The New York herald., 1869-05-05
THE CUSTOM HOUSE.

Affairs mt the Custom HOuse-Probnbie
Changes and Reforms-Reirenchment
poets Of the Ius and Ouis--Eate Appoints
ments, Removals and Regulati0ns-The
"New Br0om'' in Operation.
There are indications from the numerous orders,
circulars and letters which are now being dis
tribued from the Office OF Mr.. Grinne Collector OF
Customs at this port, that some sweeping reforms
will be made within very short time at the Custom
House, and prominent among such reforms, it Is
believed, viii be curtailment OF the force
o, subordinate attaches and the demolition
OF some Of the sinecure offices and red
tapesms which have under former regimes
seriously impaired the efficiency and integrity
OF the department. Thus far. since Mr.. Grinnel's s
accession to the ofice, very few absolute changes
have Deen effected, either in the conduct OF customs
business and AFFAIRS generally or In the way OF new
appointments or supersedures. The Collector has
in fact been familiarizng himself with the routine
and management Of affairs as they existed
under his predecessor, and informing himself, by
consultation with respectable business men and
merchants and the chiefs of the auxiliary bureaus,
OF the required notifications OF present rules, and
the amendment and substitution OF other regulations
for the government of the establishment and the
convenience and furtherance of the necessities ana
demands of the commercial public.
ally crept into The administration Of the customs of
this port and these In turn were initiated on linz
tied scale by Of the chief officials Of the
departments and divisions Some Of the abuses re-
ferred to were the result of neglect and indifference
TO the public wants and the interests OF the mercan
tile community, while still greater proportion arose
from the peculations and devices Of officials whose
operations more closely resembled a systematzed
and colorabiy legal blackma. EmDarrassments
yu in a n
of business Of the merchants and consignees and It
was in very many cases found that money would
PROSTATE the red-tape obstacle which an undersrap
per had set up Of his own yOllti0n for 1.-THE better
government" Of his particular sphere OF functions.
All these little ncoherencies ana trammels the
doubt, unearth before many weeks have elapsed,
when there will be a lively shaking among Oh dry
old bones of this fat and fertile valley Mr. Grinne
has large field select from in filling the vacant
chairs OF those who are found to have been intriguing
and speculatmg upon their oiilcal authority, ana IL
Is reasonable presume that there those among
them who could and would discharge their duties
honestly and energetically. The proportion Of APP
against the offices at his disposal or the present
force 1t Is generally believed that large number OF
ecent and upright Officers ;,, VIII Ill tse be retained ans
with view to retrenchment. Several OF
the existing sub-bureaus and all the sinecures,
which ore the most shameless plague spot in the de-
partment Will be abolished and their duties, nominal
and real Will be assigned TO other existing bureaus
and divisions A considerable number OF The sine
cures are held by editorial writers for the press,
Bohemians nOvelists and sensational magazine con-
tributOrs, all OF whom have some real or assumed
political periodicals, and their influence"
was presumed & by the hen outsiders r TO e oe te
aired seats They were convenient at times, as their
quilts were brought into occasional requisiton to
repel partisan onslaughts, and to dress up the adj
ministratiOn, generally in rOsetinted attire when 1t
happened to be sailing serenely along, unmOested by
the pirates and freeboOers Of political antagonists.
These wil go by The board and the officials whose
artmpntS preSnnt OnlV add Embarrassment to
the necessarily complicated machinery OF the
gland system will walk the plank" of
retrenchmeuJ and leave their budget Of light but
well paid functions To be picked up ana attended to
by the gentlemen at the 0.her end OF the slab, who
there are very many prospective ''outs," both
through the contemplated permanent reduction OF
the stan and tue appointment OF new hands to take
the places of some Of the Outcasts there are still
very many officers whose departments could not be
consolidated If desired, and whose supersedure
would be serious hindrance, II not befOgging EN-.
barrassment to the business Of the Custom House.
Several OF the attaches have grown gray in the
vice, and Others have been In various positions so
long and have identified their duties with them
selves that TO dismiss them would be to take
out the handspring Of their offices and neces-
state much Inconvenience and years Of drill
ing on the part of their successors to fami
arize themselves with the requirements OF their
positions.
on Monday last Collector Grinnell went to WASH
ingtOn for the purpose OF consultation with the
Secretary Of the Treasury in relation TO the proecseg
notifications and reforms. A few days since ME-
mortal. numef6lisy Signed by leading Importers Of
this city, was submitted to the Collector by com.
mittee or the Merchants Cartmen's Association OF
New York. The petitioners called the attention OF
Mr.. Grinnel In that circular, the present method
OF conducting the business Of delivering appraised
goods from the Appraisers stores, and TO San
abuse'' in connection tosrewith which they allege
''came into existence during the term OF Ohice OF
Mr.. Henry A. Smythe, late Collector" They state
that formerly, when goods had been appraised
and passed an order for their delivery was at once
issued and the goods delivered forthwith If desired,
to the Importers agents; present conducted
nOrterS emDOy certain carmen. who are
reported to hold peculiar position as regards the
Appraisers Department, delay OF twenty-iour
delivery orders are issued.n IL this be true 1t Is
remarkable development OF "aXe grinding" and the
revolutions OF that stone should nave tne brakes pt
gathers no moss" but such grindsone as thac re-
erred to here Is calculated TO make the ''mossn and
friends OF the movement" Many OF the memorial.
lists say they have In their employ cartmen VINO
have done their work well for years and they still
desire to avail themselves OF their services, but
under the present system followed at the Appraisers
Office the employment by merchants OF their own
carmen causes the delay Of twenty-four hours
while ''if they employ other cartmen well known at
the Appraisers ONCE, there is no delay, ana
the delivery orders are signed Immediately sp4ssy
that they have been informed by peraons
claiming to have influence in the Appraisers diIlce
that II they the merchants will agree to employ
certain individuals as carrmen and no othersn there
will be no delay after the appraisement OF their
goods ntimatlng on the other hand that II they DO
employ their own cartmen there viii be delay.
This they claim TO have found to be fact existent
and they ash 10 hare Investigation OF this alleged
practice IN the Appraisers Department Tor by indi-
viduals connected therewlthl, and that steps be
taken to remedy the evil II 1t be proven to exist IL
will thus seem that there is "Cartmen's Ring
10 be added to the list OF select circles with which
this metropolitan community Is girded and by which
the public purse IL wrung, and 1t Is reported that
this Is one OF the 'matters'' that Will engage the
attention OF the Collector at Washington.
Up TO and including last week the hordes OF small
politicians and olce-hunters that thronged the cor
rlAr af hn nnSf tlA t1te nj