American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-11-21

MESSks. EDIToRs,--believIno that YOU are
disposed TO sec Justice done to every man, ask
leave to say few words through your columns
about that increase in the expenses of the Gus
tom house, which has given a correspondent of
the Patriot such exceeding great concern. 1t
would appear that there are two classes of bel
ligerents firing away at the Collector at the
same time-one, to all appearances, halls from
the regular opposition to the Collectors party,
and the other is composed of that portion of
his political friends who want his place and the
places Of all his subordinates. The disinterest-
ed behOlder OF this strange and novel fight, is
very apt to conclude that the regular political
opponents OF the Collector are at the bottom of
tine whole OF it, and that those who profess TO
be of the same party with the Collector, are
mere instruments in the hands of the former
to bring about division Of the latter party, by
keeping up continual strife Gbout the affairs
of the Custom house.
You, Messrs. Editors, ought to see that the
Collector is most uniustly dealt with about the
recent increase of the officers of the Customs.
The honorable opponent would rather conclude
that the Collectors object was to prepare him
self for those increased imports which he natu-
rally presumed would he the consequence of
starting new line Of Liverpool packets, and
give hun credit for his prcmptness in preparing
for such contingency, instead Of keeping up
constant fire at him Ola account Of it. God
knows that we have heard talk enough on the
part of the merchants o. this city, and seen
enough printed IN the columns of our city pa
pers about the great increase of our foreign
trade, by means OF packets to Liverpool and
other places, TO induce every body to believe
that the officers Of the Customs would soon be
overwhelmed with business. And the merest
tyro ought to know, that if eur merchants con-
suit their own interests and the interests Of the
city, and if they feel inclined to do that which
it is so easy for thom to do, viz. import their
own merchandise in their own ships direct f.om
their places Of producton-there is not one of
hcer too many now employed at the Custom
house. On the contrary, you will Join with
me in saying, that if our merchants speedily
carry out their projected enterprises, and make
Baltimore the importer of all the foreign mer-
chandize that is sold within her limits, there
may very soon be wanting more officers of the
Customs than are az present employed. Then,
why is the Collector 80 assailed on every side
for thinking that our merchants are in earnest
about making so great an increase of their i'm
ports, and getting ready to accommodate them;
Is it just--is it far-or is it honorable?
You have well said, that if those who make
"grave charges" against the Collector wish to
be believed, they will conc out i'll the public
prints over their own proper name and sigma
ture. Whilst they manufacture them with
such ease and skill, and circulate them with an
lnsldIousness of which honorable men would be
ashamed, they will be set down as the mere in
ventions of men whose favorite vocation is TO
fight III the dark. JUsTirIA.