Year: 1871

"a~otoNiE 0fAoSy


was a fearful expose in the House yes
terday Of the dark ways and corrupt
practices of the lobby and its influence
en- Congress. The House Approprla-
ton committee learaed last week that
the Treasury, Department was about to
pay a draft On It in the current appro,
priation by the Postmaster General, for
nearly half a million dollars, to pay a
claim of one Geo. Charpenning for an
ancient mail service which had
been repudiated BY the Postoffice
Department fop the last ten years.
This led to the passage Of a resolution
asking for suspension Of payment until
an investigation could be made by
the commissioner. This investigation
proved most remarkable state Of
things: that one of the counsel of
the claimant was ex-First Assistant
Postmaster General Earle, late law
partner of Postmaster General Cress-
well; that the joint resolution to pay the
claim was put through the House by
John Cessna, Of Pennsylvania,
under suspension of the rules,
without report or debate; that it
passed the Senate the same day and
was signed soon after by the President
comprising in all but eighteen hours;
that Mr. Earle submitted what pur-
ported TO be aereport Of the House
Postal committee TO Postmaster-Gen-
eral Cresswell in favor Of this, bnt
which proved to be without the slight
est foundation, no such report ever hav-
ing been made by said committee or
ever having been discussed hy them;
that Mr.. Cress,~ell. instead of wait
ing for an application to pay the claim,
drew draft against the general fund
for it, and that he paid It in the face of
reports made by Postmaster General
Brown, Holt Blair, Randall and him
self, that this claim had no foundation
in law or equity. These and many
other facts were brought to the attention
of the House by Messrs. Davis and
Beck, and created such CONSERVATION
that the members guilty left their seats
and crowded around the speakers.
When they concluded, a resolution was
unanimously passed repeating the Joint
resolution to pay sthe claim Even
Cessna, who pushed the job originally,
SAT in his seat and never said a word.
Commissioners PIeasant"n I" b" Re-


- c...f mOEed'


There have been signs for some days
past of growing discomfort in official
circles with the course of Gen. Pleasan-
ton, now Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue, and a change in that depart
ment is predicted 10y those best in
formed. His advocacy Of the repeal of
the revenue tax IN opposition to the
policy OF the head OF the treasury, is
regarded as offensive and as an attempt
to strengthen himself in public favor
at the expense of the administration,
and the extraordinary statement made
of the cost of collecting the tax, and
assumed familiarity with the business
when his seat was hardly warm under
him, is severely criticized. 1t has been
asserted that Gen. Pleasanton was made
Commissioner through the influence OF
Ingalls, and others interested in the
New York Central railroad tax case,
and it was rumored TO day that he
would resign after February 10th, the
time fixed for hearing that case. The
amount Of tax involved is Sl,0n0,0O0.
Whether these rumors have any other
origin than that of general dissatistac-
ton it is impossible. to say; but the ap-
pointment of Gen. Pleasanton is objec
tionable to large numbers. Having
spent twenty five years in the regular
army, his fitness for such an important
civil service is calied in question. lie
has brought into his office the rulings
and manners of a martinez, and is re-
garded by his subordinates as harsh
and unreasonable. His absurd order
excluding representatives OF the press
and bulletining news, is fair speci-
men of his work. 1t is also rumored
that Deputy Commissioner Williams,
of Indiana, will resign at the request of
the Secretary Of the Treasury.