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

letter TO tho Treasury Department, SAID: very
little reliance can be placed upon the usual Consu.
lar certificates so far as the ultimate disposition of
the goods to which they refer is concerned"
This is not peculiarly confined to this hata-
moros trade; II was proven before the Committee
by witness who has, since 1861, spent some fifteen
months at Nassau, that, openly very large quanti-
ties of goods are landed at Nassau. such as boots,
shoes, cloths clothing, drugs and medicines,
blankets, liquors, provisions, from vessels arriving
from New-York, Boston, and Baltimore, and that
portions of these same goods are shipped on board
blockaderunners for Wilmington and other Rebel
ports.
The Committee are informed, and have reason to
believe. that even the poor protection these bonds
and consular certificates afford, the Government
has not been required by the collectors at Boston,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other northern ports.
Uniformity assuredly should be observed at prn-
cpal shipping ports, In cxacting ordspensing with,
these bonds If tho taking of them is to be con-
tinued anywhere, the sureties should, by law, be
required to justify, and any willu false statement
in an affidavit or oath of justification should
be declared perjury, and subject the official to the
penalties thereof
The Committee directed some attention 70 ale
cations that merchants in the import and export
trade of New-York were subject to gievous annoy
ances and damaging delays in their business by
clerks and attaches Of the Custom-House, with
out the employment of gratuites or fees, to dis
patch entire clearances, &C. Whatever clue was
publicly or anonymously given or indicated, tho
Committee underworld patiently to gather up and
follow, in fcrretng out such practices; and while
they found evidence Of former practices Of the kind
they are constrained to say, after the examination
Of several reputed sufferers or victims, and after
summoning before them merchants Of high stand
ing and character, with whom expedition was sup
posed TO be more of On object than small stipend
or an occasional donation; they obtained no evil
dence of any recent exactions or bestewments OF
the kind, or of any alleged necessity, to resort to
any such questionable expedients to induce reason
able dispatch of business at the New-York Custom
House.
The Committee also made it part Of their bust
ness TO investigate the truth of reports variousy
circulated, charging seizures Of goods and stores
made by the CustomlIouse authorities for alleged
frauds upon the revenue in passing false entries, to
have been instgated for purposes Of extortion,
black mailing, go. In the prosecution Of this line
of inquiry, they did find seizures had been mado,
penalties had been exacted, seemingly severe and
disproportonate but clearly within tho provision Of
laws made TO protect the revenue while the testi
mony in some Of tho cases examined gives an ap-
pearance Of hardship and oppression to tho action
Of the revenue officers, 1t must, however. be
borne In mind, in the language of witness, "tha'
each case of successful seizure prevents great
many attempts to evsde tho revenue laws"
In the wido investigation with which the Com
mittee were specially charged, testimony has been
taken on other points without, yot satisfactory
conclusion having been reached.
Other matters, naturally falling with 10 sphere
of the appropriate duties Of the Standing Committee
Of Public Expenditures, have received considerable
attention from the Committee, and should have
much more.
In conclusion the Committee desire TO say that
In prosecuting these Investigations in Ecw-York
they uniformly experienced the utmost courtesy,
and every needed cooperation, from oil the Custom
House officials and employees with whom they
wero brought in contact. The Committee eary
learned that very minute and thorough ivcstiga-
ton had been instituted by the Treasury Depart
ment having in view vigorous retrenchment and
reform of abuses, and, If pract icable, somewhat Of
reduction of the paid staff of the revenue force.
This Treasury examination, though not CON-
pleted, it 10 understood has already resulted in
largo number Of dsmissas. Tho evidence takon
and the reports prepared by those having this in
vsstigston in charge, were freely rendered TO the
use Of tho Committee. However, with all these
aids and facilities, with the limited time at their
disposal the Committee have not been able to thor
oughly examine the somewhat complex working OF
tho departments and divisions, and large forces IN
trusted with important interests connected there
with, to the extent that at one time they hoped, IN
conjunction with tho Treasury Department, TO be
prepared at this session 10 recommend such legisla
ton az would insure moro economic and more
efficient general system for collecting and securing
the public revenue at the port Of NowYork
A. III. Crngin Elected senator from New
Hampshire.