The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-16
A POSTMASTER SUSPENDED.
The President Suspends = Postmaster for
Neglect of Duties-Loose Ideas of Duties
Not tn be Tolerated.

The President suspends = Postmaster for
Neglect of Duties-Loose Ideas of Duties
Not to be Tolerated.
WASHINGTON, April THE postmaster
at Rome, Y. Y, was 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 President proposed
the removal OF the postmaster and the
nomination of COrcoran to the Senate at
the recent session, and as it failed to take
acton OH the nomination, the Postmaster
General applied to the President for diree-
tions in the case, and received a written
communication, which has been procured
FOR the department, and is as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON. April 8.
Hon. ". +. Villas, Postmaster Generals:
DEAR SIR-In answer to your Inquiry as to
the diSpos! !tjon to be made OF the case of the
postmaster at Rome, y. Y, which was pre-
sented TO the Senate on the Goth of March,
with Il proposition that he be removed for
cause and which proposition was not acted
upon prior 20 the adjournment of that body
on the ID of April. / have to say that to me
it clearly seems to be my duty to exercise. By
prompt acton in this case, all the power
which the present condition of the law has
left in my hands so far rs Il may be done indie
pendently of the Senate to protect the interest
or the Government, 10 vIndicate the laws
which have been enacted for the regulation
OF the postal service and TO Impress upon
Federal officials that no indulgence viii lie
granted by the Executive TO those who Vio-
late the law or neglect pubic duty.
This postmaster under section 4Gf4. United
States revised statutes. and the regulations
of the Post office Department was required
to transmit to the departme mt weekly a re-
port of the business done by him in the
money order branch of his Office. Ii ap-
pears from the official report of the Iuspec-
tor of the POSt-othcc Department now before
me, and which was submitted 20 Il committee
Of the Senate while the proposition TO re-
move this official was before II that an eN-
animation of his office was ordered January
d, lSSj, IN consequence Of the fact that no
such weekly report had been made since
December I, lSS4- 1t further appears from
this report that such exam nat on developed
the most disgraceful condition in all that
pertained to the accounts and financial cOnd!-
ton Oi the office. That there had been 10
entry in the money order cash book since
July. .oS4, and that as might have been ex-
pectel there was deficiency III the money
order account of more than 500, anu in the
pOStai account OF more than S+b.
There is, think, no Spute touching these
facts. The dcuc .cncy has been refunded to
the Government under an arrangement of
one OF the suretes of the delinquent official
and he attempts TO excuse the wretched con-
dit.On OF his Office by alleging that his assist
ant had undue charge of the money order
business, as well as other details of the Office.
In making such an excuse. this officer
admits, 4 seems to me, a violation of plain
duty IN turning over the operations OF his
Office 10 an assistant without any preteXt of
the sickness or unavO dablc absence of the
postmaster, which Is contrary to reasonable
construct on OF section 4,U44 of the revised
statutes, VIII ch provides: In case of SEX
ness or unavoidable absence at any money
order postoffice he may, with the approval of
the Postmaster General, authorize the chief
clerk, or some other clerk emplOyed thertan,
to act in his place, to a scharge all the duties
required by law of such postmaster"
By the claim now made that the assistant
having had full change, is rcSpOnS: bic for the
delinquenc. es and irregularities cOmplal ned
of, the postmaster also appears TO contradict
his own sworn statement made to the depart
ment as late as September 81, 1854. 20 the ef-
feet that he himself had performed for the
preceding quarter the money order business
in his Office, except when necessarily absent.
| shall do all that is in my power to I'd the
public service of officials who exhibit such
loose ideas of their duty to the public. 4
document before me, signed by many resi-
dents of the city whore the postmaster IS
located ami who belong to- both political
parties asserting their entire confidence in
his honesty and fidelity, demonstrates the
unfortunate facility with VIII. ch such papers
may Oe obtained and gives rise to an un-
pleasant suspicion touching too prevalent
method OF political honesty.
II | can not remove this delinquent post
master | can surely suspend him. This
have determined to DO promptly ard de-
sire you 1T once to present the papers ncces-
james B. Corcornn to perform the dut es of
postmaster in place Of the Othc.al thus sUs-
pended. Yours truly,
GROVER CLEYELAND.