The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-04-11
Mrs, Garfield Makes a Pa
thetic Denial.
The Irate Postmaster An.
sWers the President
Cleveland is Determined.

Postmaster at Rome, n. Y, was TO-
dav SUSPENDED from further duty in
his office by order Of the President,
and James B. COrcoran has been
designated to perform the duties of
the Office in his stead. The Presi-
dent proposed the removal OF the
Postmaster and the nomination OF
Corccran to the Senate at Its recent
session, and as it failed to take ac-
tion, the Postmaster-Gener applied
TO the President for his directions in
the case, and received written COM
munication, as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, April 6, 1885. J
Hon. William F. Villas, P0stna0s-
observation-disclosures SIR: In answer
to your inquiry as to the disposition
to be made Of the case of the Post
master at Rome, Oneida county. N.
Y, which was presented to the Sen
ate on the 26th Of March, with the
proposition that he be removed
for cause and which proposition was
not acted upon prior to the adjourn
ment of that body on the I'd of April,
I have to say that to me it clearly
see rs to be my duty to exercise by
prompt action in this case with all the
power which the present condition
ot the law has left in my hands, 50
far as it may be done independently y
of the senate, to protect the interests
of the government, to vindicate the
laws which have been enacted for
the regulation of the postal service,
and to impress upon federal officers
the fact that no indulgence Will be
granted by the executive to those
who violate the law or neglect public
duty. This the pOstmastr, under
section 4,O44, United States Revised
Statutes and regulations OF the post
Office department, was required TO
transmit to the department weekly
report Of the business done by him
in the money order branch of his Of
flee. 1t appears from an official report
of an inspector of the postOfice dept.
now before me, and which was sub
mitted to committee of the Senate
while the proposition to remove this
official was before it, that an exami-
nation of his Office was ordered on
the 18th of January 1885. In conse-
Quence of the fact, no such weekly
reports have been made since the 9Th
of December, 1884. 1t further ap-
pears from this report that such
examination developed a most dis
graceful confusion IN all that per-
tanned to The accounts and financial
condition of his office and that there
has teen no entry in the money
order cash book since July 1884, and
that as might have been expected,
there was deficiency in the money
order account of more than 500
and in the postal account of more
than $4OO. There is, l think, no dis
putting these facts. The deficiency
has Oeen refunded to the govern
ment under an arrangement with
one of the snreties of the delinquent
official and ne attempts to excuse the
wretched condition OF bis omce by
alleging that his assistant had entire
charge of of the money order business
as we'll as other details of the office.
In making such excuse this ofhcer
admits, it seems to me, violation o1
his plain duty in turning over the
operations of his office to an assist
ant without any pretext Of sickness
or unavoidable absence OF the post
master which is contrary to reason
able construction of 4O3l OF the re-
vised statutes, which provides that 10
case of sickness or unavOldable ab-
s"ence the postmaster of any money
order Postotfice, may win tbs aF-
proval of the postmaster general au
thorize any chief clerk or some
other clerk employed therein TO act
in his place and di di,charge the duties
required by law of such postmaster.
By the claim now made that the as
slstant having had full charge and is
responsible for the delinquencles and
Irregularities complained CT the post
master also appears to contradict his
own sworn statement made to the
department of State September so,
1884, to the effect that he himselfhad
performed for the preceding quarter
the money order business in his Of
tlce except when nect ssarily absent.
l shall do all that is in my power TO
rid the public service of officials who
exhibit such loose ideas of their duty
to the government. The fact that l
have before me documents signed by
many IF the residents of thecity where
this postmaster is located, and who !
belon. to both political parties as
serting their entire confidence in his
honesty and fidelity, demonstrates
the unfortunate facility with which
papers may be obtained, and gives
rise to unpleasant suspicion touching |
the prevalent standard of political |
honesty. If I cannot remove this
delinquent postmaster I can surely
suspend him. This l have deter
mined to do promptly, and l desire
you at once to present to me the pa
nels Necessary f,r that purpose with
Tie designation Of james B. COrcoran
70 Ferform the duties in LACE of the
Official thus suspended,