New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-03
THE PORTLAND posi- OFFICE.

The Washiagton Post one day last week brought
some serious charges against the postmaster tot
Portland, Me.-MT. Charles NJ. Goddard. These
charges are direct and specific, and are four in
number as follows:
First-That Mr. Goddard gives personal attention
whatever 10 the duties OF his Office In defiance or the
regulation that prohibits officer OF the Department
from holding position under the state GOVERNMENT
Mr. Goddard has been deYOting almost his entire time
for years past the duty OF revising the statutes OF
Maine. He was regularly appointed TO THIS duty Dy tne
authorities OF Maine aud has been and still is receiving
pay from the State Treasury at the rate OF some $1,000
per ennum Meanwhie, Mr. Goddard has been steadily
$4,000 as postmaster leaving his suOordnateS 70 per-
Sec0nd-That " Mr.. Goddard has been wrongfully and
illegally SpproDratlng to his own use nearly $1,000
which money II ia said he will be slmmarily required
to refund to the Government"
Third-That within recent period Mr.. Goddard has
received the grace and clemency OF the Department in
overlooking dedication OF some 50 OOO which was as
covered in the Office and hushed u2 by the money being
made good, from the private pockets Of his clerks"
FOuT-Ihat IN addition to these traDsgTessOns or law
Mr. Goddard has been guilty OF petty and dsrcputabe
peccadloes in using a room in the United States Build
ing his private office while working upon the Maine
statutes paying rent therefor and having bis fuel
Government"
The Portland papers, we regret TO see do not sat
isfactorily answer these charges though they ex-
hibit much indignation that they should have been
brought against Mr.. Goddard. 1t ought to be
simple matter to test their truth. The first and
fourth could ne determined Dy general nOlOrleJy al
Portland. The truth or falsty of the second and
third must be known III the Post Oice Department.
If Mr. Goddard has been giving his time for two
years past to the duty of revising the statutes Of
Maine it would seem that the Department must,
for consistency's sake, ask his resignation. Every
Malone postmaster in Virginia holding position no
matter how trihIng under the State Gov
eminent has been required to surrender 1t.
If IN addition to giving all his time to
a duty devolyed upon him by the State Government
Of Name, Mr.. Goddard has used rOom with lights,
fuel and attendance at the expense Of the General
Government, he ought to be discharged for what
The Post properly terms "a petty and disreput-
able peccadiIloD These two charges, as has been
said ought to be proyable or disproyable in Port
land and we regret that the Portland papers olsr
no rebuttng facts
The other two charges must certainly be known
in the Department if there is any basis for them.
If Mr.. Goddard has been Withholding in the money
order department sums that belong to the Govern
msnt that fact can be easily determined. So also
can the fact of the alleged delalcatiOn. Bat the
charges should be distinctly answered. The general
denial Of the Portland papers only Injuries Mr..
Goddard by creating the suspicion that no other
answer can be gwen. We are persuaded that Mr..
Goddard will $50 the necessity OF more specific re-
ply to the indictment