Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-05-21
NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE.

ted States sent to the House of Represen-
tatives the following communication, &C
companied with the Reports referred to
therein. The papers are said to have filed
a good sized market basket:
To the House Of Representatives Of the
United States:
In compliance with your resolution of
the 30th inst, have the honor to trans
NIT the report Of Messrs. Kelley and Stu
art, two of the Commissioners originally
appointed along with Mr. Poindexter, to
investigate the affairs of the Custom
House of New York, together with all
the correspondence and testimony accom-
panying the same, and also the report of
Mr.. Poindexter, to which is annexed two
letters subscribed by Mr.. Poindexter and
Mr.. Bradley. The last named gentleman
was substituted in the place of Mr.. KEEL
ley, whose inclinations and duties called
him to his residence in Ohio, after the re-
turn of the Commissioners to this city,
about the last of August. One of the let
tiers Just mentioned was addressed to the
Secretary of the Treasury, and bears
date the 18th of April instant, and the
other to myself, dated the Goth of this
month. From the former you will learn
that most interesting portion of the in
quiry instituted by this Department, viz:
that relating to lighthouses, buoys, beacons,
revenue cutters and revenue boats, is
proposed to be made the subject of fur
Their report by Messrs. Bradley and Poin-
dexter You will also learn, through the
accompanying letter from Mr.. Stuart, the
reasons which have delayed him in max
ing supplemental and additional report
to that already made by himself and Mr..
Kelley, embracing his views and opinions
upon the developments made subsequent
to the withdrawal of Mr.. Kelley from the
commission and the substitution of Mr..
Bradley in his place. also transmit two
documents furnished by Mr.. Stuart, and
which were handed by him to the Secretary
of the Treasury on the 7th inst. The one
being Memoranda of Proceedings" mark
ed No. l, and the other "Letters accom-
panying Memoranda" &c. marked No. 2.
The commission was instituted for the
purpose of ascertaining existing defects in
the Custom-house regulations; to trace to
their true causes past errors; to detect
abuses; and, by wholesome reform, to
guard in future not only against fraud
and peculation, but against error and man.
agement. For these purposes a selection
was made of persons of acknowledged in
telligence and industry; and upon this task
they have been engaged for almost an en-
tire year, and their labors remain yet to be
completed. The character of those labors
may be estimated by the extent of Messrs.
Kelly and Stuart's report, embracing about
one hundred pages of closely written man.
uscript, the voluminous memoranda and
correspondence of Mr.. Stuart, the great
mass of evidence accompanying Messrs.
Kelly and Stuart's report, and the report
of Mr.. Poindexter, extending over three
hundred and ninety four pages, comprised
in the volume accompanying this, and ad-
ditional reports still remaining to be made
as before stated.
i | should be better pleased to have it in
my power to communicate the entire
mass of reports made and contemplated 10
be made, at one and the same time. And
still more should | have been gratihed il
time could have been allowed me, consist
emily with the apparent desire of the
House of Representatives to be put into
immediate possession of these papers to
have compared, or even to have read with
elaboration. the views presented by the
Commissioners as to proposed reforms in
the revenue laws, together with the mass
lof documentary evidence and information
by which they have been explained and
enforced, and which do not admit of a
satisfactory comparison until the whole
| circle of reports be completed. Charges OF
! mateasance against some of those now in
office will devolve upon the Executive a
rigid investigation into their extent and
character, and will in due season claim my
attention.
The readiness, however, with which the
House proposes TO enter upon the grave
and difficult subjects which those papers
suggest, having anticipated that considera.
ton of them by the Executive which their
Importance demands, it only remains for
me, in lieu of specific recommendations
which under other circumstances, it would
have been my duty TO make, to urge upon
Congress the importance and necessity of
introducing the earliest reforms in exist
ing laws and usage so as to guard the
country in future against frauds in the COL
lection of the revenues, and the Treasury
against peculaton; to relieve trade and
commerce from oppressive regulations; and
to guard law and morality against viola
ton and abuse.
As, from their great volume, it has been
necessary to transmit the original papers to
the House, have to suggest the proprety
of the House taking order for their restora-
ton to the Treasury Department at such
time as may comport with its pleasure.