The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-04-07
WHY ROME H0WLS.
POSTMASTER oUsTED
BY President Cleyeland.-Tho Executive
Gives his Reasons for peposinE the
Rome, New York, omeial-The Post
master General Adds Word.

WASHINGTON, April 6.-The Postmaster
at Rome, N. Y, was today suspended
from further duty in his Office by order O
the President, and ]. B. Corcoran hasbeer
designated to perform the duties Of the Of
fee in his stead. The President proposed
the removal Of the Postmaster and 'nomi'
mated Corcoran to the Senate at the recent
session, and as it failed to take action on
the nomination the Postmaster General
applied to the President for his directions
/ in the case and received written COM
| munication which had been procured for
the department, and is as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAsHISoTos, April 4, 1885. !
Hon. HIM. f. Villas, Postnlaster General:
DEAR SIR: In answer to your inquiry as
to the disposition to be made OF the case
OF the postmaster at Rome, Oneida coun-
Ity, N. e., which was presented to the Sen.
ate on the Goth day of March with the
proposition that he be removed for cause,
and which proposition was not acted upon
prior to the adjournment OF thst body on
the I'd day OF April, / have to say that to
me it clearly seems TO be my duty to ex-
ercise 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 protect the interests
of the Government, to vindlcate
the laws which have been enacted for
the regulation OF the postal service and to
impress upon the Federal office holders
the fact that no indulgence will be granted
by the Executive to those who violate the
law, or neglect public duty. This post
master, under section 4044, Of the United
States revised statutes and regulations
OF the PostoiIice Department, was required
to transmit to the Department, a aweekly
report OF the business done by him in the
money order branch OF his office.
It appears from the official report OF an
inspector OF the Pos,oflice Department,
now before me, and which was submitted
TO the committee in the Senate where the
proposition to remove this official was be-
lore 1t, that an examination OF his Office
was ordered on the twenty.sixth day OF
January, 1886, in consequence Of the fact
that no such weekly reports had been
made since tie sixth day Of December,
1854.
II further appears from This report that
such examination developed the most dis
graceful confusion in all that pertained to
the accounts and the 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 ex-
pected, there was deficiency in the
money order account OF more than seven
hundred and in the postal account OF more
than $500. There Ia, think, no dispute
touching these facts. The deficiency
has been refunded to the govern
ment under an arrangement with
one OF the sureties OF the delinquent offi-
cial and he attempts to excuse the
wretched condition Of his office by alleg-
ing that his assistant had the entire charge
OF the money order business as well as
other details OF the office. In making
such an excuse this officer admits, 1t |
seems to me, violation OF the plain duty
in turning over the operation OF his Office
to- an assistant without any pretext
OF sickness, or unavoidable ab-
sence OF the postmaster, which Is
contrary TO reasonable construction of
section 403l OF the revised statutes, which
provides that lin case OF sickness or the
unavoidable absence ofthe Postmaster OF
any money order postoffice, he may, with
the approval q the Postmaster General,
authorize the Chief Clerk, or some other
Clerk employed therein, to act in his
place, and to discharge all the duties re-
quired by law Of such Postmaster"
BY the claim now made that the assist |
ant, who had had full charge, is respon-
sible for the deinquencies and irregulari-
ties complained OF, the Postmaster also ap-
pears to contradict his own sworn state
ment made to the department as late as
September 80, 1884, to the effect that he
himself had performed for the preceding
quarter tho money order business in his |
office, except when necessarily 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 gov
ernment.
The fact that I have before me docu-
ments signed by many 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 unfor-
may may be Obtained and gives rise to an
unpleasant suspicion touching too
prevalent standard of political
honesty. II cannot remove
this delinquent Postmaster, I can
surely suspend him. This I have deter.
mined to- do promptly, and desire you
at once to present to ME the papers neces-
sary for that purpose, with designation
OF James B. Corcoran to perform the du-
ties Of Postmaster in place Of the official
thus suspended. Yours truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
APoINrER.
Tho Poatmastsr General 1ntlmates that
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