The New York herald., 1870-04-09
CUSTOM HOUSE MAyGUvRING.
How the Understrappers Fitch the People and
the Government.

How the Understrappers Filch the People and
the Government.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
1t has occurred to me that in your we'll directed
efforts to ameiorate the condition OF society by
showing up, through the columns OF your widely
read Journal the evils arising out OF imperlections
In our laws and IN many instances the maadminis-
tration them that you would no doubt give space
for cursory review Of the inner workings OF some
OF government institutions, from those circles
presumed tnat all the rings OF lesser magnitude
radiate spreading their influence to every quarter OF
the Union where Executive patronage is bestowed.
With this view permit TO call attention of your
readers to the New York Custom House. This 1t
Is generally supposed is the richest ''pum"- in
the gift OF the President. ana is eagerly sought
for by persons VINO have for themselves honor
able distinction either the halls OF legislation or IN
the commercial world.
To one OF the latter class has the mantle OF patron
age been worthiy bestowed-a gentleman who for
half century has been Identified with the shipping
interests OF the port Of New York q successful
merchant.
1t may be reasonably inferred that such an i'm
p0rtant Office would call forth all the energy OF
vigorous intellect cope with the various and tri
cate details Of each particular department, and 1t IS
shown under the new re0tne that the present Col
lecor from his thorough knowledge OF marine laws,
Is eminenty fitted to direct and administer them for
the interest OF the merchant and the government.
| Yet errors Will sometimes occur IN the best regu-
lated families, and ventilation OF them may correct
the evil
| Each branch or bureau OF the Custom House has
cOrrelative bearing TO the other, each having
| primary object viz:-The collection or revenues
duties due to the government upon the various nl
nor ana exports 10 carry Out e roTcs
necessarily employed, each one clothed Win a
certain OF brief authority In the particular
nhnrnn nf dnf tn uh no naV
may be truly said for with every change OF admins
tration the 0ical guil0tne is put in motion until
tican Is satlated in replacing eacn sacrifice with
new ''victlm." The tabled story OF the good old
man ana his donkey finds an apt illustration in the
| AFFAIRS OF the Custom House, eacn faction clamor
ing for change and each intent on sinister motive In
arising out Of this sy are chargeabe to our gov
ernment, and 50 long as men are selected 10 nl the
various government offices, without regard 70 their
peculiar fitness or moral worth, so long VIII the
offices cease TO be sought for by men OF intellectual
| capacity or sterling pr0bty.
The temptations are manifold IN this particular
branch OF the government service. For example,
an importer intent on defraudlng the government OF
| the revenue due on his importations has only to
| approach the onicer through some indirect means,
! tender him brbe handsome, OF course, and he
winks at the iraud Recent Illustrations OF gigantic
fraud are familiar to your readers-n the weight
and classification OF sugars-the cases OF SILKS I'M
ported" as pearl buttons, by "Buchananr'--and the
cases or more recent date. in which silks were
smuggled IN French clocksn Those were cases
where valuable considerations were bestowed on the
such frauds can have place, when taxing into con-
slderaon the insecure tenure OF his oice poor pay,
aud his intuitlve knowledge tDat he can secure
some better position in the government service IN
he Is remOvcdl through the Alderman or the ward,
wnere ne may have 'voted early" and ''voted
ofgen2"
The system of rendering gifts and the acceptance
m ten n ne ,n Every osH n " o,ca ,e an
aid the importer or the smuggler by coNusion. My
assertion ior these facts Is 1qiy corfoporatea oy
yet III ninety and nine cases out OF every hundred
the public can know nothing OF the minor cases OF
fraud or rather rmaladmnstration OF the law winch
permits It, The courts take cognlzance only OF such
cases as come before them, exceeding the sum OF
$500 the chances OF dividend ito the selzng cerl
being remote that the importer ADVISED to COM
promise the case by submitting his check TO the
Bureau OF Rewards and Punlshments, which Is de-
nominated the Tenth division.
This plum IS then divided into four parts-the
Collector Surveyor, Naval Oticer and Inspector
each receiving OnefOurtn OF the net proceeds.
| To give coorng ana legal effect to the division
Of the plum report is sent to the Comp,
the case Is enveoped IN red tape and
allowed to remain from SIX to twelve m0ntns at the
sanction and warrant for the four DIVIDES y sent
to the Auditors Bureau. II the Inspector eau obtain
knowledge OF the fact he Is lucky; II not, ne Is IN
formed tnat ne have the claim cashed at reduc
tion Of twenty per cent. Tne poor mans mouth wa
terlng Tor the plum or TO share with his family, he
relnquisnes his claim. and check signed Dy the
'.head centre OF the ring" on the banking house OF
John J. Cisco d co. Is handed to him. III he needs
more than ne has claim for he mortgage MS
months salary at the same percentage; but IN such
case the twenty per cent may not appear usurlous
or unjust when t Is considered that the ring runs
the risk Of the Inspectors removal on the 10th or
18th OF the month, and greater caution is now exer
clsed, as the removals are made at the rate OF
twenty every month. But when doubt exists as to
the latter is had TO one in the ring
From him 1t Is ascertained the day when decapta-
terests Of the ''rng" likely to suffer brief
spite obtained until the Indebtedness is iquidated
The oficers authority. in making seizures, should
be exercised with that nice sense OF discrimination
that would enable him to Judge whether 1t would be
with some) absolutely absurd TO expect nicely OF
sentiment or justice IN them. such commodities
Will not pay. ana from this ndiscrlmnate exercise
OF authority arise abuses OF the most Migrant char
acter. For example, gentleman arriving from
Havana, per steamship Eagle furnished himself with
two hundred choice cigars, one box OF which he
smoked allowed his companions dU roVdge to do
so; The other box opened and kindly invited the
OFFICER help himself to the weed staIng that they
were OF a choice brand. The inspector did as re-
quested but instead OF accepting the gentIeman's
invitation In the literal sense he took the whole box
and sent 1t to The Bureau Of Rewards. and Punish
ments, where the gentleman followed and received
ninety-lve cigars. after paying trife OF duty.
tresses, where nicer sense Of decacy Is supposed
to exist but the nsatate greed for dollars and
cents shuts ont the uer feelings and the coarser ones
prevail.
One illustration will sutice although the number
can be multiplied The Celia, from London TO this
port arrived, bringing number OF sreerage ana
cabin passengers. Among the latter was u lady OF
education and refinement who, previous TO EN-.
barkatlon purchased silk dress and had 1t cut by
dressnaker IN London, but not being quite
first day out by sewing the garment. On the second
out the lady was so prostrated with sickness that
sewing was out OF the question. The stewardess IN
formed her That The feInale searchers'' at New York
would take her and dress to tne Custom House. She
Indignantly spurned the idea but, being ignorant Of
| the "customs OF the country" she concluded to
take the advice OF the stewardess and fastened the
skirts OF the unfinished garment 10 her person;
but, alas! for human increduty. the searcner came
in the garD OF her own sex, dsr0bed her
me Tentn division, where she 1 books Of that
| bureau Will show the division OF lew
| dollars to Tom, Dick, Harry and Jennie.
Wnat rendered this case peculiarly narrowing was
the fact tnat Mrs. - was bordering on the sphere
Of Motherhood and she reasO nably looked for SYM
pathy under those circumstances. But no. Sne was
classed with Buchanan aud Others, who made pro-
| fessOn OF smuggling and nad reduced 1t to a
| system.
The prairies OF Illinois represented as covered
with water III many places the result OF the recent
rains and melting snow. Is will take many days OF