New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-16

plain requirements Of the act Of May, 1862, vors
disregarded shippers in their respective cases be-
came the principal obligors in the bonds, instead
of the owner or master of vessels as tho oct pre.
scribed.
Again, names were written in tho body Of tia
instrument varying from those subscribed to Il; ons
obligor signing where two names are recised AZ
Makers clerks signing bonds for their employers
without power of attorney; several bonds with no
suretics very many with no justification certified.
deficiencies Of stamps and Of seals, and in one In.
stance there is no signature whatever, ALTHOUGH
properly attested by d. Csdy Stanton as subscrib.
ing witness, and by the signature and national
seal of II. d. Stanton; Largo discrepancies between
the footing of invoices or manifests and the penal
sum in the body of the bond, indicate no common
carelessness, if not culpable completely Pressure
of business hurried observance of the formatties a
attaching seals and attesting signatures without
scrutinzing examination, perhaps, might excuse an
occasional imperfect instrument, but the number Of
such bonds is too large to DO "passed" by such
o psllisting plea.
It Is noticeable that these oversight deficiencies.
discrepancies, imperfections Of whatever name or
nature, are most numerous in bonds covering mep.
chandise clearing for ports In the West Indies.
The most glazing Of the irregular bonds, as yet
coming TO the knowledge Of the Committee ia one
covering goods said to have been bought on the
order Of Major Walker, tho agent Of the Rebel
Confederates, now or recently stationed in St.
Georges Bermuda.
This bond ION Custom-House books, No. 4,7l9
was signed by Hofnung as principal and VIM. A.
smslley as surety; it was made and taken for
$2s,796 instead Of ts3,757, which the invoice on
ships manifest called for.
Other bonds covering goods shipped to Nassau
and Bermuda exhibit in less sums the same dis.
crepancies. For example, bond No. SOS, Lewis
benjamin, principal, Malcolm Campbell, surety,
was for 1886, should have been for 1916; bond
No. S6l2, w. II. Russell, principal, Smalley,
surety. was taken for $6lOl, instead Of $26, 1856;
bonds Nos. 5,l29, $685. Hoffnung, principal, Ben.
amin, surety, covered in figures but g 1885, instead
of $4,772; bond No. 4,743, principal and surety,
II. e. s., was for 1926, instead of s255o5i bond
No. 1882, principal and surety, Ii. & s., was fof
81 500, instead of 1885,; bond No. 4,2O5, s.
Seixss, principal Benjamin, surety, was taken foi
81, 437, instead Of $34,63l bond No. 1850, G. G.
Wolf, principal, Benjamin, surety was for s23,lio,
instead Of go, 452 as it should have been.
When II Is recollected that the act Of October
1862, declared, in so many words, that such bond
should be executed in penalty eqnal to the value
of tho cargo, it would seem there was small margin
FOX arithmetica mistakes. Certainly, the foregoing
array Of discrepancies is far too large to be exPcs
bic on such hypothesis And how shall be accounted
for the witnessing, acknowledging, examining and
receiving SO many palpably defective and deceptive
bondsi
Again, this William A. Smalley, who figures 80
frequently as obligor and surety on bonds covering
these Nassau and Bermuda shipments up TO tho
18th December last, was debenture clerk under
tho Surveyor of tho Port. When he signed
surety the bond NO. 4,7l2 covering and protecting
in and out of tho harbor of New-York, the Rebel
Governments shipment Major Walkers order, be
held that position, and also the Office OF Notsry
Public, approving and attaching his notarial seal to
this class of bonds, executed and justified before
him in the absence of II. b. Stanton.
1t appears that Mr.. Stanton, while acting m
Deputy Collector hold the Office of Notary Public,
and in verifying papers and administering osths to
pfluCipdlS bLu culotlco VI DouuS, W. CuoIBcu ouu
received fcos therefor 1t further appears that
while Deputy Collector he not unfrcquently acted
when invited or no volunteered as legal counsel foi
persons and firms doing Custom House business at
his bureau in preparing papers and aiidavits to be
approved and used by and before him as the basis
Of his official judgment and action, charging and
receiving for such service compensation varying
from fifty cents to twenty dollars. In his youn-
toered testimony befose the Committee in that 70
spect, he did not at I'll qualify the statement con.
tanned in his published letter, viz; that al such
fees or emoluments would not exceed g 900 during
his term Of office, except that he admitted the
anonymous receipt at his house and In part OF his
official desk, Of several additional hundred dollars.
While there may DO no express statute fOrbidding
such professional practice, such exercise of notsrd
powers, such clandestine money receipts, the Com.
mittoo are very decidedly Of opinion that no such
privileges can be allowed during business or official
hours without detriment to public interests. No
such anonymous or open gratuities during any
hours should be allowed accepted by any sa,ared
official Of Government nor ever have been, nor evsf
can be, without the gravest suspicious.
Treasury Regulations Of February ], 1857, If en-
forced would seem to be sufficient or ought to be,
to prevent such practices. 1t is inthcso Words
Any Clark other officer Of tho Cussom. who shaI q,
cept any ss.uy whatever for any services he perform
fof any purpose which arc devovsd him By law %
regulations will become subject TO removal and must be 70
ported to the Department forthwith foe its Direction
The Committee have reason to believe that Of
late, in conformity with law, the master or owner
of the vessel carrying goods 10 ports IN proximity
to Rebellion has boon required to go on tho bond
Us obligor.
There has also been change In the character OF