown as final. Chorpenning next ap"
pears before the Court of Claims, where he asks for
S176OOO The Court Of Claims again reailnns tho
action of Mr. Brown as final, and the ia closed.
Mr. Chorpenning next appealed to the Congress
Committee on Claims, and Notwithstanding the
pressure of an extensive lobby, again unsuc-
cessful-the amount asked for being still Sl16C00.
Mr. Chorpenning's next attempt was upon Poetmas-
ter-General Randall. Gov. Randall examined the
case and declared it finally settled by Postmaster
General Brown President johnson was next ap-
| pealed to, and having requested Mr. Randall 20 re-
open the case Mr.. Randall declined to 20 40. 1t
having been well known that the action OF Mr.
Randall was based upon the report made IN the
case by his second assistant, Mr.. Geo. w. Mcclellan,
the next movement of the Chorpenning nng was
| against Mr. Mcclellan; and at this stage Gen. Grant
first appeared as an active coworker with the pro-
moters of this job The relations between MI Johh
| son and the Genera-in-Chef were most friendly
| and cordial Gen. Grant had just returned from an
extended Southern tour, undertaken at the request
of President johnson, and had made report In
| which no mention was made OF ku-hlux' pu'' on
the contrary the Southern people were represented
| snfecientlv loyal to warrant the reconstruction
| measures Of Mr.. johnson.
| AsI have said, the next ChorpeDning dodge
| was the Iattempted removal Of Mr. McLeDan' Uen'
| Grant therefore wrote an autographic letter 10
| Mr. johnson, urging the removal OF Mr.. heLehan
for the reason that he was an Eastern man, Radi-
cal, and an opponent of Mr.. johnson, and asking
the appointment in his stead of Mr.. Giles A. Smith.
| IA n