New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-09

char1cterZfng thelr Doot> oi Ltc-
In confirming an investigation vita reference to i'm
portant current claims the Government have found
out how the claims Of the Collectors. Naval Ocers and
Surveyors Of Ports for the Distribution oil the ~ per
cent extra duties originated Thus, II seems 'As Wer-
chants Who had been muct in the extra duties App %
Mr. Walker for their omission before payment) This
he refused on the ground that they not penalties
but duties which he had no authority under the
law to NEEDLE with. After having been thus aP-
piled TO- Secretary Meredith who ruled that they were
penalties enforced by his predecessor. With whose de-
csicns be had no right to interfere rather than regular
duties exacted from them by the officers o. the Custom
Houses on partial and incorrect data and that he cons
Quently had neither legal nor moral right 70 remit
them Whereupon, being thus decided % be penalties
which under the law must be distributed as have before
written YOU the several officers in question lost time
in bringing the question before the Secretary OF the
Treasury, claiming that penalties the law OF 1873 made
these extra duties diSrbutabe Onehaf % the Treasury
and the balance equally among themselves - far the
Department has ruled of late that they not strictly
penalties as they assessed for mistakes rather than
Intentional frauds being designed only for warning 90
importers rather than as punishment. IL seems tome
that the Departments view will hardly hold water.
under whatever name they may be called they are pant
iszacRfs inflicted for practical violation OF the
laws to which those not subjected whose invoices
pass muster at the Custom Houses
In the matter of the claims of the welghers measnr
ers &C. Of which have written you Of late hearthst
the aggregate Of their demands will reach somewhere
about million and half of dollars, rather than mill
lion, as may have before stated. However little or
much, they will never get dollar OF the public money
upon them. You may rely on it.
| learn az the General Land Office that the change
made in loi4 in the matter of paying our land oce ex-
penes every where has completely prevented losses by
dealcation Of Surveyors General, before that time It
having been no uncommon thing for the Treasury 20
loose from 100000 to 100000 at single dash by that
class of officers
This change consisted in paying for all surveys &c,
bv the Job as itwere sending drafts the Treasury to
the deputies as each piece OF work finished up, and
recorded here the deputies Of forwarding prsy
Ously the proper vouchers. Before the habit was TO
place in the hands of the Surveyor General OF the DIS
trct large in advance TO meet all the expenses OF
his district. He was thus practically furnished with
funds for speculation amid more temptation to speculate
than surrounded any other class of the officers on this
Cove rnment.
The efceseekers are growing at great rate because
Secretary Dobbn shows no disposition to chop OIL the
heads OF his clerks ayerrng tha they stand twenty-five
Wings to ten Democrats.
Some Wag of Wing Postmaster IN the Interior OF
York has Just sent lock of his hair sealed IN the
Wax with which his bundle OF returns for the quarter
ending on the Both March last is secured Il looks
much though intended as an ntimaton that his scalp
(ociaD is ready for the yictOrs whenever they please
to take it, The fellow no Silver Gray-thats quite
evident
The Department are to have the new stamped
envelopes ready by the lst proximO. But if they com
mence their distribution by the ls of July next It will
be as soon as one can hope for They are be sold
50 20 per hundred-S3 for the stamp and 20 cents for
the envelopes MIDGEoN
The Changes in the Third Auditors Ohice-sad Fore
bopfnss- Henry A. Wise-John II. Preston-t'ene-
raj Gratiot-The New Military Hospital - Extra
Billy, &c.
Correspondence Of The n Y Tribune.
WASHINGTON CITY Saturday, May T. 1853
Tie Democratic "ins' in Washington declslming
loudly apaust some of the recent removals in the office
81 allaoinO that the victims IDcO-
FocOs good and true. IL happens that quite dozen
very decided Democrats have thus been removed from
various bureaux here of late. la every such case they
deserved to lose their places am inclined 10 believe
being Inefficient incompetent or mcOrrigbly lazy. Pc
ter G. Washington whose broad shoulders are to bear
the blame for thus knocking off the heads Of political
friends as have before had occasion write you will
not fail to justify the discharge OF all sth parties from
the public service, or greatly mistake the man II he
has faults rs "A public officer that OF encouraging the
fahess discharge of the duties Of ubOrdnates is not
among them.
During the last session Of Congress the hte Third
Auditor applied for small increase Of clerks which led
Ia An examination into the condition OF his clerical force
by the proper committee when he alleged that If he could
get the andhzy of his corps Co discharge their
duties properly, he would have occasion for any extra
help. Washington, whenever he cuts of Democratic
head and in cutting off some of the Wing heads now be-
ing sacrificed looking evidently 10 the discharge ofhis
duty in the way of protecting the public service from the
evil effects of the exstance Of sinecures here. wrote
YOU Yesterday Ofthe prevalence the custom OF sending
females 20 drum for the retention of victims OF the
official axe and may to-day add that the outs are resort
inc 10 the same system il not being 20 find
one having the power OF dispensing Office sitting on
thorns between interesting ladies' in tears, one beg
Rng thata husband father brother or son. nay the sup
port of the family may not be removed, while the other
beseeches that her similar relative the best Democrat
in the world may be appointed The official in such
quandary does feel quite happy as the ass between
two bund es of hay did Of old
The Clerks in the office OF the Register OF the Treas
ury are in d dreadful state of mind, Mr. Register
Biggar having been closeted for some two hours with
Secretary Guthrie, day or two since, which consd
cred 10 be omnOus Of many removals IN his quarter not
long hence
have reason to believe that the Sixth Auditor, Mr.
DAYTON will shortly be removed though standing high
here as public officer. His place is coveted by more
than one gentleman whose friends must not DC aisap-
pointed.
Mr. Henry A. Wise still remains here He Is rather
after strengthening himself at home than or ethce Tor
himself | take il. He greatly desires the mission 10
France which think be will hardly get. thoagh the
Admnst alton are supposed to fear greatly that be w
otherwise turn against them II this be true, many
alleee il the first decided symptom Of weakness which
their course has developed 80 far There never was any
calculation on Mr. Wise for twelyem0nth ahead. His
custom is 70 bolt unless be gets all he desires and asks
through suggesting friends never asking for anything for
hiase directly He is exceedingly intimate with Gen.
Cushing with whose fortunes polica) he seems to have
Oined his
The reason Why Mr. John b Preston SurveyOrGene-
raj OF Oregon has been spared aone Of all the Survey
rGeneras) grows out Of the fact that his Office i far
more con pcated and responsible than that Of any other
similar ofice. He is by law the Register and Re
cever for Oregon a well az the SuveyOrGcnera, and
rests under vast responsibilities Is he Is dschargng
his duties very satisfactorily, il is judged that we'll
enough" had better be left alone" in his case.
Gen Gratiot's appointment TO thousand dollar clerk
ship in tie General Land Office Is the subject OF much
here Just nov Great sympathy has existed