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

On Jan. III 1904 the LOUISE auoptoo LILO iouo"AH
resolutions
Resored That the charges recently made Of official misco'
duet In the Custom House relation 70 the sege
shipment Of contrabsnd goods and suppos and al matters
alleged misconduct In the management Of the sairs Of th
Custom House at New York. DO referred TO the Committee
Public Expenditures"
On Jan. 81, 1864, the Committee commence
taking testimony on the matters thus specially re
ferred. Without having satisfactorily TO themselve
concluded their labors, they instruct their Chair
man TO submit at this time tho following Report:
The duties Of tho New.York Custom-House ar
classified and distributed into ten divisions. a
the head Of tho first division Is the Auditors at thu
head of the bureau Of tho second division is TIL
Cashier. Each Of the remaining eight divisions Il
presided over by Deputy Collector. Supervising
all these departments Is tho Assistant Collector and
tho Collector.
| Under the present organization and assignment
Of duties in the Custom-House, the ninth division,
among othor dutios, is charged with the taking OF
all bonds required by law or Treasury regulations
on shipments 70 domestic or foreign neutral ports,
to guard agant the same being used TO give aid or
comfort 10 tho insurgents.
Tho receipt, examination, custody and cancela-
ton of bonds takdn In the ninth division prior to
Oct. 81 1863, since that period have been assigned
to and made part Of the duties Of the Deputy Col
cctor In charge Of the tenth division.
The Collectors first authorization TO require such
bonds was Treasury regulation founded on the
act of July 10, 1861. The provisions Of the supple
mentsry act of May 90 1869, were moro definite
and explicit, tho second section declaring "that.
whenever permit clearance is granted for either
domestic or foreign port 1t shall be lawful for the
Collector Of Customs granting tho same, II no
shall deem it necessary under the circumstances OF
the case, TO require bond to be executed by the
master OF the owner Of the vessel In penalty equal
to the value of tho cargo and with sureties TO the
satisfaction of such Collector that the said cargo
shall DO delivered at tho destination for which 1t s
cleared permitted and that part thereof shall
DO used in aording aid comfort to any person or
parties In insureoton against the authority Of the
United States"
On the I'D ofEMay, 1862, the Secretary of the
Treasury issued instructions to carry out the pro-
visions OF this act Of which tho following is an
tract: "In all cases where, in your judgment,
there is ground of apprehension that any goods,
wares or merchandise shipped at your port will be
used In any way for tho aid Of tho insurgents the
instruction, you will require substantial security
TO DO given that such goods, wares or merchandise
shall not BIO transferred to any place under insur-
rectionary control, and shall not in any way be
used 10 give aid or comfort TO such insurgents"
In virtue Of these acts and Instructions the first
bond was taken In September, 1861. Seven thou
sand nino hundred and thirty-two 932l had been
executed up to May, 1864
In the allotment Of duties, the 4th division
passed upon the character Of the shipments and
parts of shipments Of merchandise which must DO
covered by those bonds or substantial security"
before cloarances could DO .$ed. Tho 9Th di-
vision was charged with the technical taking and
safo keeping Of the required bonds. AT the New.
York Custom.House, these bonds were doomed the
substantial security indicated In the Treasury In.
structions.
When it is considered that immediately on the
enforcement Of the blockade of tho Southern coast
and harbors trsde from Northern ports 10 West
Indian ports began TO increase largely, sufficient
necessity is apparent for substantial security that
tho Rebols should not be aided by such trade.
Whom it is further considered. that on the execu-
ton Of such bonds, nearly all kinds of merchan-
die, not excepting pc WIDER, could be and was per-
these bonds were tho only security Government
had or required that the insurgents, through the
agency of some of the swsrning blocksde-runners,
should not DO proitcd thereby, sufficient reason
is apparent for exercising tho most vigiant consd-
GRAFTON of tho character and responsibility Of the
obligars, the careful scrutiny and bookkeeping Of
the bonds until all apprehension Of insurcctionary
benefit from such shipment had entirely ceased
But it soems that noithor patriotic considerations
nor revenue precautions have entirely effected tho
object Of preventing suppressng this Illicit and
unhAlowod trade. Goods cleared in virtue of these
bonds have boon found on board Of captured block
ode runners. And II is apparent that largo quanti-
tos of goods thus bonded and permitted at New
York have turned up In the hands Of Rebel agents
and omissarics In tho wOst India ports. Should It
DO asked why, In such cases. prosecution Of the
bonds has not been instituted, it must DO
answered, first, the in.rinsic difficulty in tho way
Of making legal proofs, and secondly, tho appre-
hension that very many Of the bonds, 20 far from
afording the substantial security contemplated In
law, would prove TO b. very unsubstantid sscuri.
ties.
Tia duty Of preparing the form Of tho bond to b.
used, Of passing upon tho correctness and sui
aciency Of the offered bonds. vas ftom the frst,
Substantially, dsvoved upon II. B. Stanton, Deputy
Collector q The head Of tho 9th Division.
The bonds must DO executed before, and must b.
approved BY him, - Deputy Collector and after
bsns recorded In bis buresu are supposed to remain
IN bic custody uael properly oaaOslsd. Of suren.