The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-25
Tbe Rtchrnond Post. OaIce.

SUCCESSOR?
The public have very imperfect con
ception OF the eomplexity OF the accounts
of the Post-Office Department with the
various post-oflices throughout the c0un-
try. especially in the presidential Offices y
loeated In The cities and towns. We have
obtained from the Richmond post office the
following explanation OF a part OF the sys.
fem In operation up 10 the 1st OF July,
which we presume will be intelligible 10
businessmen
"The postmaster at every depository.
presidential office Uhe postmaster OF
which Is appointed by the President), is
required to make a detailed monthly re-
port OF the number and amount OF each
denomination OF postage-stamps, postage
due stamps, and newspaper stamps, and OF
each OF the various kinds OF stamped en-
velopes and OF newspaper wrappers and
postal-cardo received and sold during the
month. This report also shows, In detail,
the stock on hand at the beginning and end
OF the month. He j. also required 10 make
detailed monthly report Of all fluids re-
ceiyed and disbursed, bringing forward the
balance from the preceding report.
"At the end Of each quarter he is re-
quired TO send TO the Auditor at Washing
ton quarterly account curreut,' show
ing, in a consolidated form, the stock OF
stamps, envelopes, &c., on hand at the close
o! the preceding quarter, amount received
/ during the quarter. and stock remaining on
hand at end Of the quarter-the difference
representing the sales during the quarter,
and agreeing with the aggregate OF the
three monthly reports. This difference
Uhe sIleS) and receipts from boX-rents and
sales of waste material constitute the f1g-
ures Of the debit side. On the credit side
the amount OF his salary, payments for
clerk hire and incidental expenses, are
entercd-the difference showing the bal
ance due to the Department according to
the account current The quarterly work
is now about half done. Another st tement,
filling several large sheets. called the Cen
eral Postal Account has TO be made up
and sent to the Auditor. In this statement,
beginning with the account current bal
auce Just referred TO, is included a detailed
exhibit OF every deposit of funds by several
hundred postmaSterS, every payment OF
drafts, and all other disbursements during
the quarter. The balance represents the
net amount due at the end OF the quarter TO
the Department, assascertained by the post
master; but after it has passed the ordeal OF
be greater or less, according 10 debts and
credits made there. The Auditor charges
the postmaster with cOlection-draitS sent TO
him for collection, and gives credit for drafts
issued, though they may not be presented 10
the postmaster for months. a concurrence
OF balances is therefore impossible until the
accounts OF the office are closed"
1t is evident that IN a business so intri-
cate and full OF detail as this IN occasional
error is almost unavoidable; and when any
irreeularily is discovered. that some time
Is required to get at all the facts.
The inspection recently made at the
Richmond post.ofiice disclosed the fact that
the postmaster had largely overdrawn his
salary. Never handling the funds, he did
not pay himself, but drew the money from
the assistant postmaster (whO is cashier
and custodian OF the funds), but chiefly
from tine stamp-cerk. who reported his
transactions, with vouchers, daily TO the
cashier. All amounts 20 drawn were
posted by the boOk.keeper for the cashiers
" blOtter," except about $500, which was
represented by vouchers filed in the safe,
and not entered in the " "blotter." As an
Offset against these vouchers Colonel Forbes
had 10 his credit on the books OF the cashier
the amount accrung to him personally for
commissions on sales OF revenue stamps.
When the final settlement is made, it is eX-
pectcd that the amount which Colonel
Forbes or his surctics will have to raise to
replace the Overdraw will be much less
than was at first supposed.
We are assured by Colonel Holiday and
Mr.. Grame that there bas been nc defaIca-
tiou-no suspicion OF fraud, and not the
slightest effort at conceament. Every draft
or valid demand upon the Office, in its cur
rent business, has been paid on presentl-
tlon. Neither has there been. these gentle-
men say, any deficit in the revenue-Stamp
agency in proof of which the accounts
have been closed with the Treasury De-
partment. 1t seems that Colonel Forbes
never doubted his ability to provide from
his revenue-stamp commissions (amounting
10 several hundred dollars or otherwise for
whatever sum might be needed to meet any
draft if the postal funds in the safe or
Office should be insufficient, not >uppOsing
that demand for all the balance that might
be due by him, or claimed by the Depart
ment, would ever be made until his official
term expired.
Two DAYS before the recent inspection
the "account current ana transcripts for
the quarter ending 30th June, 1880, were
sent to Washington. and on Tuesday the
postmaster was informed by the Auditor
that the account current had been audi
ted and found correct. The "general
postal account" showing a balance due to
the Department OF S3,S00 Gn ronnd num-
berS), was mailed TO the Auditor last Mon
day and has not yet been audited The
balance, as ascertained by the Auditor, will
be the balance TO 1t July which the Depart
ment will require to be paid.
The stock Of postage stamps. &C., 30th Of
June, reported in the "account current"
does not include any issued To the stamp
clerk for sale. A supplies to the stamp-clerk
are delivered TO him by the assistant p0stmas-
ter upon acquisitions, and reported TO the
Department as " "salcs." The stamp-clerk is
always indebted to the postmaster mot to
the Department. for the amount OF his re-
QUESTIONS (Which are on tile) less the amount
of cash he may have accounted for or turn
ed in, and the stock OF stamps. &C., on hand.
The inspectors counted his cash and stock
on the 18th instant, and reported the dis
c0very OF large deficiency, but that is a
matter between the postmaster and stamp
clerk. The responsibility OF the postmaster
is for the stock Of stamps ascertained by
the Auditor to be in his possession unsold,
or that should be held by him, and for the
cash balance appearing to be due to the
Department at any time the account is
made up.
Postmaster Forbes has not yet made !
his own inventory OF stock or other |
assets, or balanced accounts with the |
clerks in the office who collect postal |
unds. When all this is done the eX-
lct status OF affairs will be ascertained. !
The inspectors discharged their duty with !