New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-03-04

gefti ing o nay for his own samples
n tle Testimony OF James Meyer jr, can DO rcHcu
upon and the Committee knows no reason why II calg
Mes Frwel Gibbs did not sSrPe to 9 CnnedoTe
deslrons OF pricing wines, &C. Anon they are CaneuS,
EagSm SSrcceSd&g Of Mr. FSrIe he swiss Consul
General the Hon. John itZ, produced before TINS com
- seened Obtained and easily sold. Opinions and repre-
sensations paid for with buta chance OF exposGe ugH
invrd 10 say auhortdtiyely to collectors OF port IN
this c0gntry what are correct ana what arc unu d
To- be seized An enormous power may ~ any ,iuo ~
thus exercised over large spPcT o Doss be ship
per refusing to pay would be annoyed mc'ltay' IL no'
% nosession of this power and the ability to exercise
It, we're than minated In the CaliOrnn %a' b
papers already referred TO- Large seizures ure o ny
whole amount received goes to them as ihIo,uclS - oo
suits ere tried and Government loses pSS
rsk upon their own representations they are erIt1et
20 TO interests Glad themselves in the ab
ments OF special agents OF the Trensury 40 Ia o
nrobabe that Mr. Farwel had possessed himself OF four
Valuable gold watches as samples OF seizure nc Rao i
stltuted IN California The sworn copy appears IN INV
ACCOMMODATING evidence OF this report. ,,.,,,
How his associate Gibbs proposed to levy contribution
T col forth in the testimony ofLeuctenath witnesses
letters appended thereto give details OF . %
instructions in which Mr. Gibbs appears IN sun anotGL
Character. Mr. Gibbs gives n:his testimony his own YER
sion OF these matters. -. ,., s %
home airs assuming national importance Large seznes
have been made Of shipments OF and
sherry Vines from SPAIN after arrival ana entS az 0u
6S protense OF fraudulent Valuations 70 the extent o.
noary destroying some lines OF our iorelSh ~ 20
ons have already been made the secretary Of state
to the pranrety ana justice Oh 'n' oo'uSo P''"'"
The Shampasne seizure cases perhaps afford fair Illus
tratiOn OF The magnitude Of some OF the interests m
yoyed, means and instrumentalties uSou' anu re''S
Under Information sent the York cusOmIouse
~ ises Amounting i'm value 10 about $4,000, con-
signed the different agents AT New-iOfk OF tne maui
mon the ALLEGATION that the invoices accompanying the
same and which entry was made at the
recover the value OF mporatons which had already
passed tho CusomIousc as correct the amount OF Wc
reaches the enormous figures OF S8lOG0 The agents OF
le manufacturers have vanly endeaYOTed 10 nave INC
brought to trial and thG @ tSs c S
ter and honesty OF the business or ,their p fln
cpals IN Their aesgt T oro to tbat the business
connected with champagne wines consumed TO tne Dmteu
who reside at Rheims and EpVnay, In tho socalled
champagne districts OF France: All me mauacIuIeo
that district. Each manufacturer makes diterent
champagne varying taste to suit the taste OF the con-
are subject to frequent variations in the demand, some
times the edsck has been the prime fayorte again the
Munm again the Neuye Chqu0t, wine MADE snaoi .
for lie United States market by mixing 1t that IL suits
the American taste aud as it is made expressly to SUIT
that TASTE this wine would not be ineichahaDe or com
mand rcnunorativo price II 1t was sent for sale TO I'm
gland, Russia, Germany &C. nor even In Rheims would
the wine of manufactures be saablc TO other manu-
facurers owing 10 the difference in taste aud reputation
the brand Again the reputation OF the wines IN the
United states is mado through the agents OF the manu-
facurer at EcwNOrk who controls the entire oonsgn
ment for the United states and the wine IL sold more Tor
the label or brand Than any other cause fach WINE hs
its admirers IN this country the OF demand being
based upon the taste Of andviduals for each one
when the drty champagne was changed % an al
yaogcm basis under the arn ofls6, the nanufacturers
were a oS now MOI 20 w s b e i1,e was
mtted 10 tho United States Appraiser BY the agents or
advice 10 how the wine should be inyocod
and after fuioxpostion OF the cost OF manufacture 10
the Government officers, the Appraisers iiNod the pTcc
entirely upon their own information aud Judgment IN
depcndcn4y Of the importers " 20 were coihptrd 20 &c
cePt the Appraisers decision After TINS aseeent on
payne manufacturers, there was no difficulty with the
entry OF this merchandise az the United states Custom
through tho operations Of Messs Gibbs & Farwc in OBJ
tanning rcas nXmun pisces at Paris, or elsewhere
and whore no wholesale lprice 10. champagne wines
sent to America Is known. $500.
The prcscnt status Of these seizure cases may perhaps
Dc named In two sentences.
81 BE- s' ;.; 20 . s.s'i 20 %a:' s
fs- s which prseatei TOR shipment
.r "a -, IS co.. . -,, s ld hs ,'' P'' o. A "'
M rt,. . Mai@r at w'shlgioa 'r-i' % ~" arbria,v
raa.o, tA.i fe.liHa..os nay Be demanded"
Inv SWISS C,SEs
The history Of these be best known W few
extract, from the commune atoms ~ the Consul General
OF swhzcrlnd addressed 20 the Secretary OF The Treas
counsel 10 the Committee several extracts Of similar
correspondence viii appear Ia connection with tho tesi
mOuy Of the Consul General
cS %,.1,Ga,a % I y.g = 's1
7oesH3a Hrsa MccvLloca Ss7org Of o, Tso'Ay Jor hs
sa Ia sutas herewith e ACCOMPANYING ''suen' of'N
raoa iis D, " F,re 1l o.hs she ualer uo s.a bsiy
III eg tls 81 Farre 80 u, icl'5l,1epo Of Ms oros
aetoa oufe g. secure s,sm pes Lists aaI aos to eiab1A 'ls
Tsst Mr FsrTeFs Lirg 81 u.iai,ou are no, basel Upon
fei' o. sda1l % bug 90 ths osiaiy from Mat o pog Lno.l
s manufacturer and ipasn tue integrity aa4 scrag Of ua'ed
:, REALLY ,uI.d that n, Y,rrr, mote Of obtaining merely
b.s ~ he le'ng Of da, sgd make all sasr certificates @Pe.
joins IrI.
want Of time forblds further consideration Of the
seizure system and business. teY words. however,
may be allowed TO the connection aud agency our
sns ayo IN the foreign feature of Revenue system.
n1,y R t nun % n a1 fesor "nu lnoAaotuess "hle.
mSrehSndse cons med m the n1a sdH ~ UP nyoGes OF
Jurors Tor sale Oh tholr account arises from tho ignorance
ans %ot mostly n neeTe in aerh lo1ey TGnsT
not the case tho present day by recent legislation and
circular instructions from tbe state Department all
large manufacturing and exporting districts United
s1es CSa'u Wa are nge 4@ m Sa 'nc act %,
first section OF the act OF March B. 1885, and circular In
structions from the Department OF the State COsus
made responsible for the correctness OF invoice yaua-
tions These statutory provisions ana department reSu
ations require consus not only to be learned in Rev
enue Laws but 10 Dc o1leIl IN me value OF me meIehan
disc sent from the consular districts To the United states
tHctIOlt consul llV lhFOlct fdluc Oh
article for series OF mpOItaiQns s not the foreign pro-
Queer right 20 assume that to be tho true value for
revenue purposes just ho would II the appraiser here
approved tho valuatiOnl
Tho Committee had before II letter written to a for
oign merchant by the COnsulGeneral OF tho United
States at.I frankfort dated Dec informing HIM that
under the law OF March s. 1863 wines consigned by the
manufacturer be ny0cod az the cost price Of man
ufacture instead OF "actual market ynluo." With such
an Official exposition OF often changed Tariff law
can be surprising tho foreigners msledi so long
our duties assessed upon tho foreign valuation ought
We not TO that COnsuates filled by Intelligent
experienced and faithful business nent Certainly IL