New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-19
TIE LATEST DEFALCATION.

~
cation had been discovered in the Sub Treasury
at this city has been whispered about Tor some
DAYS past Atlast, after passionate contradiction
in all interested quarters, it took DEFINITE
shape in q Washington dispatch to Boston
paper, which gave the name OF the defauiter-
James Johnson-and the amount, whlchls some
thing over 100000. The Administration Journals
took fire at once and rushed into the defense
of "tbe best Civil Service on the planet" In
some such frantic fashion as this: The re-
port of q defalcatiOn is without foundation
"The deficiency so far found by the Examln-
ing Committee is only $11." Thus said that
venerable and enterprising journal, The Ecen-
ina Post More enraged, The Commercial Ad-
uertiser said the report was malicious false
"hood,n and "on a fair level with the
other kindred inventions of the perversely
fertile brain of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Journals" SO it is. And, moreover, says our
angry bottle-washer-in ordinary, the Examiners
|" find nothing wrOng-no discrepancles-and
:" no defalcation. Facts are stubborn, and the
"falsho0ds of the Greeley organs can always
"receive speedy ventilation, almost as soon
Z" as published.n Alas Poor Advertiser it
walked right into the trap prepared for it by
the officials, who assured it that everything
was lovely and Of good report. mild-man-
nered Eminently Respectable evening journal
turned its lOrgnette from calm cOntempla-
ton of European politics for moment and
daintily scanned this manufacture OF false
"newsp and then declared that under the
administration of Mr.. HillhOuse "nO defaca-
" tions are likely to occur, and there is no
suspicion even that any has occurred" Such
innocence ought to have reward; say for
eign mission. But The Post ate humble pie In
its next edition and ruefully confessed to
theft of between 100000 and S17OOW from
the Sub Treasury by one of the clerks, the
aforesaid Johnson. 1t made haste, however,
to affirm that the defaulter was appointed by
Andrew Johnson; still, he was regarded by
the Treasury Department as " very efficient
"oficer" which sets things back again.
But, after all, this was MT "a Gree
"ley lie; and it would not bear that
examination which the superserviceable Grant
organs said should show it to be baseless.
THE TRIBUNE has always insisted that pre-
MUM was offered to rascality in the public
service, especially in the Treasury, by the in
tricate and bewildering system CT keeping ac-
counts. Paymaster Hodge, for instance, stole
half million or more right under the nose
of the Secretary of the Treasury and Pay
master General, and to this day neither
of these officials can tell which one ought
to have found it out first. And in the white
washing report of this latest defalcatiOn, sent
to The Post from Washington, it is naively
said that the officers there Cannot under
stand how he could be defaulter for such
ga large amount without the fact coming to
g light long ago" But these helpless crea-
lures say the defaulter's books are in such
confusion that they cannot for some time yet
tell how much money is gone! Was there ever
such imbecilityq A clerk who has been in office
ever since Andrew JOhnsOn's time is allowed
to 90 on muddling his accounts and hiding
his entries with the legerdemain of Treasury
bookkeeping until he gets away with one or
two hundred thousand dollars, and then the
alarmed officials are filed with wonder that
this thing has gone on so long without being
discovered. But we have the best Civil Ser
vice in the world, Senator COnkling thinks.
While Secretary Boutwell, is preaching the
gospel of unreconciliation in North Carolina,
his clerks in the Sub-Treasury are fobbing
the funds. The easy-gOing Secretary may
edify the Maine people with fine stories about
the economy and honesty with which his
department is administered but he finds the
cash going off with his clerks vacations as
he returns. While the heads of the
departments are 'off making speeches,
the Civil Service, what there is left of it, is
going to the dogs. VIII these business
neglecting Secretaries heed this2 Some defal-
cations must come out; how many are hushed
up judiciously, as this was attempted to be,
the world will never know. But of this
we may be sure: all the rottenness and cor
ruption of the Grant Administration will be
glazed over with soft words until the election
is over. They shall say "peace and safety"
until sudden destruction cOmeth upon them.