East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-10-20
From the jackson Patroit
of Customs at Detroit.

1
collector of Customs nt Detroit.
For some months past bitter crusade
has been waged against Mr.. Shoemaker
Collector of Customs, of Detroit, through
the columns of vindictive, and Ninsig-
nificantn Black Republican sheet of that
city. 1t is said that the attack is insti-
gated by former Collector of that port
"a person whom we have heretofore
highly estimated as prominent Demo
crat, and the last person whom we should
suspect of traducng a partizan in the
opposition prints These agitators, and
their correspondents, have induced some
Of the country Press to re-echo the
charges against Mr.. S.; and an agent
from Washington has visited Detroit for
the purpose of invegtigating afiairs.-
The charge that "Mr Shoemaker was
from the country, and had no business to
accept the office" as urged by cores
pondent in the Grand Rapids paper,-
that Detroit is entitled to all the Federal
oflces,-every Democrat outside of De-
trot is ready to refute. But If the
charges are well founded, and the Collec-
tor has unadvisedly over-stcpped the
bounds of duty, he will be removed; but
! the Democracy of the State, among
whom he has host Of friends, will eX-
pect thorough an impartial hearing at
the Department, and that all the local
prejudices bargains, and intrigues Of the
Detroit clique will be ignored. Mr..
! Shoemaker has long been a prominent
citizen of Jackson, whose honesty and
integrity has never been questioned, and
whose business qualifications are of the
highest character.
Mr.. S. has furnished us with the fol-
lowing statement of Custom House affairs
during his administration:
"When l entered upon the discharge
of the duties of the office of Collector Of
the Port of Detroit, found it in a state
of almost entire disorganization, and
much of the most important business
neglected and not done at all. l will
state few facts from which the rest may
be Judged. The freights landed by the
steamers of tile Great Western Railway
Company at the Depot of the Michigan
Central and Detroit and Milwaukee Rail
roads, were not checked or examined at
all, by the officers of the Customs, to as
certain whether they were Canada, or
from the United States in transit, and
these goods frequently amounted to from
thirty to one hundred car loads per day;
the goods known to be from Canada, and
landed at the wharfs of the agents of the
Great Western Rail Company, were not
checked or examined at all by the officers
: of the Customs, but the agent received
them, at such times as they were called
for,or were sent to their owners, and the
officers of the customs could not tell
whether they were all entered, or but a
part of them. Many of the vessels clear
inc were not required to deliver a mani
fest of their cargo, but were given a
: blank clearance and manifest, to be fill
: led up and the latter returned to the
: office, if not neglected or forgotten.
The business of the Office was done
through bank, and demands and vouch
, ers paid by checks thereon. Bank notes
+. were taken for fees, hospital dues, in
7 spection papers and duties, unless of a
large amount, and the bank notes paid
out again or deposited.
Not only was all the Railroad Iron in
bond belonging to the Detroit and Toe-
4 do Railroad, and the Detroit and Mil
+ waukee Railroad, delivered without
pavmont &c ar.ies, but boudcd goods of
all kinds, and all in bond, were denvsrsd
t to the owners with but one or two ex
e ceptons, and in some cases had, found
}, been entirely disposed of. Bonds were
:, taken in blanks, and still remain so, for
$ the licensing of steamers and vessels Re.
e cens in blank were taken from subordin
n ate officers. There was no account KEEP,
u of the goods coming from Cangda by ex
: press, whether through or way, and these
y goods were entered without the officers
: of the customs knowing whether those
G from Canada were or not all entered.-
|, | might further particularizc, but from
s these facts the condition of the business
e of this District will dc understood, anC
some idea may be formed Of the difficult
les under which | labored when i STATE
: that when l was appointed Inever hat
!, held an appointment under the Genera
!, Government, and could only judge of thu
" manner in which it held its officers ac
!, countablc, by what was the rule in this
, Office. | did not however, continue these
! PRACTICES but without prompting from
:. any quarter, amended them, and brough
;, the Office up to the standard of the rcgu
:. lations as fast and as soon as it was pos
~ siblc for me to do so, under the circum
stances, and more rapidly, ! have m
n hesitation in saying, than would mos
,s other men in the State with my want o
IS experience.
A. wrote the Department rs carly a
r May 20, 1857, and again September l5tl
" 1857, stating the manner in which good
.. from the Great Western Railway c
,t Canada were sent to the Railroad DE-
n pots on this side of the river, and ais
- advising it Of the steps had taken
,o correct the evil, stating that what wa
if doing was not full compliance with tn
70 instructions of the Department, br
would protect the revenue from fraud,
literal compliance with the instruction
he being impossible, as it would entirel
be prevent the transit of goods throue
,a Canada, and asking for instructions,
sc my course was not approved. 10 lette
Is, / received no reply, and therefore infe
m. red that was at liberty to exercise