The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-08-27
CEzORrENNTNG.
Grant and The Post Office Depart
knPnt.
"Details, from Ets Inception TO Its
End, OF One OF The Greatest
SEindses Ever Attempted.

The New 1ork 1Tlbuno last week
publishes the following letter;
To the Editor Of the Tribune:
SIR: I know that yoh have been
greatly pleased at times past with tteil
action of Mr.. j. A. j. Creswen, Post
master General, in endeavoring to pro
cure a repeal of the franking privilege.
| know that You have been equally out
RACED at the defeat Of all his efforts by
that same Senatorial Ring which con-
trolled the Philadelphia Convention, re-
nominated General Grant, and declared
itself in favor Of the repeal of the frank
ing privilege ] know also that, doubt
less in consequence of your predispo-
sition in his favor, aided by his action
on this subject, you have at various
times spoken warmly of Mr.. Cresweils S
conduct on one or two minor points
hut / do not recall anything in the Trib
une either vindicating or even fully elu
cidating the great Chorpenning case.
Fully assured that 70 friendship for
any individual, in or out of General
Grants Cabinet, will prevent you from
giving candid hearing to the truth, /
beg your attention, and that OF your
readers. to the following straightfor-
ward and indisputable recital Of the no.
torious facts connected with this case.
| am the more anxious that it should
receive wide attention, since one of the
promises currently made Immediately
after Philadelphia was that the Presi-
dent would tighten the ship for the cam
paign voyage by throwing overheard
the Cabinet Ministers who had come so
near laundering it. The crew heard
the announcement with the greatest
pleasure, and accepted it 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 authority of law !;
with Mr.. Fish, who truckled to Spain,
abandoned our citizens in Cuba, and
blundercd his way through the Alaba-
ma negotiations at rate never witness
ed in the whole history of blundering
diplomacy in all the nations of the
world; with Mr.. Boutwell,, who absurd
lv claims increased economy when the
| figures show increased extravaganza
with Mr.. Delano, whose complications
with Southern railroads are notorious,
and the bulk of whose time is given to
them rather than to Government busi-
ness, and, finally, with Mr. j. A. j. Cres-
well, with whom this Chorpenning fraud
was attempted.
In 1851, Mr.. George Chorpennin2
entered into contract with the Post
Office Department to carry the mail;
from Salt Lake City to San Pedro, Cali
!, fornia, for which he was to receive Sl4,.
600 per annum. In 1854, Mr.. Chor
penning received a second contract with
an increased compensation of $1,000
per annum. and as all mail contracts
are made for four years, Mr.. Chorpen
, ming would have been entitled upon th'
) full performance of both contracts tC
the sum of 100000, as stipulated com
: pensation. 1t appears from the record:
of the Post Office Department that up
on the written application OF Mr.. Chor
! penning, and for his own benefit, some
, change in the original route was made
5 Ivy which he was enabled to avail him
! self of road more passable in winter
In 1857, Mr.. Chorpennins received {
: new contract, which was subsequent,
r annulled by Postmaster General Holt
e for the reason-as declared in his owl
e handwriting-that Mr. Chorpenning 'ha
e not performed, or caused to be perform
= ed the service in compliance with tn
terms and requirements of his said con
: tract, but has repeatedly failed to do So
In 1857, Mr. CEorpenning first turned
t up before the Post Office Department a
e claimant for increased compensation
e over and above the stipulated price il
/ his contract, and was allowed the sun
! of seventy-nine thousand and some cd,
dollars. He then set up claim to l.
Il paid for increased distance up the coast
y caused by the change of route made a
= his request and for his benefit, and alsC
: an additional allowance of $4,000 pc
t annum from the 1st of July, 1858. Th
: case was, ,tiierefore,reopened and the ney
: claim denied. Subsequently, however
e Mr.. Chorpenning did receive an allow
ance of $4,000; the last sum being 70
4 increased weight of mail, although tn
e contract specially provided that tn
mails were to be carried without regar
e to weight. Mr.. Chorpenning havin!
: succeeded so well, next appealed +
S Congress and succeeded in getting
n resolution passed, under which he re
: ceived 1928, ,6l7.95 mole, and thus tn
celebrated case was supposed to
closed forever.
Not so, however, for Mr.. Chorpen
ming turns up with another claim O
SS1 900, which having been examine,
S by Postmaster General Brown, that OF
n fcer decided that his former action wa
s final, and that the case was res adjudi
e cata MIR. Chorpenning next presented
: this new claim to Postmaster Genera
e Holt, who refused to entertain it. 1t il
} next presented to Mr.. Blair, who, afte
e examination, reaffirms the action O
: Postmaster General Brown as final
7 ChorpeDning next appears before tn,
4 Court of Claims, where he asks TO
e $4,000. The Court of Claim
J again reaflirms the action of Mr.. Brown
J as final, and the case is closed Mr.
5 Chorpenning next appealed to the Con
4 gress Committee on Claims. and, not
t withstanding the pressure of an exten
S sire lobby, was again unsuccessful, tn,
: amount asked for being still S176,000
e Mr.. Chorpennings next attempt wa
e upon Postmaster General Randall
t Governor Randall examined the case
7 and declared it finally settled by Post
5 master General Brown. President John
e son was next appealed to, and, having
e requested Mr. Randall to reopen tn,
case, Mr. Randall declined to do so.
. having been well known that the action
} of Mr.. Randall was based upon the re
J. port made in the case by his second as
4 sistant, Mr.. George W. Mcclellan, tn
, next movement of the Chorpennn.
f Ring was against Mr.. Mcclellan, and a