Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-05-26
(From tho Baltimore Patriot.)
NEW YORK CUSTOM-HOUSE.

&NO " xVNh Sc. 4
Ma. PoisDexrsa's Rrrosr. have read, :
vt Of the Honorable Gso:ge Pondexter, Chair !
an Of the Committee appointed to investigate !
10 affairs Of the New York Custonl-house, past
nd present, concluding in April, 1919. 1t em-
races one hundred and ninety -tour pages, and de
alg0s, perhaps. greater number Of astounding
ABIDE that hasc ever before been exposed within
As same compass. The humane mind can hard
7 conceive how It were possible for high public
missionaries, acting under the sole,nnity OF an
ath. binding by every moral obligation to faith,
VI discharge OF the responsible duties assigned
hem, 70 20 far forget the requirements of justice
40 overstep her boundaries thus wilfuly and
,psnly az il 10 shown in Mr.. Poindexter's report
hey have done.-It is not news to be told that
corruption existed and frauds were practiced in
almost every department Of the general govern
lnent during the past twelve years of its subjec-
ton to Loco Foco Administration, but in the |
present case 1t Is even than the most credu-
ious could have anticipated As the report is too
prefix tor publication entire, we shall notice few
OF the most prominent facts, SO that the reader
may judge from slight estimate, Of tho manner
In which the public funds have been squander-
The first branch Of inquiry by the Committee,
- the abstraction and misapplicaon Of the public
money receivable by the collector or other officers
Of the customs, which did not appear on their ac-
counts transmitted to the Treasury Department.
One OF the expenditures mentioned under this
head is that of carriage and labor; the second sta
tionary. printing, storage and other incidental ex-
penses OF the Custom-house and the third, light
house expenses, revenue cutters and the expenses
incurred at the quarantine ground below the city
Of New York.
was the keeper of the public store in Nassau street.
where goods were stored, that two privileged carts
were employed TO convey goods from vessels 10
this store, and that no matter what the haste
might De, none other than these privileged carts
were employed, one Of which, it is asserted, be-
longed % tho said WATSON and the other was
known, without question, to be the property also
OF custom house officer. There was sufficient
proof that the hauling done by these carts amount
Cd 70 vastly more than the regular prices establish
cd among ordinary cartmen-where they would
have charged but 81 SO cts. per load, the pri-
vsteged carts received from four to five dollars.
Thus in 1883, 'S9 and 40 the enormous sum
Of $94, 43O 90 was paid out Of the public revenue to
Geo. A. WATSON, for the Items Of carriage and la
Dor. Notwithstanding the immense sum paid this
favorie individual, for the items above mentioned
without any voucher or any evidence ofthe validity
OF his account other than mere charge, he was
honored with the office of deputy collector, having
scarcely any duty to perform. at salary of $500
year. In addition to this, too, he was in the
receipt OF large sums of money from the collector
Hoyt. for attending trials on seized goods at Phil.
adeiphia, Baltimore and other places. Nor is this
I'LL. He was known to engross the labor and
time OF subordnates, engaged at the custom house,
ior ms own private use, while they were being
PAID oy the Government. He also abstracted
goods from the public stores, and even applied to
mas own purposes, without rendering an eouiya-
lent, the coal belonging to the custom-house
MIR. Poindexter found this man in Office at the
commencement of his Investigations, where he
was continued by MIR. Curtis. until it was dis
covered by the Commissioners that the officers
under him, fearing they would be DISCHARGED. re-
FUSED 20 give testimony touching facts that could
but render his implication of guilt, certain. II
We.e ever was man in the enjoyment of greater
and unconstitutionaliy. His case. agreeable ~
she report, as regards official chicanery, is wtIoui
aparallel. - "'''ou'
The next branch of disbursements in o,de, and
70 which we call the readers attention ia the a.
mount OF sums expended for stationary is the va
I.ous departments oil the custom house. durino
nine months of the year 1888, the wears 1890 and
io4O, and three months ofthe year 1871. cmbrac.
sEg lew days longer than the term of Mr. Hov,,s
administration For blank books, Si3. 3e7 Do
s.eet pens and quils 1926 l6-ead pencils, 81 :.
~, Omioo'scaP and post paper. SO $50 O2-let-
&c, paper VI ,9S7 39--report and envelope paper
~ nii4 IS-drawing paper $8l 25-tape S3,I3o-
v9-waiers and wax 1881 45-sand 5000 3S-
pianks $l2,S69 75-knives $433 31-cbecks and
c,e!uhcstes, $500 2O-inks SOL 96--and sun.
anes, NOT enumerated, $I,7O6 03-making in all
me gross amount of ISL 1903 %. The report. af
yer enumerating the above expenditures, produces
tabular statement, to show the difference he
tween the actual market price and the price maid
TOT shem at the custom house. We will extract
few instances from this table, which will sufl;ce
10 show that great favoritsm, to make the least
OF II, was extended to the particular manufacture
ere and statesmen.
RAD by MIR. Hoyt, for cash books, four ouires
each. $2O-market value $il--for impost hooks
CURES un3ound-Ss-Inarket price Sl9. so for
book OF fifteen CURES bound-bond books SIS
each-store price Sc each. Treasury note hooks
90 each--market price 81 each-master's oath,
. on sheet, $l2 per ream-market price 81 oer
Team-Pens by the card, largest and best ST. s..
market value 30 cents per card or Sc by the GROSS
-ieIter paper S5 to SO per ream, market value 81
70 ~o,oo per ream-foolscap paper Sc per ream.
market value 80 per ream-abstract paper $40
per Team-market value $3.50 per ream-sand
gS,oV Peck-market price 25 cents per neck
anus ia tne same extTavagant ratio do we find
every article purchased for public use nnder Tho
administration Of Mr.. Hoyt. During the last
quarter OF Mr.. Hoyts collectorship. including
twenty days whileJ. Morgan was in Office. and i1
few days before the commencement of the 90.
cond quarter, the expenditures under varions
nsads ior books, stationary and printing, amount,
60 70 the enormous sum Of 1921 SO, Five
Thousand TOUR hundred and sixteen dollars and
sieven cents OF this sum was debited to the col
iector's and stcrekeepers Offices, in which there
wee seventy-nine clerks, making an average NJ
~275,76 per annum for stationary for each pcrson
attached to these Offices For the single item If
steel pens and quilts, Of the latter of Which but
low Were ordered and hardly worth mention;no
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