The New York herald., 1870-01-25
COLLECTOR BAELEY'S RAIDS.
Millions in Property in His Hards-No Charges
Yet e-complaints Of rhs Her.
chants, &c.-The Laws Delay.

Collector Baey's army OF occupation ain holds
possession OF the premises, stocGs books aud
papers OF more than twenty firms engaged In the
liquor business the Thirty second district. Sew
eral millions oil property are In ms hands and have
been Tor TWO weeks, ana, as yet there has MOI been
sin2e niimaton even OF the fantest klnd. Of tho
nature of tie charges upon which he Aas taken these
extraordinary and apparently illegal proceedings.
lie appears to nave swung himself Ioosc from,
anu spurned AL the statutory provisions intended
To guard The citizen against oppression aud
Illegal proceedings on the part Of government OIL
elas entrusted with extraordinary powers 10 attain
just aud wholesome ends Ihe revenue law pro-
yides tdc use OF search warrants by officials IN
oldcv 10 eaaDle them to examine premises m which
they haye reason 10 suspect Tie cyistence OF
whlssey, lilicit Astll.s the manniacture of
tobacco Tor the purpose Of cvadlng the
payment OF the legal taxes on those arlc,cs. Col.
icclor Banicy obtains search warrants from United
St4ic5 commissioners and uses them 10 preuii-
scS and property, goods. books ANA patefs ol cIt-
tne m-ncsJ reapectabiiiiA anu ku0wn integ
my AMI WORTH lad 10 aoid tilIs pro!..rty for Two
weeks, Ndnout ccndeSccnding 10 make single
cnaige " iraua Oh To SPECIFY III Tue Alost indefinite
manner the causes OF MS action. he breaks open
salca seles ana removes books. occupies prcnlses
aud sspcnds all business of more Than twenty irs
icr iou tcen days, thereby iinpeii,ng vast interests
| on u slmpie search warrant, originally provided
by law Tor the simple purpose Of dis
| covering Illicit distieres defec.lnR Tie
secret nanuacture oi tobacco. rnc law plescilbes
tHat seizures should be made thai were not
nto United states courts III iorty-eight hours
! thereafter Tor final adjudication. Mr.. Collector
BAILEY holds several millions dollars of property
10. fourteen days ard takes not single sep To
stHe legal proceedings against the parties Or pro
| perties
| fore. compeed 10 furnish ~ thc,r Do1ks ~ UosC
faeo ACCUSATIONS ana evidence against themselves
ana 10 Dc completely cut Oh ir0m air opportunity
o proving their Innoceace Dy ilay.ng their BOOKS
forcol2 held by tae Collector. Again. tnc, complain
! tna. the Assessor, who alone has the tIght 10
adludse the amouuf 0i tax 10 be ievici,
ana VINO alone ,s empowered to examine into ac.
counts 20 detect fraud. has been set ASIDE by tho
Collector. whose only business 1t is ~ col,ect taxes
assessed by the Assessor. The Collector has uslirpcd
tae assessors aulnorty ana even ovcr-iepped tnat.
by seziag ana holding books supple searcn
Warrdat. lie nao thus vlpiated III. law an two re-
spects. and oy oppressng and attempting destroy
the buslnrss oi tue best rruis N the United
states. he has been guilty another gross vioari0n
oil the statutes. Against these tsurpations
and Illegal acts the merchants earnestly pro-
TEST lhey are ready ~ lniH every ienaid
OF the Jaw and have always doae ont they GJect
to TINS unusual and inexcasaoe proceeding, which
hrst adJui2es them criminals giaus Their property
aud tiel cofnpe,s tnem to furnish sOiicinlag that
may be twisted INTO evidence against them. IN orier
W bolser 40 me Cause or he Collector, or 70 c0n-
promise Win him IN the actions. 40 dictionary
yct printed gives the commonly accepted meaning
| VI The word compromise" since tie war began.
TIE mcrcna.ts have taSen steps IN try ncsc cases
and 10 ascertain whether collectors ENJOY laws
themselves and whether there - any Sc
curlty IN property against the Illegal and
| arbitrary proceedings OF government OH
| cals. THIS IS an Important question. ior
the Qn0r merchants paid more tnan S6b coo 600 last
year IN taxes. 1nd are paying now ut the rate OF
! fspooV )ol. Two years ago the revenue from tao
two dollars pei gallon tax was only $50 o00, 001 Now
II Is az iBe rate oi 5000 0Oo, Why should the
goose tlat lays the golden exg ne kiileds
Inc cost 10 the government mall aiming Collec.
tor Gdicy spies. agents clerks. walchuen DC, IN
the present cases IS probably at least soO0 day.
Yet not single charge has been made against thsss
merchants although other cities have been visited
Tor proof to be hoped that the CoIloctor Will
tel soon what fraud he has discovered. a. the odess
houses IA the country are Interested IN the develop.
menL Uf hls facts.