Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-25

San Francisco was Published in the ".
Y. Heraid. In which il vas stated on
the authority Of an official of the e. 5.
Treasury Department, that during the
past three years over 5000 600 worth
of opium bad been smugcied into that
port; that the business had been sys-
tematically carried on by ring of
smuggiers, assisted by Government OFF,
ciaIs. Who received 80 Per cent. of the
spoil, and in addition, brides ranging
from s25 to 5000. when the United
States Grand Jury was impanelied last
mouth, Judge Hoffman called the at
tention Of the members to the state
meut contained in the Heraifs dis
patch, and directed them to thoroughly
investigate the matter, and if the charg-
es were true, TO find out the guilty par
ties and present indictments against
them. IL, however, they found the
charges groundlsss, the jury were in
structsd TO fad the author of the dis
patch.
The Grand Jury made report last
week. stating that the charges we're, in
the main, false and unfounded, and
that the dispatch was sent by the chief
clerk of the Western Union Telegraph
Company. That gentleman, on coming
before the jury, admitted sending the
d ispatch, and gave az his authority one
Carnage, an employe of the Treasury
Department in San Francisco. MIR.
q amage denied the authorship of the
statement and the jury were forced to
decide whether to believe him or Mr..
Richardson, the telegraph clerk. They
took tho bull by the horns, however,
and say in their report: We are con-
WINGED that he (Gamage) made tho
to Mr.. Richardson which
were embodied in the dispatch" The
jury further say that they have utterly
failed to find any evidence that proini-
nent United States officials are con-
oerned in abetting smuRglers. And in
their report express the
Dpioni0n "that the customs officers at
this port are honestly and intelligently
d iscnarRing their duties. and that
at this port, while it is not
is reduced to az small a pro-
portion az we can reasonably expect to
be possible"
This instance is only one in thous-
sn ds which 20 to prove how easy it is
20 start and spread story which in
' olives the honor of public officials, and
he credit of the revenue and other
branches of the Government service.
And once spread broadcast, a denial, al
though made equally public, never CON-
pletely Obliterates the evil result accom-
olished by the slanderous and untruth-
'ul statement. 1t is too much the fash !!
On 10 credit allegations against the
honesty of officials and the integrity |
md efficiency of the public service. Any |
statement against an officer or employee |
If the Government, no mater whether |
,r not substantiated by surrounding
or ycuohed for by re-
liable parties finds eager and willing
believers. The same is true of men who |
occupy positions of responsibility and |
influence in private life. Let breath |
'f scandal be stirred, or . whisper |
,f wrong doing be started by a |
tongue, and forthwith it ia
'aken mp and spread abroad as ON the
wings Of the wind. Many a human
wreck lies standed on the shores of de-
[eat and despair, driven there by un-
truthful charges, by scandalous and
senomous accusations, utterly indefen-
sible and untruthful. Humanity is
about the same everywhere, and has
been 30 in every age. The average of
honesty in official positions is fully
squal to that exhibited in private bust
ness transactions, and in both public |
and private affairs this generation is
fully equal in honesty and morality, il |
not ahead of any which have preceded
i on the great stage of existence.