Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1885-04-18
A HINT TOPOSTMASTERS
IF l CANNOT REMOVE THIS DELIN-
QUENT POSTMASTER,
4 Can Suspend Him. Says MIR. Cleveland.
The Chief Clerks Days of Usefulness
as scapegoat at an End-A
Case in Point in New York

WASHINGTON, April S.-The postmaster al
Rome, n. Y, has been suspended from duty
IN his Office by order Of the president and Jas.
F. Corcoran, has been designated to perform
Gle duties of the Office in his stead. The
president proposed the removal of the post
master and nominated Corcoran to the sem
Hfe at the recent session and as it failed to
take action on the nomination, the post
master general applied to the president
for directions in the case and received q
Written communication which has been pro-
cnred from the department and is as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, April 4, 1885
Hon VIM r. Villas Postmaster General
DEAR SIR--In answer to your inquiry az
to the disposition to be made of the case Of
the postmaster at Rome, Oneida county,
NJ Y which was presented TO thu senate on
the Goth day Of March with proposition
mat he be removed for cause, and which
proposition was not acted upon prior to the
81 jomnnent Of that body on the "a day of
April have to say that to me it clearly
seems to be my duty to exercise by prompt
sction in this case all the power which tina
present condition Of the law has left in my
hand, 50 fer as IL NAV he done
independently of the senate, to pro-
oect the interests OF the government;
TO vindicate the laws which have been en-
acted for the regulation of the postal service
and to impress upon FEDERAL officeholdegs the
fact that no indulgence win be granted by
the executive to those who violate law, or
neglect public duty. This postmaster, under
section 4,044 Of the United States revised
statutes and the regulations of the postoiiice
department, was required to transmit to the
department weekly, a report of the business
done by him in the money order branch of
his office 1t appears from the official report
Il an inspector of the postoffice department
now before me, and which was sub
ntted to a committee of the SEN
ate while the proposition to remove
this official was before it, that an examina-
ton of his office was ordered on tho Goth of
January, 1885, in consequence of the fact
that no such weekly reports had been made
since the 9th day of December 1884 1t
further appears from this report that such
examination developed the most disgraceful
confusion in all that pertained to the ac-
counts and financial condition of the office;
that there had been no entry in tho money
order cash-book since July, 1884; and that,
rs might have been expected, there was de-
6ciency in the money order account of more
THAI S100, and in the postal account of more
than 800
There is, think, no dispute touching these
facts The deficiency has been refunded to
tine government under arrangement with
ore of the sureties of the delinquent official,
and he attempts to excuse the wretched con-
dition of his office by alleging that his as
distant had entire charge of the money order
business as well as all other details of the Of
flee. In making such an excuse the officer
admits, it seems to me, violation of plain
d,,fy in I'm tho nf bis
office to an assistant without any pre-
text of the sickness or unavoidable
sbsence of the postmaster which
is contrary TO reasonable construction of
section 4,031 of the revised statutes, which
provides that, in case of the sickness or I'M
avoidable absence of the postmaster of any
money order office, he may, with the APP
EToval OF the postmaster general, authorize
the chief clerk or some other clerk employed
therein to act in his place and TO discharge
all the duties required by law of such post
master
BY the claim now made that the assistant,
having had full chnrge, is responsible for the
delinquencies com blamed of, the postmaster
also appears to contradict his own sworn
statement made to the department as late as
September 80 1854, to the effect that he himself
had performed, for the preceding quarter,
when necessarily absent, | shall do all that is
III my power to rid the public service of Off
Mals who exhibit such loose ideas of their
duty to the government. The fact that have
Sefore me documents signed by many resi-
dents OF the city where this postmaster is To-
Gated, ana who belong to both political
parties asserting their entire confidence in
dis honesty and fidelity demonstrates the un
fortunate facility with which such papers
may be Obtained and gives rise to an un
pleasant suspicion, touching a too prevalent
standard OF political honesty.
II / cannot remove this delinquent post
master | can surely suspend him. This ]
have determined to do promptly, and desire
you at once to present to me the papers
necessary for tat purpose, with designa
ton of James g. Corcoran to perform the
duties of postmaster in place of the official
thus suspended. Yours truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND
AT an interview with the postmaster gen
Hal he stated to a reporter of the American
Press that the senate committee asked for
snd had sent to them, the papers in the case,
including the inspectors report and the rea-
son for their declining to approve the pro
posed removal was unknown to him and
could only be surmised. These facts are
plainly shown by the official report of the in
zpector made during the term of Presi
dent Arthur, and open to no suspicion
q partisan or personal unfrendliness.
and are such, indeed, as hardly
admit of explanation