The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-04-08
TEACHING THEM a LESSON.
what Derelict Officials May Ex-
pect from Cleveland

ter at Rome, n. Y, was to-day suspend
ed 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
President proposed the removal of the
postmaster, and nominated Mr.. Corcoran
to the Senate at the recent session, and
rs it failed to take action on the nomi-
nation the Postmaster General applied
to the Pesidant for his directions in the
case and received a written communi-
cation, which has been procured from
the department, and it is as follows
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 4, 1885.
Hon. William F. Villas, Postmaster
General
DEAR SIR In answer to vour in
quiry as to the disposition to be made of
the case of the postmaster at Rome,
Oneida, county, n. y, which was pre-
sented to the senate on the Goth of March.
with proposition that he be removed
for cause, and which proposition was
not acted upon previous TO the adjourn
ment Of that body on the 2d day Of APP
ril, / have to say that. to me, it clearly
seems to be my duty to exercise by
prompt action in this case all the power
which the present condition of the law
has left in my hands. SO far as it may be
done independently of the senate, to pro-
tect the interests of the Government,
to vndicate the laws which have been
enacted for the regulation of the postal
service, and TO impress upon Federal
Office holders tGc fact that no indulgence
will be granted by the Executive to those
who violate law or neglect public duty.
This postmaster, under section 4044 of
the United States Revised Statues and
the Regulations of the Postoffice Depart
ment, was required to transmit to the
Department weekly report of the busi-
ness done by him in the money order
branch Of his office. IL appears from
the official report of an inspector of the
Postofice Department now before me,
and which was submitted to a commit
tee of the senate while the proposition to
remove this official was before it, that
an examination of his office was ordered
on the 26lh day of January. 1885, in
onscquence Of the fact that no such
weekly reports had been made since the
9th day of December, 1881.
1t appears from this report that such
examination developed a most disgrace
full confusion in all that pertained to the
accounts and financial condition of the
Office; that there had been no entry
in the money order cash book since
July, 1884. and that, as might have been
expected, there was a deficiency in the
money order accounts of more than 500,
and in the postal accounts of more than
S400. There is, think, no dispute touch
ing these facts.
The deficiency has been refunded to
the Government under an arrangement
with one of the suretes of the delin-
quent officer, and he attempts to excuse
the wretched condition of his office by
alleging that his assistant had entire
charge of the money order business as
well as all other details of the office
In making such an excuse as this, this
officer admits it seems to me, a violation
Of his plain duty in turning over the
operation of his Office to an assistant
without any prtext of the sickness or un-
avoidable absence of the postmaster,
which is contrary to a reasonable con-
struction of section 4,03l Of the Revised
Statues. which provides that lin case
of the sickness or unavoidable absence
Of the postmaster Of any money order
postoffioe, 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" But the claim now
made that the assistant, having had full
charge, is responsible for the discrepan-
Cies and Irregularities complained of
The postmaster also appears to contra
diet his own sworn statement, made to
the Department as late as September 80
1884, to the effect that he himself had
performed for the preceding quarter the
money order business in his Office. ex-
cept when necessarily absent l shall
do all that is in my power to rid the pub
lie service of officials who exhibit such
loose ideas of duty to the government.
The fact that l have before me docu-
ments signed by residents Of the city
where this postmaster is located, and
who belong to both political parties, as
serting their entire confidence in his hon
esty and fidelity, demonstrates the un-
fortunate facility with which such pa
pers may be obtained. aud gives rise to
an unpleasant suspicion touching a too
prevalent standard of political honesty.
If I cannot remove this delinquent post
master l can surely suspend him. This
have determined to do promptly, and
desire YOU at once to present TO me the
nanerS necassal-N fnr that nllrnoSe with