Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-09-10
CUSTOM HOUSE REGULATIONS.

The following copy of Ietter'from the secre.
tary Of the Treasury, in reply to a memorial tom
several Of the merchants Of New YORK, |" Puo'
lished for the information of the public: :.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Washington, Sept. s, 1888.
Gryr1rxEn-I have this day received your
memorial of the 2eth ultmo. and as the subject
to which il refers is an important one, make
more precise reply that under different cIreum'
cumstances, there might be occasion Tor.
You will, trust. excuse me tor suggesting
that Won did not duly consider the questions IN
volved in YOUR application. Thisinference IS the
mos, respectful that can adopt, for your reqSst
is Of such nature, that think you cannot nave
advisedly made it.
The law declares, that il any inspector guager
weigher, or measurer, shall, Tor any service per-
formed By him. receive any gratulty. lee or re-
ward, other than is allowed 0v law ne shdti'
for the first offence, forfeit and pay htty dollars
and, for the second offence, shall forfeit two hun
drpd dollars and be discharged from public SER
vice. To respect this law. among other oo'iga-
lions, the Custom House officers are required 10
take an oath on their entrance into service.
The substance OF your request TO me Is that
shall repeal this law, absolve public officers from
their obligations, and revoke the instructions, as
to the wesaers at least given in my letter TO the
Collector on the 9TH ult. and il seems to be bare
ly necessary to show you what your request real
" is, to satisfy YOU Of Its incorrectness Even
If no law existed, | should consider it my daty
to resist the private payment of money on deli
| very of goods to Custom House agents, for the
performance Of public duties; but happily the
law gives a power to put stop to such practices
which am well disposed fully to exercise,
Your memorial proves that ma'praetlces have
actually existed. that 80 long as you paid the
weighers private fees, they were able and willing
| to execute their duty in way agree5le to you,
but that the same welshers are unwilling TO do
the same work, in the same way, unless con-
sent that you shall pay them as heretofore.
There can be no hesitation as to the course to
be now pursued to sustain the character OF the
law. aud TO promote The benefit Of the merchant.
You mention, that, in consequence OF my letter
to the Collector, requiring an observance OF the
law against secret fees, the weighers have been
prohibited from giving returns Of parts OF cargoes
before thu vessels are fully discharged; this pro.
hbiion was not the act Of this department., nor,
if it is correctly understood, is it dpprovedo Of; on
the contrary, it has been explicitly stated, that
the inclination exists as we'll as the ability, to
employ and literally compensate all agents need
full for the public service, so that 1t the present
weighers really are unable, in the ordinary hours
of labor to execute oil duty. as it should be dune,
their number ought to be increased; but IT the
present number aud the time for labor are ade.
auate, and the work is not as we'll done as when
private fees were paid. then the present weighers
should be dismissed, and faithful men put in their
places.
What have here said answers the remarks,
that the number o: agents employed is so small
that the law has been necessarily violated, and
that extra fees have been Voluntarily paid for ex-
ira time; it is enough for all good eiizens to
know, that the past practice has been illegal in
itself, and pernic'ous in it's tendency. Let those
whose duty it is to know whether additional
agents are or are not necessary, ask for their adj
diional employment. # needfu have iusti.
tuted an inquiry, as to this matter. myself. and
it will be nv desire, as well as my duty, to EN-.
ploy any means at my disposal to meet the just
expectations OF yourselves and your fellow cl.I.
zens Respectfully, your obedirnt servant.
w. J. DUANE,
Secretary of the Treasury.