New-York tribune., 1867-03-07


formerly pd sSJ who have been prOflOted to b. usefu
clerks II OOO and o. 12 entry clerks whose salate7 INC
Secretary the Treasury raised at my recommendation
from 3 900 20 5000 kcd the increase In order TO for
bid aud stop their old practice OF receiving fees ffOn I'M
pOrters for work done after the office hours pracce
priudcal 10 te interests OF the Government Tor ODVl'
our reasons.
FIqaly,I am charged with Contemplated dlstrbu-
ton cf farming oct of the pcranisites profits Of the
Gen,rsl order bu,iness" Perhabs the Committee in
also az actual 'dstribut5n8 They probably intended
20 Bss9tc nuCh, ,eyen though the detOeg,t as they
'hcnselTe have shaped It, fails 10 satisfy the expecta
tons Iaa by their rhetorical plot II that betheir
sinuauon, . r. false and unjust, But frankly plead
business to ie1c COntcml4atons which were neyes real
izcd come psns which were never executed Conscious
guilty having concealed nothing from this Committee,
not e,en those nchoate purposes, nor those rejected
prooc.s | gave them the means Of knowing the truth
ana these the very weapons OF Their Injustice Much
pic6 1 S eart of Wn Vas recorded they fsTe Suppressed
Hc fen ,t rc@orfng the General Ordep Business" are
these: found II in the hands of nephew Of one, the
essars in tbis office with certain distI1bufve shares al
1tfed 10 the proprietor of The Indcpeadc @eeky re
gious newspaper published in this city ana tgother poll
mencement of my duties and was Informed tiat me
profits Of the bsncse legally ana properly ulo-
or relatives TO share in these and being satisfied With my
other endowments, formed the purpose to divide ana
distribute he whole amount thus: portion ~ friend,
not successful in business who bad aided me Wlea was
boy struggling for advancement as clerk IN New
York store; portion to political friends VINO ht com
mended me to the Senate portion to one OF Two asst
whose salaries did adequate 10 Jlct
services; portion TO ember of Congress previously
interested in this storage business portion to woman
named Mrs Phelps who presented herself to ine a. m
erested IN Barr Phelps obtaining the business ana VINO
had lost her husband and in the ana all her
property by fire; portion reserved for political
fund" to protect the clerks In the Cu5tomIfouse against
the clcctiOneerng assessments, heet9oTc tereo r,n
Them This purpose, as testified TO the Committee under
oath and again repeat here, unknown to most OF
those whom intended to commit tho business to, was
dismissed from my mind Ny first action in the matter
TO transfer the General Order business to r. e. John
IL, rlf.Uf
ing te any profits they might make from the business
and interfered with so many "veed rights and com
plants merchants Of excessive charges, soon cd me
10 believe that further change necessary for my
comfort for the public good that after short exPe
men transferred the General Order business 70 Sly-
Smith as before, without payment, agreement, OK OK
reduce their charges to basis satlsiaetQiy ID the
merchants. with the distinct nfomati0n that any )nsr
complaints from merchants would be deemed suiiicent
reason for its prompt withdrawal But one eompaih';
and that TRIVIAL has been MADE lr9h naJ 1ay iy 70 ,u1
again repeat that never received one d0ui nom Ins
IN dHy form whatever Directly OF hulIeclg @ @au
OF my own pocket. in simple charity, did relieve Mrs
Perrys disappointment by giving hei ehoufn & oty go 70
take her home to the West-n indl5cttl.oh ntNe oo
guilty Of in eases than oIc-to the horror Oh TINS
benevolent and pure minded Committee. ,,
encc of the Star Chamber Investigations ana political
trckcrics should have made mo tho instrument OF oss
bic harm 10 you VINO appOhtcu NC " s t,' 49,. Nc
NO pains TO guard against tho maclnatOn5 OF to79 No
sought my removal, for believed that hOEesy ah sit
cheney wfrp alone required here was creduOus enough
10 believe this Committee when they informed mo JhaV
fradiction or rcfutation my part was crcdu'ous
enough to suppose that the testimony ciclted IA IN.
favor outweghiug In quantity aud qu1hty, az tnat
which their ingenuity has garDcd and distorted 10 my
dscredt would 90 out with It, was not enigheleI at
to their real purpose til they coined cauincs aslhst
YOU into inteirOgatOes 20 me- aud ordered thec se1o
Taphers 10 suppress the indignant truth which ndt9
their bose coinage 70 the counter In this business
Chiefly regret the wounds which have passed by me 70
the hearts OF those who dear 10 me- hayo w0Anereu
n the cmers of this committee have wives or ohiden
Btt n mans lifelong character stands for something IN
this community aud am less anxious tsrefOre 70 Vhol;
f.i iir IA
this committee than vndcate your app0ihtncht 20
pubic trust OF the Undersg gcd, for no Oer reason man
ronr i'm his rapncy and with other eEpecta on
iban h5 honesty and efficiency In the discharge OF s
i"''1'' ' IlfNRY A. SMIrHB.
Collector OF the Port OF New York
n 81 orn a,at 10 see that tho honorable senators,
whose names were So bascly ght into this rcp0r ana
owbom have never spoken iD resurd 10 th4 natrl
on the floor Of the senate to-day cohf"iIU'' ''0 ''