The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-05-04
NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE.


On Saturday the President of the United
States sent to the House of Representatives the
following communication, accompanied WIN
the reports referred to therein:
WASHINGTON, April 80, 1912.
To The House Of Representatives Of the Unfed Staies
In compliance with your resolution ofthe 18th inst
have the honor TO transmit the reports OF Messfs'
Kelley and Steuart, two of the Commissioners orr
gnally appointed along win MI. ro,ndeA.er, 20 IN
vestigate the affairs Of the Custom House of New
York together with all the correspondence and testi-
mony accompanying the same and also the report OF
Mr. PoindeIter TO which is annexed two letters sub
scribei by Mr.. Poindexter and Mr.. Bradley The
last named gentleman was substituted in the place OF
Mr. Kelley, whose nclinatons and duties called him
to his residence in Ohio after the return of the Com
mssioneIs to this city, about the last of August One
of the letters just mentioned was addressed to the
Secretary Of the Treasury and bears date the eth OF
April instant and the other 10 myself dated the 2Oth
Of this month. From the former you will learn that
most interesting portion OF the inquiry Instituted by
this Department viz that relating TO lighthouses
bouys beacons, revenue cutters and revenue boats
proposed TO be made the subject Of further report py
Messrs Bradley and Poindexter You will also learn
through the accompanying letter from Mr. Steuar''
the reasons which have delayed him in making sup
elemental and additional report TO that already aue
by himself and Mr.. Kelley, embracing his views ana
opinions upon the DEVELOPMENTS made subsequent 10
the withdrawal Of MIR. Kelley from the Commission
and the substitution of Mr.. Bradley in his place
also transmit two documents furnished by Mr. Steu
art and which were handed by him to the Secretary
Of the Treasury the 7th inst. The one being
Memoranda Of Proceedings" marked No. l, and the
other Letters accompanying Memoranda, &c
marked No2
The commission was instituted for the purpose OF
ascertainng existing defects in the Custom House re-
gulaiions to their true past errors to
detect abuses and by wholesome reform, to guard in
future not only against fraud and pccnation but
against error and Encouragement For these pur-
poses a selection made of persons of acknowledge
ed intelligence and industry; and upon this task they
have been engaged for almost entire year. and their
labors remain yet to be completed The character OF
those Iabors may be estimated by the extent Of Messrs
Kelly and Steuarts report, embracing about one hun
dred pages Of closely written manuscript, the voumi-
nous memoranda and correspondence Of Mr. Steuart
the great mass OF evidence accompanying Messrs
Kelly and Steuars report and the report of Mr. Poin-
dexter extending three hundred and ninety four
pages, comprised in the volume accompanying this and
additional reports still remaining to he made as before
stated
should be better pleased to have it in my power to
communicate the entire of reports made and
templated to be made at one and the time. And
still more should have been gratifed if time could
have been allowed me, consistently with the apparen,
desire Of the House of Representatives to be put into
immediate possession of these papers to have compar
3D. to have read with deliberation the views
presented by the Commissioners to proposed re-
forms in the revenue laws, together with the OF
documentary evidence and information by which they
have been explained and enforced and which do not
admit Of satisfactory comparison until the whole cir
Gle of reports be completed Charges Of malfeasance
against some Of those in Office will devolve upon
the Executive rigid investigation into their extent
and character, and will in due season claim my aten-
ton.
The readiness, however, with which the House pro-
poses to enter upon the grave and difficult subjects
which those papers suggest, having anticipated that
consideration Of them by the Executive which their
importance demands, it only remains fol me- in lieu OF
specific recommendations, which, under other circum-
Stances it would have been my duty to make to urge
upon Congress the importance and necessity of intro
ducing the earliest reforms in existing laws and usages
to guard the country in future against frauds in
the collection Of the revenues, and the Treasury
against peculation to relieve trade and commerce
from oppressive regulations; and to guard law and
morality against violation and abuse
As, from their great volume has been necessary to
transmit the original papers TO the House. have to
suggest the proPriey Of the House taking order fol
their restoration to the Treasury Depart nent at such
time as may comport with its pleasure.
JOHN TYLER.