New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-09
TIIE CTSTOMS.

Mr.. n. Sargent, the Commissioner Of Gus
TOMS who has sent hS report TO ne seGretary OF 9
and codfed lie speaks thus OF SNUG Cling;
The contest with anugglera has DecI carried on curing
tho mast year with such success that IL has III Cre"t
measure ceased on some portions oi Ino iroh!hI, ana
along tho remainder II has been upon eliminating scale
since The passage Of tho Internal Revenue act reducing
the whisky al Inducements 10 bhuggc VA "it
clio the United states ha, been removed indeed tne
with profit sufficient to warrant the risk OF dresiloh
i"ery laces aud other small light articles " great
value all these can be put up IN PACKAGES OF sh Duk'
and introduced In such manner as to elude the ygi-
lance az tho local customs officers, who make Few or
no seigurcs at tho present day, nearly all being
made through information obtained by secret means
r IL may he proper here 10 remark that force OF 20 or
Is me under the control OK one man WIN accomplish myo
I'm tho way Of preventing and detecting frauds upon the
and the same remark lie equally applicable 70 every ohor
norton OF our frontier, coast aud inland In the Ian
az ono OF nv agents who has had large experience
and great IN detecting frauds Ihe men no" en-
aged i'm the contraband trade the equals IN wealth.
bsduess and cunning my OF the best business men
Inn the country Their plans are ald To secure e ae n
PRODUCTION Of their property before II leaves te foreign
territory Let a merchant OF known pecuniary reep0nsl
bty from any OF cities visit Montreal or Liver
goods at his own door without the payment OF duties
Can the Government expect to snccessiy COMMA o t
warfare upon the without the ad OF ne hneHu
saRacious vgllant men acting ia cOhcott anu u!soh'
though stationed at distant points from each other
Snred and easily deceived local inspectors are hbry
Wozh consideration. do not wish To- lmpugn inc proDhy
~ tfs class OF officers generally they are hOnes ahd
faithful, but al such large ports 40 Ne%l Ork
ana New IL
certain that the subordinate ocers appointed as
they are there will be- who cannot or have no do'
sre 20 resist temptation ard Who are therefore scd 70
snuggsrs 10 aid them in perpcrhtng thelr Irauns' 10
preyent the cand0sne Introduction OF goods III TINS way
IL one OF the most difficult tasks We have TO accomplish
N the sentinel guard proves treacherOuA ana can Oe
hred by tho enemy where - tho safely OF the capf
That we have such traitors among Customs OUlceis TO-
errt not 10 be able doubt Tho special agents aching
Under nv instructions the northern ana norlheastei
frontier have by their vigilance and tact been aDo 10
discover many fraudulent transactions Whlcn hau DC
Cured one, two, three, or four years ago. ana
brought them 20 light. Som6 OF these were upon u
large scale In most OF these cases the guilty parties
were merchants Of good standing IN the community men
who would have spurned and perhaps resented the
charge OF dishonesty had any OF their noghDors boon so
ncoisderate as 10 make IT, Their alarm ana anxiety IN
learning that - chief was among them taxing notes,
and that there great probability tnat they "ouiu
have to answer for their deeds done IN the dark I'D open
conrt NAV we'll DO imagined. TO have TRANSACTIONS
when they had fondy hoped were buried In oblivion Ise
M 70 stare them In the face, like Banqn0s ghost was
well cal yulated 20 disturb their equanlmty lie orhR'
inc 90 Rbt such old cases, and compelling sch respect
able men,and ghlyestcemed czens 20 dlsgorgo lher
Lgoten gains has had moro elect IN illuminating thcn
and Others than the detection In tho act OF dozen cases
az elnuQelinR A fCw such cases have been fcrIeteu
ont of Philadelphia and New York, ana more, IL j.
hoped will be 6IOught 10 light and their authors 10
iusico Along The Southern coast from charleston SCUM
GarOliua 10 the Rio Grande, but moro especially from
Key Wcst 10 the hitter place, smuggling has been prose
cufed with M much activity and success, probably, uul
Ing the past year and up the present m0ueD 10 al "hJ