The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-22
The Ground on Which the President
Suspended a Postmaster.

/ BAsHIgeT0S. April g. The Post
master at Rome. \. \, MS to-day sus-
pended from further duts In his Office
By order OF the President, and james B.
Coreoran has been designated 10 perform
the duties of the Office In his stead.
The President proposed the removal
I OF the Postmaster, and nominated Cor
| coran 10 the Senate at the recent session.
and as il failed TO take action on the
/ nomination, the Postmaster General ap-
piled to the President for directions in
/ the case and received a written commu-
nication, which has been procured from
/ the department, and j. a. follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON.
| April 6-HOn. VIM. H. Villas, Postmas-
/ ter General. Dear Sir.-In answer to
( your inquiry as to the disposition TO be
made OF the case OF the postmaster at
! Rome, Oneida county, y. Y, which was
presented to the Senate on the 10Th day
/ of March, with the proposition that he
| be removed for cause, and which propo-
sition was not acted upon prior to the
! adjournment of that body, on the ID
day of April, have to say that it seems
to me 70 be clearly my duty TO exercise
| by prompt action in this case all the
B1HFE Which, AnC HtE>tuE EuuNlLibu UI
the law has left in my hands. 50 far as
it may be done independently of the
Senate, to protect the interests of the
Government and vindicate the laws
which have been enacted for the regula-
ton Of the postal service, and to impress
upon Federal oliiceholders that no in
diligence will be granted by the Execu-
tive to those who violate the law or neg
lect pubic duty.
This postmaster, under Section 40l4
of the L. :. Revised Statutes, and the
regulations of the Post Office Depart
ment, was required TO transmit 10 the
department weekly a report of the bust
ness done by him in the money order
branch of his office. 1t appears from
the official report OF an Inspector of the
Post Office Department now before them,
which was submitted TO a committee of
the Senate while the proposition to
remove this official was before it, that
an examination of his office, was ordered
on the 26 day of January 1885, in con-
sequence of the fact that 10 such weekly
reports had been made since the 9th day
of December 1891.
1t further appears from this report |
that such an examination developed the |
most disgraceful confusion in all that |
pertained to the accounts and the finan- |
cial condition of the Office; that there |
has been no entry in the money order |
cash books since July 1884, and as that |
might have been expected there was a |
deficiency in the money order account |
of more than 800, and in the postal |
accounts of more than $500.
There is, | think, no dispute touching |
these facts. The deficiency has been |
refunded to Government under an ar
rangement with one of the sureties of |
the delinquent official, and he attempts |
to excuse the wretched condition of his |
office by alleging that his assistant had |
entire charge OF the money order bust |
ness. as well as other details of the |
office.
In making such an excuse, this officer |
admits, it seems to me, violation of his |
plain duty in turning over the opera |
tions of his Office to an assistant without |
anv pretext of sickness or unavoidable |
absence of the postmaster, which is to a |
reasonable construction of section 4031 |
r. s, which provides that Sin case of |
the sickness or unavoidable absence of |
the postmaster of any money order post |
office, he may with the approval of the |
Postmaster-General, authorize the chief |
clerk, or some other clerk employed |
therein, to act in his place and to dis
charge all the duties required by law of |
such postmaster"
By the claim now made that the assist
ant having had full charge is response
bic for the delinquencies and irregular
ties complained of, the Postmaster also
appears to contradict his own sworn
statement made to the department on
September 80, 1884, to the effect that he
himself had performed for the preceding
quarter the money order business of
his office, except when necessarily alb
sent.
| 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 public.
A document before me signed by
many residents of the city where the
postmaster is located and who belong |
to both political parties, asserting their
entire confidence in his honesty and |
fidelity demonstrates the unfortunate
facility with which such papers may be
obtained, and gives rise to an unpleas-
ant suspicion touching a too prevalent
method of political honesty.
If | cannot remove this delinquent |
postmaster | can surely suspend him.
This | have determined to do promptly, |
and | desire you at once to present him |
the papers necessary for that purpose |
with designation of James b. Corco-
ran to perform the duties of postmaster |
in place of the official thus suspended |
Yours truly,
GPOVFR FVFTAND