The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-02
-Ani.rrrceful Abuse or Authority.

- .
The new PostmRSter.Genera has been made
the tool for q gross piece Of injustice, and
for what cannot but be considered as an uu-
~Sarrantabls interference with the freedom Of
the mails. General Gresham has such q high
reputation for purity OF purpose and up.
he can have been cogniZAnt Of the clrCum-
stances under which the order Of tie late
PostmasteT.G General KY relative TO the
Louisiana Lottery Company was suspended.
The facts OF tne case, as they arD found
officially recorded, are not 10 any doubt. In
November, 1879, Postmaster-G General Key
charged N. A. Dauphiu, the President OF the
Lottery Company, with being epgsgsd In
fraudulent schemes and devices" aud order.
ed that no letters should be delivered or
money orders paid 70 hin.
Mr. Dauphin denied the charge and de-
manded m investigation, at the same time
insulting q civil suit against the Postmaster
General. While the suit was pending
%yestigation, which resulted In his decision
that he was not Satisfied that the Lottery was
a fraudulent scheme. BE thereupon itsued q
new ord r, ccuutermanding his FIRST,
as he ha4 no power to inter
fere with the mails unless he was
satis fled that there was fraud. When
Gartisld's administration came 10 the nav
Postmaster Generals attention was called 10
the Lottery by interested persons, and he re.
fsrred the matter 10 Attorney General
MoYeagh, who found himself constrained to
admit that the mails could not be intsrferred
with except upon proof Of fraud. Another in
yestigation Of the Compapy's Affairs was
made, and b econolusioh arrived at that
there was no fraud.
The INT busy schemers who have thought
to avenge themselves on the Company, on
account, 1t Is alleged, Ct its refusal 10 buy of
opposition, got a member Of Congress 10
order an IL quiry, In reply to which the late
Postmastet-General Howe, as conscientious
and honest q man as ever lived, declared that
he could not interfere with the company's
mail, because:
mo proof had been submitted to the
Department since the order OF suspension |
tending to establish the fact that NJ. A. Dau-
phin Is engaged in conducting any scheme
that would bring him within the contempla.
ton Of the statute"
Upon the assurance Of the department that
there should be no interference with his
mail unlles fraud tpdS dSc0rered, Mr.. Dauphin
consented 10 a dismissal OF bis suit, and took
no further proceedings.
AAt0O Az obNACoQlbh baNAIk |
been vainly importuned to aida certain we'll.
known ring TO aci unjustly, they turned
their attention to the Department OF Justice,
and succeeded In getting Assistant Attorney
General Freeman to interfere, not alleging
fraud, but insisting upon the enforcement Of
POstmaster-G General Keys order, under the
technical subtsrfuge that II was not rtscind-
ed but merely suspended.
Thereupon, without any further inquiry,
without permitting the Company TO offend
itself, the Postmaster General withdrew the
suspension, In violation OF a moral obliga.
ton, and stopped the Compapy's mails. The
ring are, OF course, j%ubilRnt.
Now, 1t Is not pertinent what the merits Of
the action may be. The factstauds that the
Postmaster-Ge0eral has been guilty OF a
and unwarrA1table act OF op-
preston and injustice. II the c%Ompany's
Is fraudulent, its mails should be
withheld. Blu the company was certainly
10 a hearing, and If 1t does not come
the meaning Of the statute, there is
not q shadow of reason for interfering withit
AL the evidence Is In its favor 90 far. 1t Is
legally incorporated under the laws OF a
its right 10 existence is acknowledged
in the constitution OF Louisiana; Its surplus
fund are devoid to a State charity, and no
proof whatever has been offered that 1t Is not
IN honestly conducted business.
The procedure by which 4 specific obliga-
tion is set aside and an absolute order re-
by q piece Of legal chicanery Is worthy
only OF a pettifogging attorney, aud that the
Of Justice can be made the dirty
DOL OF n matchmaking ring. Is a foul disgrace
the countrywide York WsrNd, July %.