New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-29
POSTMASTER UlNy

| Ii was at Jewell City, Kansas, that James A.
Scarborough was p. NJ. 1t Was, alas! for
| James-the Kansas newspapers offectlonat'ly
call him "Jimn-has bolted, cut run, vamOsed,
| exhaled, and stepped out. 1t is great blow to
| the Administration interests in those regions,
| for Jim thoroughly understood the duty OF
| Postmaster to spend and be spent in looking
out for the party. Only lately he was at the
| State Convention, before which he was can
didate for the office of Secretary OF State.
| The party was in excellent luck, indeed, for
| Jim failed to get the nomination. He came
| home to his POst-Office in q depressed frame
of mind, only to learn that the agents of the
Post Office Department suspected him Of steal
| ing the Post Office money. Then it was that
he absconded. A Special Agent appeared upon
the scene and found the affairs Of the jewell
Office in a very curious condition. Jim was a
delinquent on money orders alone to the ex-
tent of 1850. For five months he had not set
tied his stamp account. He had also mbez-
zled the funds of the Southwestern Stage
Company, Of which he was agent; and had
cheated cioJs private parties for whom he
had collected cash. He was clever operator,
and his books were beautifully balanced to
hair. He had all the characteristics OF an
accomplished defaulter and able political
| leader. His habits, we are told, were genial"
He was NATURALLY kind-hearted." Likewise
"a good provider for his family" AS usual,
he leaves his wife to suffer untold agony"
What then must be the feelings of his bonds
men 7 What the depth of their anguish
We congratulate the Administration party
upon its narrow escape while we condole with
. ic nful 10 n
immense amount of lying which would have
filled the organic newspapers II jim had
been the party candidate for Secretary. All
hints at the condition of the Jewell L. U.
would have been denounced as Liberal or
Democratic ISLANDERS. All suggestions that
Jim had better mind his official business in
stead of giving his time and the public funds
to his party, would have been set down to
the meanness and malice of his opponents.
We are by no means sure that the Special
Agent would have been so remarkably active
in his investigation Of the mysteries OF the
Jewell z. o. if Postmaster Jim had been run
ming for Secretary of State. 1t has been
settled principle during some late campaigns
that no Federal officer who worked in
dustriously for the good cause and gave
money literally to its support could do any
wrong Jim, perhaps, remembered these grand
and golden times, and felt that he would be
all right with his masters in Washington, If
he could only be the Republican candidate for
| Secretary of State. Having missed that proud
position, he knew that all was over, and he
| naturally bolted. Lame duck as he was, he
could still do that. So the genial and gen.
| erous Jim vanished into infinite space, leaving
| his Mace to be bestowed upon some other ac-
| tive and useful partisan.
| We do not imagine that the Heads of the
Departments in Washington like to have their
subordinates of such scuryy and disreputable
| sort. This little Kansas matter will not throw
| the P. NJ. General into a passion of tears;
| but still he would prefer not to have such
things happen. Happen they will, however,
and that frequently, so long as it is under
| stood that POstmasters are the creatures of
| Congressman, who in their turn are the crea-
| lures of the President-so long as it is taken
for granted that the said Postmasters, as well
az Collectors and Inspectors and Assessors
and Marshals, are the hired men of the party
and are bound to consider its interests and its
successes as of paramount Importance. Very
likely Jim has spent a good deal of this
money which he has stolen in promoting the
| aforesaid interests and successes. He has paid
some of it for brass bands. He has perhaps
given some of it to good-natured voters. He
has discharged his own travelling expenses as
| q delegate. We honestly believe that the
party, in one way or another, has got most of
the money, and is in equity bound to make up
the deficiency.