The Portland daily press., 1867-03-21

Tho New York Custom Mou.e.
Mr.. Smythe was appointed Collector of the
port of New York, on the recommendation of
the Chamber of Commerce and of the presi-
dents of nearly all the New York banks, and
with the hearty concurrence of almost the en-
tire mercantile community. His reputation
as banker, as merchant, and as man, was
unblemished. So little was known of his po-
litical opinions, that it is matter of dispute
even now, with which party he has been ac-
customed to vote This appointment of a bus
mess man, as such, to serve the county iu ifs
largest dealings with business men. was re-
Sarded as one OF the best which had been
made under PRESIDENT Johnson's administra-
tion The expectations of the country were
confirmed by Mr.. Smythes selection Of Mr.
Thomas Brown for the delicate and respon-
sible post of private secretary. Mr.. Brown
was one of the capable and honest men select
ed for the public service by Secretary Chase,
whose judgment in this as in other instances
has been, sisnally approved by experience.
| After ashort time Mr. Brown resigned his
place. Then unsatisfactory rumors got
abroad, waxing louder and louder. FinalIy a
Congressional; committee was appointed TO
look into matters at the Custom House: Mr..
Huburd of New York was chairman of that
committee. A report was made at the close
Of the last session, revealing so much corrup-
ton that the present Congress, despairing Of
executive action, is strongly disposed to i'm
peach Mr.. Smythe. Mr.. Hulburd said on the
| floor of the House last week, that he was in
formed Mr.. Smythe had received letter from
the Presidents Private Secretary assuring him
| that he will not be removed. or to use the ex
preston attributed to Mr.. Smythe, that he is
'all hunky -dory."
| Without undertaking to PREJUDICE this re-
markable case, we proceed TO explain as brief
| ly as may be, the charges which have been
made in Congress on the strength OF the evil
dence already taken.
The principal allegation is, that Mr. Smythe
has disposed of the whole general-order bust
ness ''for the good round sum of $4,000 per
annum." The generalorder system is nee
essary consequence of the employment OF
steam vessels, which must be discharged
promptly in order to take their places for the
return trip. When a vessel is to be unloaded
with despatch, all goods unclaimed by the
owners, or for which the owners are unable
to complete entry and obtain permits before
they are reached, are sent under generator
| ders' to private warehouse designated by
the Collector ana known as general order
store.' of course goods do not long remain
in these warehouses. 1t is usually of the ut
most Importance to the merchant to get pos
ession of his goods as early as possible. All
"charges" must be paid however before they
j can come into his hands, and among the rest
| the storage charges which are never
less than for one month. No matter if the
| goods have never been stored at all, if they
leave the vessel before the owner arrives, the
full months storage is exacted. The rates are
fixed by the Collector. The New York Post
last week pub ished some bills rendered by
one of these stores; one of them was for stor-
age of single case containing about ITO cub
ic feet, and contained three items-for storage
$40 month"; labor SO, and carting So.
| OF course this is avery profitable business,
well worth $4,000 year. The most curious
part of the transaction however is the distrib
ution which Mr.. Smythe proposed to make of
this fund. The Congressional report contains
the following exhibit:
For Geo +. Thompson, late of the Daily News 5000
Senators Doolittle and Patterson, $1,000 10 900
Humphreypand by him at once rejected so"o
| Brown, private secretary of the Collector
ptii rnifaed f Dy MN. 900
Mrs Perry, known as IA Washington woman 5000
Van Bergen, to have some unknown share, sly5,OOo
| $4,000
Mr.. Thompson is understood to be the repre-
sentative of an ex-Congressman who brought
to bear upon the Collector the demands with
which he was endeavoring to comply by this
arrangement. Senators Doolittle and Patter-
| son were brought in, either with or without
| their connivance, as authorizing the demands.
Embree and Brown were to receive hush-mon-
ey Humphrey and Van Bergen were inter
ested in the general-order business, and had
reason to expect larger interest, but were to
he bought off for the sums named. Mrs. Per-
ry was the instrument of the ex Congressman
| aforementioned, and was summoned from
| Cincinnati to manage the matter Her pecul-
lar qualification is her reputed influence with
the President. OF her character, it is suffici-
ent to say that the courts of Ohio have re-
Gently declared her an unfit person to have
charge of young girl, whom she claimed as
ward. Her claims for plumber were not at
first recognized by Mr.. Smythe. After sec
ond journey to Washington however, she re-
turned with full credentials, and the "slate" ex-
hibited above was drawn up. The political
fund" of $4,000, MIR. Smythe says he intend
ed to use in protecting the clerks from assess
ments for electioneeripg purposes.
Mr.. Smythes reply to these charges is very
unsatisfactory. He denies that he ever receiv-
ed dollar from the generalorder business
but at the same time says he is satisfied with
his other emoluments and once formed the
purpose of distributing the whole amount of
profits on general orders among certain
friends. This purpose he never executed
| whence it would appear that the undistrb-
uted profits are left in his hands. "a a
If man of Mr.. Smyth's reputation cannot,
be trusted in our custom-houses, why not?-
Is not the system which leads to such COM
plications, wrong? We have regulated the
tenure ofoifice; is it not time to regulate the