The Portland daily press., 1867-02-16
[coRREsPoNDENcE OF THE pREss.l

.lItiH lCORREsPONDENCE OF THE PREss,l iH
The Congressional Investigating Committee
on the A 0 .d#i 1919 7as.- 90
FRAUDS IN THE BOSTON CUSTOM HOUSE
nave made report which in some respects
has most singular bearing. Here is wealthy
liquor firm that voluntarily offered to pay, and
did pay, S12500O to compromise matter un-
der dispute at the Custom House, to which
settlement Mr.. Goodrich (thcn Collector) re-
luctantly gave his assent because he thought
the Government had been defrauded to a
much greater extent; and the report really
undertakes to 'whitewash" the parties who
thus admitted their frauds upon the revenue,
and blame the Collector, who only agreed to
the settlement after urgent solicitation by the
Solicitor of the Government and the Treasu-
ry Agent. 1t is not in evidence that the Col
lector received one cent more than his moieiy
of the fine-though some $31 900 was distrib-
uted from the Williamses, through their own
agent, to some parties who were to influence
the adjustment on the basis they preferred
And this report is called by some of the Dem.
ocratic papers "very damaging to the ex Col
lector. Your correspondent respectfully sub
mits that he can't see it. u
IL is doubted whether Hon. George Ban
croft will accept the Collectorship, rendered
him by the President. At his time of life,
with SO much literary labor upon his hands,
the running of such perplexing machine,
with all the jostling and chickering's of office
seekers, can hardly be to his taste. The Office
is entirely one of profit without honor, and n,
man can leave it hardly so well as he takes it,
l am going to makea few remarks on
THE RUM BUSINESS .'- - ia.
that may not suit you; but 1 believe the
Press is free The Maine Liquor law, in its
workings in our large cities, is a failure and
humbug. You cannot entirely prohibit what
the laws of the United States allow to be i'm
ported and sold, The prohibtory law is
hllmbug inasmuch as it cannot and does not
undertake to prescribe what one may eat and
drink. Therefore all the drinker has to do
is to go to the importer and purchase what he
likes ia the original packages, send it home, and
drink as much as. he pleases and pass the
spirit around among his friends and his
guests. This method the rich folks have al
ways followed; so they are by no means pro-
hbted, but can and do drink all they desire,
without any violation of law. Nov then,
only the more vulgar drinkers are left to the
law, and we have had two years Experience
with our State Constable system, and am
safe in saying that there is more bad
whiskey drank here now than ever
before. The retailers who do thriv-
ing business, pay their fine or
"appeal," and keep right on. Go to jail they
will, if need be, but their "heirs and adminis-
traitors" will stand up in their place; destroy
the rum, and they will draw from their pri-
vate distilleres, underground, without leave OF
license. The result is, folks get poisoned on
bad rum, and the Government gets cheated
out of the taxes. "Clean them out" and they
will sell the ardent in cup OF "coiee." And
everywhere the stream of death rolls on. Pub
lie sentiment don't back up the law, and won't
enforce it. "That is what's the matter" A strin-
gent license law the public ,oill back up; and
that would at least secure more wholesome
liquor, prevent sales to the ungovernable
drunkard, and break up the most iniquitous
dens. There; that is what have to say