The New York herald., 1867-04-20
INTERESTING TO IMPORTERS.

investigation into the Seizure OF Spanish
Wines by Order of the Secretary Of the
Trcasury-The Tcstimony Concluded Yes
serdny-Thc Report 70 be Given. in Few
Days. ei 81 taEmsssrae as teins >
Atyarious times during the past year the Custom
House authorities Of this city ssixed the charge Of
undervaluasion, large quantities Of Spanish wines
which had been imported here The importers Of these
wtnes who, In smany cases were men OF the highest
responsibility, and had long been engaged in mercantile
business felt themselves aggrieved at what they con-
sidered the arbitrary conduct Of the Custom House
officers. who. they alleged without any previous noca
on entered their storsA seized their books and papers,
took them to the Custom House, and left officers in
charge Of their premises In fact these seizures as
sumed many phases, in some cases the wines having
been seized In bond. few brought to trial and
decided in tho courts but the Others 1t s alleged were
either arranged by compromise their settlement post
poned from time TO time on various pretences. The
merchants, being thus embarrassed, some time since
formed q combination for mutual protection and de-
cided making appeal directly to the Secretary Of
the Treasury. They claimed that the DELAYS and
dstentions 10 which they were subjected were
causing them great injury, their merchandise in
some cases, they averred. being under seizure
for one two years. compelling them either
to suspend business submit compromises or await
"the laws delay.n Under these circumstances they
joined in strong memorial to the Secretary, which they
presented through Their counsel and a committee Of
their number MIR. McCuloch at decided that tho
number and respectabily Of tho gentlemen named in
the memorial demanded some consideration at his hands,
and be appointed commission consisting OF Mr.
e G. Bamfeld, the head Of ONE of the custom house
bureaus and Mr.. McErath. of the appraisers depart
men to investigate the matter and report thereon The
prompt attention given by the Secretary highly
isfactOry TO the memOrialists sf Il
The commission has been in daily session at the Gus
tom House for the past month The testimony was con-
cluded yesterday, and the report will be ready for
delivery. The resignation Of Mr.. Hanscombe, Deputy
Collector Immediately aftor the assembling Of the
MISSION delayed its action for time. The proceedings
Of the commission have been strictly secret throughout
the Custom House officials first having been called on to
their charges against the importers aud the
in turn appearing with their counsel and explaining
what they alleged tobe their OF complaint From
the great secrecy observed during the investigation
little OF the proceedings have leaked But many
Of the witnesses examined BY the commission have
already testified before the Congressional COMMITTEES ON
Public Expenditures when 1t in session in january
at the Asor House, n is fair to presume tnat the
examination was under oath IN each case there can be
Members of tho firms Of Galway Cassado,
Comes, Wallace Co. together with Messrx l. Il.
many Others have been examined on both occasions
Before the Congressional committee they testified
to their business and Mr. Amsinck declared that II Con-
gress did not change the law to relieve him from
the annoyances 70 which he was srbjected he would
leave the business Other witnesses testified TO having
already suspended their shipments Of wines TO this
country until such time as they should feel more conf
all testified the good faith OF all the transactions
their part, avowing that nohing was further from
their Intentions than to defraud the government
under any prctence So convinced was Mr. HUI
burd, tho chairman Of the Committee on Public
Expenditures of the good faith Of these witnesses,
that in alludng these seizures in his last report
Congress ne says:-"Certainly something, somewhere
and somehow, is wrong, to beget an apprehension at
home and abroad that our seixing revenue laws
worked In the interests of normers and selling
officers than to protect honest merchants and the
enues Of the government" ssa i
If The evidence taken by the present commission is
similar TO that taken by the Congressional committee it
will leave little doubt Of the good faith OF the importers
The report OF the commission will be anxiously OK
pected by The commercial community in general.