New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-13

his career with the declaration that the law il a
dead letter. and shown the common custom Of
taking forbidden fees. The barrier between right
and wrong is soon broken down in his mind.
From taking compensation for extra services, or
services performed ont Of Office hours, the step
is natural to perform that extra service in office
hours; 10 prefer the business Of the paying to
that of the non-paying importer, to the manifest
disadvantage of the latter. The theory OF the
time of clerical employment is, that the allotted
hours are all Of a day that can be given By the
clerk without injury to his health or mental
faculties. If he work all night for private pay,
he will be scarcely iit in the morning for his
public duties.
Another class OF abuses il the requirement on
the part Of the Government or the odministra-
tve officers of multitude Of unnecessary
checks, and of the unwise distribution of those
checks among the officers. 1t would be diff
|cult TO estimate the value of the time Of clerks
and principals ncedlcssly wasted in carrying
through the ordinary import entries and obtain
ing from public store the packages designated
for examination.
How have these checks arisen! We answer
that they spring from the necessity III which
the Democratic party felt itself Of constantly
increasing its patronage to Inaintaio its filling
power. To this end thousands of Offices were
created all over the country Nowhere has
this sccreton Of Government patronage been
more rapid and productive of more injurious
effects than in the New York Custom-IlOuse.
Every addition has been to the embarrassment
of commerce.
1t is time that this be changed end that
more economical and simple system be adopted.
return should be made to the simplicity ofthe
old fon,, which we believe was fully adequate
10 the safe collection of the revenue. We hope
that the Secretary of the Treasury will look TO
this without delss, as well az to the other
branch of necessary reform, and that the
urgent appeals Of the merchants Of this great
city who have so faithfully and at such cost
stood Loyalty and truly by the Government will
b. regarded.
We hear il ntimated that the Secretary of
the Treasury proposes 10 invite the appointment
By the Chamber of Commerce of q Committee
OF our firSt merchants TO consult and advise
with the Collector and the Special Agent of the
Department who has been engaged in making
the examination into Custom-iIouse matters. TO
examine into and revise the present system of
revenue collection. II is rs much for the in
,crest OF tho Administration and of the
Government as for that Of Commerce
that this be done. Ii the charges which
are daily current be unjust, they Will be
publicly and forever act at rest; If they be true,
a remedy will be suggested. We are Of opinion
that commission of merchants acting IN
concert with the officers named wouM fix upon
practical working plan by which, while 1t
would fully conform to the uniformity required
at Washington for Treasury audits, the revenue
could he collected by n much smaller force and
at a greatly reduced expense. The country
needs the services OF her sons elsewhere than
behind desks. and any saving OF expense Is a.
national blessing.
or one thing we are sure. Such course
on the part OF the Secretary would be- hailed
with gratitude and joy by the merchants of
New-iork and by every friend oil the Govern
mcnf