National Republican., 1882-01-09
CARD FROM POSTMASTER ANGER.


To the Editor Of rHE RFruBLIcAN:
According to what purports TO be an extract
from n report mndc by Post Office Inspectors It'd
ball and shclcross upon frauds in mail contracts,
as published In the newspapers, they arc made TO
say that" large number Of tltcse worthless bonds
were certified by y. u. hingcr, postmaster at
Washington, u. G., IN some instances Myron NJ.
Parker, assistant postmaster, making out the GER
ticatcs, signing Aingers name 49,,
cross should be the last ones to mako the above
statement because they know better than any one
else how thoroughly unwarranted and uniruthiul
Il is. However sincerely thank them
for misiug the issue, as l am particu-
larly proud Of my record IN ref
ton that no postmaster In the United States has
been more careful particular, and eNuctlng I'm
complying with the law than and my assistant
Located here at the Capital, the headquarters of
all the mai-cOnlracting fraternity, we have been
subjected to more annoyance ana danger OF being
msled and deceived by dishonest bidders aud
bOudsmcu than any other postmaster in the COun-
try. So discriminating have | been, however, l
have rejected ten applications where ! have up-
proved one And OF all the thousands that have
come before me / have signed but four that |
should not have signed, and these four
for the same person and nt the same time,
These four bids were accompanied by certified
checks to indemnify the Government Against loss,
aud would not have been signed but for this fact.
At the time of signing these four bids | refused to
approve all the other bids of the same parties that
were uuaCcumpanied by certified checks. In
other words, depended more on the certified
I
bOndsmcn. | became convinced aiterward that
this was mistake, but II Is the only error that
have ever made That am aware OIL. The inSpeG-
tors criticize me for approving the bonds ana bids
of James II. COlgrove, II is true; but | am not yet
convinced that this criticism Is well founded.
believed his bundSmCu to be good when l up.
proved them and know nothing TO the con
trnry now. was 50 assured III Writing by the
chief clerk and acting Second Assistant
Postmaster General nj the time. Hall n dozen
other postmasteTs in the county where the bonds.
men resided had approved them before me.
believe 1t was Exercising due diligence TO ac-
Ccpt such evidence of the responsibility of these
b1ndsmen. Who would Othavcdone so under the
s,tmc circumstances? itpostmnsterneNer
approved bonds cNCcptin my absence, when he was
acting postmaster, aud his action in 30 doing was
perfectly regular and approved by the Depart
ment, and am satisfied that in the few bonds he
has approved he exercised more than ordinary
care To protect the Interests of the Government.
Much is said about the worthless bonds filed in
1871, 1875 ana 1879. IL should be borne IN mind
that this was all before or my assistant were in
Office. So far rs \. T.. Boone is concerned, never
approved but the four bonds mentioned above for
him. ana have refused to sign hundreds that he
has presented to me. Soon after entering the
postal service, nearly two years ago, and before he
was familiar with the postal regulations ana
aware OF any reason why he should not do So Mr..
! Parker, assistant postmaster went surety ON few
| bids, on some small routes i'll the state OF New
| York for John X. Miner. There being law
| against persons employed in the postal service
| going upon bonds OF contractors these bids were
rejected upon this tcChHiculity, without loss oI
| prejudice to any one except Miner. No one viii
claim that there was wrong or wrong intent III TINS
| This is the sum total Uimy offending ! submit to
the intelligent judgment of honest men every
where If under the circumstances have not been
| extremely fortunate that have made no more
/ mistakes thun have. As able and as capable a
man as Thomas J.. james made much greater ones
/ am Informed, when he was postmaster at New
! York. The Government has never lost penny
directly or indirectly, by reason of the approval
ofany bond by myself or assistant, and Is IN nC
way likely to. ID. b. ANGER.