The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-09-11
From the Ala California
The Collector and The appraisers of San Francisco,

The Collector and The appraisers Of San Francisco,
Messrs EDITORS: as another sufferer among the many
who lose by the continual vexaors of the present Gus
om-bouse officers beg 10 lay few more facts before
the public, wishing that they may lead 10 greater feel
ing OF equity and justice IN those quarters.
As long have free trade, we must submit 10
the ayment OF duties but let these be raised liberal
footing, lei the public be acquainted with the new regu
lations. and time allowed TO make the new decls
ions known Have not had plenty OF cases where the
collector sustained point Tor month or iwo and men
changed his opinion Who know whether to-mor
will be considered lawful what to-day is deemed 80
Does this not lead every one TO believe that there Is
strong desire 10 administer fines Tor the benefit ot-God
knows whom! Some OF the facts mentioned IN the Her
aid OF the 22d inst lead very much 10 such belief An
other instance OF this kind is that vessel seized short
time for certain which could stand no legal
proof was released on condition OF paying fine OF $500
for having presented her manifest the boarding o
Ger BIZ fore she came to anchorl This vessel had been
port about two months before such charge made
and twenty passengers well the inspector on board
witness that the captain offered his manifest, writ
ten in foreign language but was permitted 10 make his
translation first and present the the next morning TO
have it signed, which he did accordingly.
Regarding the appraisers office, the establishment is
certainly as badly administered as can be- and The source
oil thousand vexaons to every one who has the mis-.
fortune TO dispease its chief This pariisy and The to-
tai ignorance the appraisers daily display are too well
praised lot of eggs from San Bias at $50 per cent
than they ever did, and the consgnee having applied for
re examination by merchant appraisers these gentle
made small reduction the result of the nforma-
ton they could obtain That these merchants did not
apply parties interested in this trade refer other
invoices filed in the and acknowledged by
the appraisers themselves, positive because there
instance record that eggs have cost more at San Bias
than one half OF what they appraised them at,
Besides this appointment Of merchant appraisers is
mere farce Mr. Browne, instead OF complying with the
respective laws empoys tbose he chooses who appaise
goods from China and Hamburg from Mexico and Italy,
as they had passed their whole lives IN these trades,
take their g., despatch their apprasements, and leave
the unfortunate importer to find the means to pay the
penalty.
The law further nfics sad penalty Of 20 per cent on
raised invoices only lmporlaons made by the opners
and not by the eonagnee who can only be governed by
the invoice they receive
The same case as with the above eggs has happened
on various occasions with wines and spirits from sundry
ports while they raised lot they allowed the other
TO pass, though the article and the brand On
former occasion the pares interested applied 10 Mr.
browne the chief appraiser, who remarked that the in
d,vdua charged with said appraisenent must have bad
q sweet taste when examining the one from which i
can draw no other inference than tha, the honest i'm
bitter taste OF his judges
But all these annoyances azs nothing compared with