The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-05


On Saturday the President of the United
States sent TO the House of Representatives the
following communication, accompanied with
the reports referred to therein:
WASHINGTON, April 80, 1912.
TO tie House Of Representatives Of the Onlted S1ates
In compliance with your resolution of the 18th inst
have the honor to transmit the reports OF Messrs.
Kelley and Steuart, two of the Commissioners OH
einaIiy appointed along with MI Pondexter, to in
vestiQate the affairs Of the Custom House of New
York togsher with all the correspondence and testi-
mony accompanying the same and also the report of
Mr.. Pondexter to which is annexed two letters sub
scribed by Mr.. Poindexter and Mr.. Bradley. The
last named gentleman substituted in the place Of
Mr. Kelley, whose inclinatons and duties called him
TO his residence in Ohio after the Of the Com
missi0neIs to this city, about the last Of August One
of the letters just mentioned addressed to the
Secretary of the Treasury and bears date the 18th OF
April instant and the other myself dated the 2Oth
of this month. From the former you will learn thata
most interesting portion of the inquiry instituted by
this Department, viz that relating to lighthouses
bouys beacons cutters and revenue b0ats Is
proposed to be made the subject OF further by
Messrs. Bradley and Poindexter. You will also learn
through the accompanying letter from Mr. Steuart,
the reasons which have delayed him in making sup
elemental 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. Sten
art and which handed by him to the Secretary
of the Treasury on the 7th inst. The one being
Memoranda of Proceedings" marked No. |, and the
other Letters accompanying Memoranda &c
marked No.2.
The commission was instituted for the purpose of
ascertaining existing defects in the Custom House
guatons to trace to their true past errors; to
detect abuses and, by wholesome reform to guard in
future not only against fraud and peculatiOn, but
against error and Encouragement. For these pur-
poses selection made of persons Of acknOwl edg
ed intelligence and industry and upon this task they
have been engaged for almost entire year. and their
abors remain yet TO be completed The character of
those labors may be estimated by the extent of Messrs
Kelly and Steuarts report, embracing about one hun
dred pages Of closely written manuscript, the volumi
nous memoranda and correspondence Of Mr. Steuart
the great mass of evidence accompanying Messrs
Kelly and Steuarts report and the report of Mr. Poin
dexter, extending three hundred and ninety -four
pages, comprised 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 mass of reports made and
templated to be made at and the same time. And
still more should have been gratifed if time could
have been allowed me- consistently with the apparent
desire of the House of Representatives 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
admit of satisfactory comparison until the whole cir
Gle of reports be completed. Charges OF mafeasance
against of those in Office will devove upon
tho Executive rigid investigation into their extent
and character and will in due claim my atten-
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
csnsidsration of them by the Executive which their
importance demands it only remains fol- me- in lieu of
specific recommendations, which, under other crcum-
sanses it would have been my duty to make, to urge
upon Congress the Importance and necessity Of intro
ducng 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 POPULATION 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 propriety Of the House taking order for
thT restoration to the Treasury Depart nent such
tims may compor with its pleasure.
JOHN TYLER.