Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-03-19
From the Wszt- York Eyenmg Post.

The vigilance of the custom-house officers
in tie state of Massachusetts, is worthy of imi-
tation by all Mir. Gallatin's men throughout
the Union. The following story, together with
that of the TIL pedIar, inserted few days since,
are recommended to the serious attention OF
every hatri0nc officer who has at heart his own
interest and that Of his dear country.
A gentleman belonging to Chesterfield,
Mass having returned from visit to his pa
ents who live near Canada line, came under
suspicion Of having brought home Struggled
goods from Canada. The faithful collector of
Northampton, caused the gcntleman's house
10 be searched, as well as every house in the
district where he had stopped on his way
home. In this search the collector performed
MS duty thoroughly, as all good collectors
ought, by removing hay, tearing up barn and
stable 1oors, and committing suudry other acts,
.yh.ch in old times would have been termed
ohtrages Oh society, but (which in these enlght-
cncd days are perfectly right and consistent
with rational liberty. All this was done but
TO the great modification Of the collector and
his assistants 30 Struggled goods were found.
They therefore returned to Northampton, very
we'll satisfied OF having performed their duty,
but not so we'll satisfied with the result of the
search. The collector had been at home but
few hours when he received intelligence that
in one Of the barns which had been searched
there was cellar which had not been disco
yered and in this same cellar it was probable,
the cane was hidden The faithful servant of
the public, though he had slept none the night
before. concluded to furego his rest one night
more for the good of his country.-He
mounted his horse and with his clerk and a
deputy sheriff proceeded once more to the
suspected barn, when he arrived about 4
o'clock in the morning. The owner hearing
| that they were coming had prepared himself
for the visit, and was waiting patiently tor their
arrival. At their approach ne demanded their
business at his barn, at such an unreasonable
hour.-~The Collector making known the
object Of his visit, demanded entrance In
to the cellar, which the owner resolutely
refused, saying that he had only some fresh
meat deposited there, and two horse blan-
kets which were rot of British manufacture,
nor Struggled from Canada, bot were made In
his own family. The collector declared that
he would enter the cellar the owner in addi-
ton to his positive refusal advised him not to
go in {: but as no argument or entreaty can
prevent a custom-house officer from doing his
duty, the door was opened, and one of the In
formers, the deputy sheriff and Collector
rushed in. The owner closed the door and
fastened the same, then turning to the Collec-
tors clerk, demanded his business upon the
premises, and giving him toss across the
floor. the clerk took TO his heels and fed
The owner, as soon as he had secured the gen
lcmen, declared be suspected they were
thieves, who had come with a design to rob
his cellar of its contents. The Collector I'M
der took to arg4yg the case with the owner,
and requested to be let out, saying, that II he
could not convince him of his innocence he
would return again to his dungeon. 81 don't
know said the owner about that, there is no
trust to democrats, you are now safe, and l
may as well keep you So" The Collector
threatened that If lie was not let out he would
demosh the barn and for this purpose the
prisoners began to remove the wall, but put
ting their hands out, the owner tickled thera
with something, that did not feel quite SO
pleasant as the thing which sometimes
tickles the palms of custom-house officers
- yyac nothing more or less than l