Year: 1859

Tue Chicago Posr OFFIcE.-The
Press d. Tribune (Republican) of Chicago,
pays Isaac Cook Esq, Postmaster Of that
city, very handsome compliment in the
article following. Mr.. Cook has for lor Z
time been the object Of personal attack from
the Chicago Times. a reprint of the Phila.
delphia Press. Last Thursday most las-
tardly article made its appearance in that
paper, to which the Press d. Tribune makes
the following retort


We do not care two straws for Ike Cook.
Postmaster in Chicago His WAYS and our
ways are widely different Ilis friends and
our friends are not the same. His party
and our party are the antipodes OF Amsri-
can politics. But. in spite Of all this we
are impelled by justice to the man and his
efforts to please the public, to say that the
article in the Times Of yesterday wherein
his management Of the Post Office is review
ed, ia notoriously scandalous and unjust
We have more business with that office than
any other establishment Of any kind in the
city; and we can truly declare that in its
general arrangements promptnes, correct
ness and security, it 10 not whit inferior
il it does not excel any other office of which
we have any knowledge in all the West.
How much of this may be due to Cooks
principal assistant and business manager,
Mr. Armstrong, we do not care to enquire
1t is sufficient that the facts are as we state
them We have no doubt that other bust
ness firms will concur with us in this our
opinion that il the Office has changed at all
since Mr. Price, now n partner in the Times,
and late Postmaster, left it, the change has
been in the way of improvement and we
say this without any intention OF utterng
word in disparagement OF MIR. Price manage
ment because he also was u faithful and
capable officer.


The Post Office in this city is an uncom-
Portable, incornm0diOus and unsuitable bull
ding there are employed in it something
near one hundred clerks more or less; in
point of business it is the third office in the
United States; and that there should not
now and then he mistakes committed; that
any unworthy or even dishonest man should
not occasionally be employed until his true
character is known; and that . paper bag
might not be dropped off u wagon in night
once in year by some careless messenger,
no reasonable man could expect. In look
ing through the different rooms and over
the army Of employees, our only wonder Is
that a business involving such an amount
of petty detail and 80 many little cares.
should he managed with such unfaiing reg
ularity and precision. As long as MIR Cook
does IA wei! ~ he has done since his last
appointment. we know that there will be a
general and earnest remOnstrance against
the injustice with which he is ssssled
Political animosity does not warrant such
assaults. There is no ground upon which
they rest They are made upon insufficient.
if not fabricated testimony and they will
surely recoil upon those who make them.
We say this in defence Of the Postmaster,
because in his management Of his office he
has earned the praise which We are glad to
bestow.


As general rule. the praise Of . Repub-
lican paper is sufficient t. damn An honest
democrat, but as the Press d Tribune does
not praise Mr.. Cook personally. but only in
his official capacity. We do not think any
great injury can result from it.


In this connection We wish to cay . word
or two regarding our postmaster Mr.. A. F.
Aast, and his accommodating and gentle
manly assistant Mr.. 4. Smitham. Mr.. Mast
was appointed to his present responsible
position in April 1853. and since our ac-
quaintance with him has never been away
from his station Of duty single day. As .
competent officer he receives the praise Of
both Republicans and Democrats. and n far
as our acquaintance extends, A. F. Mast has
not an enemy in Davenport.


Mr.. Smitham. his assistant, is altogether
too we'll known in this vicinity to need any
commendation from us. but We will cay that
as long as friend Mast can retain the services
of Richard Snetham he need have no fear
of complaint from those having business
with the Davenport Post Office.