The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-06-27
An Officer that Bears Investigation.

An Officer that Bears Investigation.
In these days of searching Investigation
into official integrity, efficiency, ETC., and
when so many who went in with reputa-
tions clear and spotless as Sunday morn
ing toilet are coming out all begrimed and
battered with the uncleanness of official
corruption which seems to have become
chronic in the degenerate days of paper
money and paper consciences, it is matter
of supreme satisfaction to find one officer
at least in President Grants Cabinet who
bears the most rigid scrutiny into his
official acts, and comes out of every trial
without stain upon his official reputation.
We publish in another column digest of
the report of committee appointed by
Congress to examine into the "Straw Bid "
business, and the acts of the officials of the
Post Office Department generally, under
charges made by Representative Stone.
The committee pronounce the officials of
the Department free from all blame, and
compliment their fidelity and vigilance.
The abuses charged against Mr.. Creswell
and his Department are found to exist in
the loose legislation of Congress. Even
the New York Tribune which has always
been very sparing of its commentator of
Mr.. Creswell, says of the report:
"The Post Office Department has sue
ceeded in making itself SO odious to Con-
gressmen by it's efforts in behalf of the
franking privilege, that they have missed
no opportunity to nurse every casual charge
against it, and it may be taken for granted
that they kill off none of them so long as
they have breath enough left to stand up.
The report entirely exculpating that De-
partment from the charge of accepting
straw bids, is therefore entitled to more
respect than most exculpatory reports in
this Congress receive"
Mr.. Creswell has received more home
abuse, than perhaps any other of President
Grants Cabinet, and in every instance on
the most unfounded charges. The Choir
penning SANDER opened up by that Massa-
chusett's trimmer, Mr.. Dawes was a most
prolific theme of denunciation against the
Postmaster General, till the wind was COM
pletely knocked out of it by the letter of
jeremiah S. Black. Had Mr.. Creswell
been in the Treasury Department it would
have been morally impossible for the Jayne
and Sanborn frauds to have been perpe-
trated, and the administration of President
Grant would never have suffered the shame
that the ineficieney and carelessness of a
Richardson has brought upon it. Mr..
Creswell is a specie payment and hard
money man, and with modicum of his
courage and tenacity displayed in the man.
agement of the Treasury for the last five
years, we would have been much nearer
specie payment to-day than we are likely
to be two years hence.
Since the above was in type the resig
nation of the Postmaster General has taken
place, whose letter to the President and
his reply will be found elsewhere. No
occurrence so sudden and unexpected has
happened in political circles recently,
and no resignation so generally regretted
has ever been rendered to the President.
We, in common with all of his personal
friends, deeply regret the necessity which
impelled Nr. Creswell to relinguish the
portfolio which be has so ably held for
more than five years. The mail service
has undergone great changes, and has been
greatly extended under Mr.. Creswell's
administration, and we had hoped that he
would retain the position as Postmaster
General to the end of President Grants
term, and complete the reforms which he
has inaugurated and so ably conducted.
We hope his successor will prove as able
and untring in his management to advance
the public interest, as his predecessor.
The reasons which influenced Mr.. Cres-
we'll to resign his place in the Cabinet are
not know to the public, except that they
are of private nature entirely, and must
be of serious nature to justify such q
step. All who mention the fact, regret the
step, and the leading newspapers of the
country all speak in unqualified terms Of
the integrity, ability and zeal with which
the Post-office Department has been admin
istered by the late Postmaster General.