Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-10-25
NEW PORK CORRESPONDENCE.
New YoRx. Ocroprk Is, 1874!

LII the courier anu Enquirer oil this day Will Dc
found Commodore STEWARDS reply 10 the charge
of Mr. INGERsoLL, in his History Of the War of
1912. AS this subject will probably excite some
attention, have deemed it proper TO notice it, In
my letter of the 5th, say, 81 have now the plea
to inform you that Mr.. Stewart is preparing,
or has prepared, reply to Mr.. Ingersoll. 1t is
understood that full justice will be done Mr.. Gal
latin"
In referring to Mr.. GALLATIN, Mr.. Stewart says :
" Mr.. Paul Hamilton, the Secretary of the Navy,
told Commodore cambridge and myself that he
L (Mr. g.. made the suggestion, Ito lay up the ves-
sells Of wary which, however, does him no dis
credit as counsellor Of the President, nor as pa
triot for it appeared to them the only mode in
which our ships of war could be usefulIy and at
the same time most safely employed
1t must be borne in mind that the first visit made
to the Secretary of the Navy by Messrs BAINBRIDeE
and STEWART was on the 2lst of June, and that the
letter, subsequently, written by these gentlemen,
was handed to the Secretary on the 22d of June,
being the day after Commodore RoDGERs with his
squadron was at sea.
| Mr.. COOPER, in his Naval History, vol. 2, page
65, says: On the 2lst Commodore Rodgers receiv-
ed official accounts of the declaration of war with
his orders, and in one hour afterwards was under
| weigh. quote from memory, not having the
volume before me.
| must call your attention to another statement
connected with this case, and which believe | am
warranted in saying is true.
1t is understood that Commodore STEWART sub
mtted his reply previous to its publication to Mr..
GALLATIN, and that Mr. Gallatin, after perusing it,
addressed note to the gallant Commodore return
ing his manuscript, thanking him for his courtesy,
and, though not requesting any alteration in it, yet
adding in substance, that he had no recollection of
any Cabinet meeting at which it was determined to
IIo<a, <~c
a meeting had been held his (Mr. G.'s) memory
must haze failed him more than he could haze
| supposed.
late Canadian paper says Col. EsTcoURT, the
Commissioner for marking the line between the
frontiers of that Province and the United States, in
accordance with the Ashburton treaty, having ter
minated his labors in placing the last iron monu-
ment at ST. Regis, has departed for Washington, with
the view of making certain final arrangements before
embarking for England. He has been employed
in this work for the space of three years. He had
in his service one hundred and twenty French Ca
nadians, with whom he is highly satisfied.
New YORK, OCTOBER 30, ls45.
short time since, the Washington correspond
ent OF morning paper announced that " the Comp
troller Of the Treasury is about to issue circular
directing the officers Of the customs to take the
amount of duties in the goods themselves" in ac-
cordance with the 18th section Of the act of 1912
which act provides "that the collector appraiser
shall not be allowed any fees or commission for
taking or dsposing Of said goods, and paying the
proceeds thereof into the Treasury, other than
allowed by law
| No such order or circular q have reason to
believe) as that above referred to, has ever been
issued. | have made diligent inquiry, and can
learn nothing on the subject. / know that this
question under consideration in August last by
k<~xl, tbaG Al
troer, and have no doubt that it was then deter
mined to issue the circular. What has delayed it
Have these functionaries taken new view of the
question: Have they changed their opinion! Or
do they deem it inexpedient to interfere with the
/ emoluments of an Office which seldom Exclusive
of the item to be affected by the circular yields the
incumbent more than f,cenfy thousand dollars per
i GrlntDa.
i Be it known to you, that whenever, in the opn.
ion of the Appraisers, invoice is ten per cent.
below the value of the goods, the act of 1912 e-
vies an additional duty of FIFTY per cent over and
above the regular duty" Now, what do you sup
pose becomes of that fifty per cent. duty when col
lected? ! presume you will answer, "Why, il
goes into the Treasury ~ Not so. According to
the construction given TO the law, il becomes the
property of ajoinf-sfock company, viz. Uncle Sam
one-half the Collector, Napai officer, and Surveyor
the other one-haJf, which half is divided equally
among the three. The next question is, do these
duties, thus levied, amount to much money Ac-
cording 10 returns in the last quarter, they were
about $4,000 and may be estimated at seventy
thousand dollars year, unless the system be in
some way changed
You will observe that in assessing this additional
duty of so per cent, the Collector has but little TO
say or do except TO collect, and see that the sum
total is fairly and honestly distributed among the
parties interested, not one of whom has any labor
| to perform.
My present object is to call the attention of Mr.
WALKER TO this subject, and TO press upon him, if
he thinks he has legal right to do so, the propriey
of causing such circular to be forthwith issued
There is general dissatisfaction with the construc
ton put upon the law, and the manner in which it
is executed for the benefit Of the gentlemen in Of
flee, and who, repeat, without this item, have
very large income from the public crib.
When Congress convene SHALL probably, have
something to say in relation to the Tariff In do
ing that, may deem it expedient to speak of the
manner in which the custom-house is Differed and
paid and TO note the great amount derived from
salary, forfeitures and fines, which passes into the
pocket Of the Collector Of the port Of New York.
II is enormous.
All accounts by the steamer from Liverpool agree
in the fact that the railroad speculations in Great
Britain continue with undated ardor. Every other
stock is almost unnotced. American stocks with
out demand.
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