New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-29
DEFENSE OF THE U.rom.HoUsE.
The Special Agency OF IL Treasury De-
partmenf.

To the Editor Of The We,td.
In an article in The Horid Z Ss,,raav IN
1.-THE Custom. House find the followi ,s.a,ncnt If
the substance Of the act OF March 1863 ,ranared Inv
Solicitor Jourdan entitled IAN Act to fstrsrt ana
Punish Frauds on the Revenue"
Under cunuinR pretense OF making reforms In II cro
visions he procured the passage o act Of
gave 10 himself certain proportions Of seizures. ensrg his
clerical force authorized the appointment. Of special revue
sg,at. aud so y, without end and made HIN conlrOas
person certain cusiom-t ionse matters. %
Ta the first formation Of rsHe into whose circ
snd custody M. Barney and the Cp.'oo.House speed,
passed Commissions were given stssLwsy TO all sort. .
incn 20 be special agent. OF tho reSen"e some we're sem g
travel IN ksrope to reside in the chief Atlantic oe
some to roam in the Western sie aid others to inspee; ~
fairs in Canada. Mutudes 81 Republican awrera withor
business clients forthwith held reiainors on ths so1cto
Of the Treasury and paid their initiation fee at the Loy
Now tbs is that the act referred to gives TO the
solicitor proportion whatever OF seizures authorizes
the appointment Of special agents or attorneys an
makes the solicitor "a controlling person in certain
custom house matters" only 10 this extent viz IL pro-
vdes that nc shall take cognizanccio all frauds at
tcppted frauds upon the revenue and shall exercise
general supervision the measures FOR their proven
tion and detection and for tae Prosecution OF persons
Charged with the commission thereof"
To meet tho duties TINS imposod anon the solicitor,
the Jaw authorized the employment of Are additional
clerks IN his Office.
One special revenue agent has been detailed by the
Sccfctary 20 old in carrying out The proyun OF tho act
Just referred Co. he has been in Europe during toe
past year end his efforts bid fair % csuiI in The iey.
ery of millions Of dollars Of revenue OF which the Gov
ernment has been defTauded through the undervaun-
ton of foreign manufacturers ard agents. Another
sgeDt Of the department he's hcen detailed 10 'he port
OF New York. acting in part under me direction OF We
Solicitor, but more generally under tie immediate
Instructions of the Secretary.
No other agent or agents are in any way or degree
dcr tho direction Of the solicitor. As "a the mu
iudcs OF Republican retained Ivy the Solicitor u
tho TreasuTy" in just trtirs cases ont OF upward ~
talee thousand pending during The last year and ha
special cornse been retained by him. under direction Of
Tie Secretary and in each of these II has been done on
TIE recommendation OF the revenue Ohcels Or o. iAe
.f~,.s . Or
Ii hos bcca the practice under preceding Admlnistra'
tons 10 retain special counsel in difficult cnses wbcn
the pressure Of business upon the District Attorney has
been such prevent him from preparing them f..
trial To the credit of the present Attorney
should be said that notwithstanding the enormous IN
cease Of the business Of bis office the number Of such
Cpses has been less than previous years.
The whole Of the formidable machinery described
with such effect in TIE World, the new ring formed
f the control of the Custom House, proves TO consist
Of three clerks employed in the Office OF the Solicitor at
Washington one special agent wholly. and another IN
lqrt under his direction and three law frms-two o1
tnem Democgaticwho have been severally retained III
twevo cases in the course Of year and haf-no one
81 the members Of which, it may be some satisfaction
% TIE Ford TO know. belongs To any Loyal League
Clah or other Republican association.
The general allegations in TAe Ford so often re-
noited 6s - tie netciency and corruption OF NJ.
Btrneys administration ind their best answer m the
statements made by several Of the largest importers
s0Re of them political opponents Of the Administration
before tie Congressional Committee that the Custom
House better administered than al present
snd that made by another that II is thiryhree per
cent better than ever before"
"A 70 the misrepresentation touching the course OF
hc special gen. Of the Treasury Department located
II Ncw-Ynrk CIR. Bailey the terms Of personality
witch The Hori6 show the partisan character OF
Z ne charges ard render detailed reply unnecessary
More enphstcally s this true. from the fact that Tue
rcnsaijo resi- upon the sandcrors statements Of that
r eran caluinnator IT W." who seems ambitious 10
snguish the close Of life Of political corruption by
n effort 20 drag down 10 his Own level the reputation
o. those whom he deems inimical 10 his schcnei.
Whether his attack tho administration of the
Custom House tho late Secretary OF the Treasury
and those officers Of the Treasury Department having
Official connection with the Custsn Iousc has of bot
tom ylndctiye anmus created by las inability to CON
fro it, affairs In his political and pecunary inter
est and y the fact that under the rigid
wbch has oeen instituted into its affairs Of bis
clients have suffered, likely TO. whose only
service Las been 10 sign payroll, those in anT way
acquainted with the subject viii re able 70 Judge.
win only ray that the charges utterly untrue and
challenge either him The World TO produce any evil
lsnce on which they can be sustained.