Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-12

an amount of stationery could not have been
required for any legitimate purpose connected with
the busin Of the several departments OF the Gus
tom House. to be used in the short space OF three
months, and, therefore. the greater portion Of the
articles purchased must have passed into the hands
OF MIR Curtis, who succeeded TO the Office oiColeetor
about the close otthat quarter or have been ltHu1u
lently distracted from the Custom House, OF which
no evidence was given to the Commissioner; but in
the accounts and vouchers rendered by MIR Curtis IN
the second quarter OF the same year. being the FIRST
quarter after he became collector these is charged,
tor disbursements IN the purchase OF stationery or
dered and received 10y HIM for the collectors Office
alone. 1853 7S for the appraisers SilS So tor the
Storekeeper S2OJ 81 fot inspectors, SSi So for the
store IN Washington street, SEQ So, making, in the
whole, the grand total $40 9i2 20 for the stationery
alone, during one half Of the year isii.
"'rho single item OF steel pens and quilts, OF the
after OF which but few ordered, aud there
fore scarcely worth mentioning, amounted, during
the three wears OF Mr. lloyrs administration of the
Custom House, 20 the sum of S6.255 1871 The
price of these pens, charged IN the bills rendered
and paid by MIR iloyt, ranged from the minimum
of nine dollars per gross, To the maximum of TWEEN
" two dollars per gross, the larger portion being OF
the lower class which arc IN general use for clerks
both mercantile and official. The dispositions of
David Felt Emo, and JOSIAH Hayden, who ate
large dealers m the article o steel pens referred
to. Ia show the andNrd pr,ce per gross OF the dc
Scrip'i1ns used a. the Custom House. II purchased
plying; clerks the cards being entirely uscless) It
will I've scen tht the FIRST clacs OF "Giors Mag
mum bcnIm pens, or pens OF equal quality, could
bc supplied in the New Io.k market, at four dol
dars hl'y cents per gross on the card, one half
that sum IN boxes; ard whist rs denom,nitcd the
"cOmmer'id p-n." NJ two dollars per gross on the
cird, or ~ - IN boxes. Taking the average OF
these pr'cIs, and considering that 10 2O,hs OF the
pens supplied Io the Custom House are OF the lat
ter class, will appear that at these rates the sum
= fol L.,
office would have supplied the enormous quantity
of i32, 237 pens, making average ct liih79 per
annum, to he distributed among about one hundred
clerks who are constantly employed IN writing.
an average OF about 500 pens each per nnnum"
The report states tina; Mr. Emo offered TO supply a
Nlr hoyt such pens ho paid - per gross Tor, At
81 80 per gross but nc declined the offer dccd
cdly, as TO present a repetition oft.
alt may hc asked why particular individuals are
allowed and paid NJ rates ranging from 50 To S22
per gross, for pens for the of the Custom House.
where an offer, to supply like articles at the mode
rate price Of 81 80 per gross is cortemptuousy
rejected and Stunned The undersigned refers to
the volume Of evidence taken by the co nmissionerS
to demonstrate the fact, which, IN the absence Of
clear proof, might well I've doubted, that this and
! numerous other cases OF lavOrtsm, so gross and
pable that none can mistake ~, had their origin
IN a system of fraud the pubic Treasury to pro
mote the interests Of selected par,ishns, who could
be relied on for efficient m popular eclions
of evidence taken IN relation 10 the existence Of a
Custom House tex regularly levied and paid, in
advance Of elections Tor city officers, Tor Governor.
and Representatives IN the State Legislature, for
members OF Congress, and for President and Vice
Prcsiden, Of the United States, during the whole
period ofthe two preceding administrations of the
Federal Government. This tax was graduated on
scale corresponding with the salary received Ivy
each officer and the importance OF the pending
election, and a refusal to nay II, was Immediately
followed by removal from office.
Ii wi. also be seen, by the report Of the Surveyor
and other evidence, that numerous officers OF the
Customs were absent from duty, either 10y the eN.
press permission OF the Collector or without censure
| from that officer, for weeks and months rrior TO
elec,Ions, for no other purpose than to influence
voters, and lend their aid to the success of eandi.
dates favorable 10 the party IN power while their
salaries, as officers Of the Government suffered no
diminuuon N consequence OF their absence from
duty"
Notifying as i, is, to re obliged 20 expose such
conduct in a high and responsible officer OF the
Governmcnt-conduci which reflects so much DIS
grace upon the country, the Commission states that
duty leaves him no alternative, and that the facts
stated are established 10y chain oftestimony which
I 10 every impartial mind must be conclusive.
The same system OF wasieful extravasance is
seen m every article falling under the denomination
of stationary" During Mr. Hoyrs three years OF
Official service there was paid the enormous sum OF
S26,257 II. or average Of $. 752 3 per annum
d
given, books which could be supplied at SO so are
charged Mt Sos. Some Tint are worth only SII, are
/ charged al S2O-thosc charged at SIj are rated at
So and 50 Ia the bills rendered by OIleTr and
others, the article of writing sand is charged at the
rate Of from 50 to 50 80 per peck, and in some
cases even higher; when It IN proof by the de
position Of David Felt, that he supplied the same, il
taken by the bushel at l2t cents per peck, or 80
cents per bushel; and if taken by the single peck
at p cents; and at these rates he states that his
profit would be two hundred per cent.
"Durng Mr. Hoyrs time, years, there was raid
for writing sand, the sum Of 5000 IS which. At
the customary rates, would have purchased 4Ol
bushels
IL appears, too, that MIR Uoyt purchased cab
stract paper, or blue-lad Engsh imperial" ruled
which is charged in OILERS bi.l ut the rate OF ON
$1,000 slii, Zone hundred nnj forty four dollars
/ per ream; ITS value being IN New York, from S30
I 10 Si7 50 per rcRm. 'lmpost book paper" which
IS worth 81 per rcAm IS charged ut from $40 To
$50 per ream; and deny, worth SIl, at $40 PET
ream.
The Commissioner states that oil the supplies for
/ the Custom House were furnished at second hand
/ ty certain f'yored individuals who had an oppor-
tuny Of purchasing the articles at prices even less
than those mentioned MS their market value and who
| OF course, made IN enormous profit. "rhis system
| OF iagoutsm, so inconsistent with the public inter
est and TAR dealing, was uniformly extended TO the
most vi0i'nt political paTfisans, who earned the
favor 10y Their devotion TO The hand from which they
| received IT," OLIVER OF DSCHOOI