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 Testimony Concluded Yes
Z serday-Thc Report % be Given in . Few
Days. = ets#s 8 isstttE 1rs@ ar t2s.ta
Atvarious times during the past year the Custom
House authorities Of this city ssized the charge Of
undervaluaton, large quantities OF Spanish wines
which he'd been imported here The importers Of these
wines, Who, In smany men Of the highest
responsibility, and had long been engaged in mercantile
business felt themselves aggroved At what they con-
sidered the arbitrary conduct OF the Custom House
officers. who they alleged, without any previous noca-
ton entered their store seized their books and papers,
took them to the Custom House, and left officers in
charge Of their promises In fact, these seizures
sumed many phases, in some cases the wines having
been seized in bond. few brought trial and
decided in the courts but the others, 1t is alleged
either arranged by compromise their settlement post
poned from time 70 time various pretences. The
merchants, being thus embarrassed, some time since
formed Q combination for mutual protection and de-
cided on making appeal directly to the Secretary Of
the Treasury. They claimed that the DELAYS and
dstentions TO which they were subjected were
causing them great injury, their merchandise in
some cases, they averred, being under seizure
for one or two years. compelling them either
to suspend business submit compromises or await
"the laws delay.n Under these circumstances they
joined In strong memorial 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 consideration at his hands,
and be at appointed commits on consisting OF Mr.
K c. Bamneld, the head Of one Of the custom house
bureaus and Mr. McErath, OF the appraisers depart
mont to investigate the matter and report thereon The
prompt attention given by the Secretary highly
isfactory 10 the memoriallst9 rr n
The commission has been in daily session at the Gus
tom House for the past month. The testimony
eluded yesterday and the report will be ready for
delivery. The resignation OF Mr.. Hanscombe, Deputy
Collector, Immediately afor the assembling Of the com.
mission delayed it's action for time The proceedings
Of the commission have been strictly secret throughout
the Custom House officials first having been called on to
state charges against the importers and the latter
in turn appearing with their counsel and explaining
what they alleged tosbe their OF complaint From
the great secrecy observed during the
little Of the proceedings have leaked out But many
of the witnesses examined BY the commission have
already testified before the Congressional COMMITTEES on
last at the Asor House, IL Is fair to presume tnat the
examination under oath each case there can be
soe u %. a. nc awsy
Amsnck, George Ailn, Joseph Bensufen, Jr., and |
many others have been examined both occasions l
Before the Congressional committee they testified to
the serious hndrancs which these seizures occasouea
their business; and Mr. Amsinck declared that II Con-
gress did not change the law relieve him from
the annoyances 70 which he was subjected he would
already suspended their shipments Of winss 70 this
country until such time as they should feel moro conf
dSncs " sae y WORKING S q ns IS m rho
their part, avowing that nothing was further from
their intentions than to defrand the government
burd, tho chairman Of the Committee Public
Expenditures of the good faith Of these Witnesses
that in aludng these seizures in his last report 10
Congress ne says:-"Ceriainly something, somewhere
and somehow, wrong, to beget an apprehension at
home and abroad that seizing revenue laws are
worked in the interests Of inormers and selling
officers than TO protect honest merchants and the
enues of the government ea
II the evidence taken by the present commission is
similar TO that taken by the Congressional committee IL
will leave little doubt Of the good faith OF the importers
The report Of the commission will be anxously OK
pected by The commercial community in general