Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-10-29
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InE fJaE bkAtLE AHkAIh
A careful reading Of fair report Of the evil
denee at the Post ofhcs heaTing-AAd this. We
very dissins.ly Fsmark, IL oaiy TO Be found in
the CoHMEEcIAL-Eill chow any unbiased per-
con that fhefe il probable cz1se for holding Mr..
Dougherfy TeePsDsibIs for the deAeiebcy IN the,
accounts. That dedCisncy. it Appears, did not
exist when he came into the office; its advent
aud his we're eontsup0rzneouz. II. therefore,
1t can be shown. with rather more elesrness, that
be was disiinctly charged With the control Of he
several accounts ia which the dehciency eIists,
and that be vas bound to eoDduss, oversee and
respond for them, ii Is inpossible not to con-
eluds that be is responsible for the damage
which they have suffered.
As 10 the general interior management Of tie
Post-Ofsnay yshs public mind IL unfaEOrably i'm
pressed BY the tosti.ao6y given at the hearing.
And yet it Ia fair to say in regard to it, that the
Irregularities and lOoseDeas might have been
promptly corrected By AZ executive clerk, in Mr.
Dougherty's place, who would have displayed
more eIscti,uds and established better disci-
pine. They did not exist, il We are correctly
in 'ofmed, under Mr.. Lewis ineumbency previ-
Gus to Ar. Doughsrsys becoming bis sistsnt
An anxiety to exsggeraie the character of this
scandal is manifest in vsTi0us quarters, and the
language employed in some Of the city papers,
yesterday, descended from untruth, and yehe-
mence into vulgarity. Special dispatches were
sent to other cities giving distorted and falEe
shape to the affair, and, on the whole, il is we're
the desire Of our psOple-as we think it il not
10 have the good name Of our city blackened in
all parts OF the country this would be
the way to go about it. A few facts
must bo borne in mind That the general man
ASsment Of the post.Oaice has well served the
pubic demand. and accommodated thoss who
used it that there have been few occssions for
complaint against its efficiency that the Post
Office Department has found it heretofore, in q
satisfactory condition and that, in this case the
Government will lose nothing-the PLarisaic
Gdzettes pretence that the public pocket has
suffered, or will suffer, being simply ridiculous
in the light Of the fact that security il given to
guard against any aud all such possible losses.
Let us, therefore, fairly consider the case az
it really stands. It is profoundly to DO re-
gretted, and decidedly TO be blamed. Captain
Dougherty has given bail to stand trial for any
culpAbility that may attach to him. We doubt il
any criminal act can be proven, and il It result
that he ia responsible only for the deficient
funds, his sureties are ample. Is there any good
reason, therefore, for exaggerating, and distort-
ing and lying about ithe case Sober people,
who have no private axe to grind, will probably
decide in the negative,
1t il nevertheless ttuo-aud this. after all, is
the practical part Of the rnatter-that the loose
management and careless and irregular discipline
the Post Office are very unsatisfactory TO the
public. They want to rec care order, regularity
and exact honesty This il the demand Of thai
growing sentiment in favor Of Reform and Puri
hcation which las found and always shall find
warm and faithful support in these columns. W,
do not mean to raAhly condemn accused pub
lie servsnt we do not mean that the partisar
PhArisees who are seeking a chance for shedding
their crocodile tears upon all occasions where
they think political advantage posi-
BILE, shall do this unrebuked We do not pro
pose to blacken aud destroy mems character,
recklessy malici9as!y; hut upon proof, q
upon evidence Of probable caDze az in thie case
We are ready to reflect and advocate the purpose
Of all right Reform
We say therefore, distinctly and precisely
that the Post Office mus, be better managed
Will it be Can it be- under tie direction oi
the present Post- Master; We ask the questions
with regret, bot the public service requireA they
should be both hsksd. and answered.