New-York tribune., 1867-03-07
THE crsr0MHOUsE FRAUDS. -
LETTER FROM COLLECTOR s,wrHE TO PRESIDENT
JOHNSON.

iEnEg FROM COLLECTOR sMYrHE TO PRESIDENT
JOHNSON.
CrsToMUOUsE. NEW YORK,
COLLECTORS OFFICE, March g, 1867
4, ms Ercoiicury ANDREW JOHNSON, President Of The
fllsd Stttcs.
sir. Recommended 10 your favorable regard by
the commercial public Of New-York, by your appoint
mcnt In April ana In May lsG by the favorable vote of
tho Senate OF the United states, was honored with the
office Of Collector Of the Port Of NowYork From that
dy 10 the present have discharged rs duties deyotug
10 them all my energies, intelligence and my most con-
clentous real have scrupulousy sought TO obey the
revenue laws which 1t Is my duty to administer 10 per
feet the machinery by which they ara executed To re-
strict disbursements az the point OF efficiency ana To
secure faithful and trsty suborduacs In departments
of the CustomHouse. These conceived 10 be my frst
and chief duties TO the people upon whom tho customs
revenue falls as tax, 10 lOu VINO houor'u
ine with your confidence 10 tho 9cnnIp ., VIM NV,
hOnOrod me with us lhaolscntit, anu 10 ~ ny Wy
self I affirm that the Newlork Custom-llouso
never more economically administered tnah ~ il,s %
been by me. j affirm that " was never IholS puuiy pi
adminstorcd affirm that II was never more cficehty
administered than II Is to-day. In no departneht s iie
public business n arrears In nearly every bureau il'
prOyemcnt has beon made In the character Hhu Sohl
tenGy 81 my r s, nac and those viii bc
pshcd a. fast as pIaccebe Ws a fTnug oan 70 mpy
no ncupaton OF my predecessors can claim no possible
advantage them except In my experience as mer
any sort but II the latter hs bcoh advantage TO the
public service bes beeh my own persona"
/
Of the lIGgso ti Representatives IN published report
andc Is qrDg the ana hours Of the session OF an eN-
iirst; Of f6aF,ng removals ana appointments which
baye impaired the efficiency of the public Sc seryicec we
ousc was decreasing Increased It's expenditures nom
-TijCJ ~ E1vI". contemplated distribution or farm.
bor o tho pi.o1Is q tbS IGsD6lRl SHSeG eAsnesa%
1hese arc the total OF the Committees accusations
Donprs thoy are decorated and padded out aud rib
val or Wa oplc'uons and rhetoric, and highteued
gpSa o@S @R PTTS%S5ISs Cppo,o das
the stainless record q my fei TO the Other facts
The first charge oi having m9de removals and appoint
been impaired. Is not true. have weeded out lncompe
toncy Ignorance, inemperance ANA wee Nom my work
ing force wherever found, and have hed vacancies WIN
competent and honest men You do not need to DO ~
formed that the applications have ounumpeied hnhd
red to one the places IN the Custom ioso. ~ Mahing
selections from these competency and honesty save Def
the condition sine qia non THIS condition being sats
fed have next been guided III my enVlCe ls ahy otci
honest public officer must be M all cases out OF the range
Of his personal acquaintance Dy the testimony OF tnoSe
whom believed worthy M trust have appointed men
from both political parties ana men OF no pollcs hoio
men | have appointed for faltltnl service IN tho
Union armlesi some because tnt,y were ue5utuio u
and deserving; because they Nero highly
recommended for such aud other reasons by
your political friends; some because they We're
personally known to be such as the public service re-
qulred; have uniformly illed vacancies by te promo
ton Of officers OF proved efficiency and ildolity the
new appointments have always been To the Inferior
that have improved the efficiency Of the Custom House
force putting the square pegs into the square holes and
the round pegs Into the round hOlcs Ihat iheuclshey
does characterize my appointeos is best proved by
the fact OF efficiency In the public service In this depart
mcnt In proofof which ca to witness the head OF every
bureau and the whole commercial public OF NewIork.
The Committee allege IN evidence of my bad appoint
monts that an indicted murderer might have had a
place In the Custom House For that saddost might
have been" indebted 10 the Surveyor OF this port
and 10 the most venerable politician Ia these parts b
pleased tO accept my that have not %chtu
among thieves and murdercrs for Custom House otIcoIs
The Committee say OF me "wbile business deefeslsou
he has Increased expenses the rate, IL Is said OF rom
S2jOOOO to 100000 year" In the first place. the pSo'
of the CustO-louse las not decreased On tnu t ,,te
tr,rv n has steadily increased Indeed. the Committee
itself m the first part of this very report inu sse % r."
fact of Increased business" on the authority .! w, ~,
reou OF Statistics The enlarged md complete tari & ~,
lsCG obviously required large Nring p nnbic
Cnsfom. IIousr, and who In no department va h"rns
service or of private industry have wages h , Two an
failed to rise above those which were pau o'' tyn,a
five wears ago nevertheless by reirehcnne cassr
md fhe discharge Of political barnaces, tno isc hnSs
Increase IN the expenditures OF tho Cuhto' to ome
hncn so crbnapccd that 10 does not amount " III :,
nm of what the Committee allege Ia l lnsir sseng"rs
THAT incrcusc ~ chiefly made upot surplus "'V'Ss