New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-14

Der, October. November, and December, of
1869, and January and February of 1870.
The amount paid said employees per month,
and if any persons were employed and paid
during said time without authority of law,
if so, how many and the amount thus paid
them, and what labor if any, they per-
formed. The amount paid employees in said
custOmhOuse during each Of the months of
1865, 1866. 1867 and 1868, together with the
number of persons employed during each
| Of said months. The amount and proper.
ton of increase, if any, of imports and ex-
ports at said port during said years.
In reply l transmit the original papers
called for. together with statements pre-
| pared in the office Of the Commissioner of
Customs and Bureau of Statistics, which
furnish all the information il the posses
sion of this department on the subjects en-
braced in said resolution.
have included a statement of the imports
and exports for the year 1869.
| Very respectfully,
GEORGE S. BOUTWELL,.
| Secretary of the Treasury
Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Vice President, &C.
| STATEMENT OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN
REFERENCE To NEW ORLEANS CUSTOM
HOUSE.
SIR: When the present administration
came INTO power it was confidently expec, ed
that the CustOlnhOuse at New Orleans.
| which had been Johnsonized and filled with
! Democrats under Perry Fuller, would be re-
formed upon the basis Of loyalty, Republi-
canism and the declared policy of "honesty
| and strict ecOnOmy.'
| Nine months have elapsed and these rea-
sonable expectations have not been real
lied. Many Democrats under Mr.. Fuller
| have been retained, and others Of the same
character have been appointed by Col
lector Casey. against the protest of
ha RtI h Inca lt \f.4fa IaV
! ing failed, after repeated efforts to induce
the coll ctor to reorganize the Customhouse
upon the basis named, he was requested to
furnish rolls of his employees. that the Dem
Ocrats in government service might be
| pointed out to the administration at Wash
ington: this was refused. but subsequently
such rolls were otherwise obtained. From
an examination OF these rolls it appears
that four hundred and twelve men were en-
plOved. and of this number about one hun.
dred only were known Republicans. Hav-
ing represented these facts to the depart
ment, Collector Casey was directed to send
on his plan for reducing his force. In COM
pliance Herewith he has submitted plan
to the department containing four hundred
and twenty names, not including the force
of the naval office. which. when added. in
creases the force under this reorganization
to four hundred vnd thirty-twO officers and
employees, of which less than one hundred
and fifty are known Republicans.
We respectfully protest against the reor-
ganization of the New Orleans Customhouse
upon this political basis. We can not see
the justice or expediency of appointing
Democrats and rebels to office. especially in
New Orleans. where loyal men have been
ostracised. prescribed and butchered on ac-
count Of their fidelity to the government.
There are honest capable Republicans.
eX-s"ldiers of the Union. whose families
IL
ing to serve the government. and they de
serve and greatly need the salaries DOW !
paid to Democrats by Collector Casey
But, over and above the political aspect |
of this matter, there is another, of greater !
interest and Importance to the administra- |
ton and the country, and that is the |
honesty, efficiency. and economy of the re-
organization and management OF the New |
Orleans custOmhOuse.
From the custOmhouse rolls it appears |
that the force under Collector Casey in |
1869 numbered four hundred and twelve |
men, at an aggregate amount for salaries of |
four hundred and thirty-One thousand seven |
hundred and thirty dollars per annum. Tn
der the new organization as proposed, the
force numbers four hundred and thirty-two
men. at an aggregate amount Of salary. as
computed from the rolls, Of five hundred
and three thousand five hundred and
ninety -iive dollars per annum. This large
force and startling expenditure for the col
lection Of the customs at New Orlegns has
led to an investigation and comparison of
the business force and expenses for the
years 1859, 1869 and 1870. as follows:
For 1859. For 1863. For 1870.
Tons. Tons
Foreign tonnage at the
port of New Orleans. 660 Ill 1872 29C Same as SO
Force employed in Gus
lOnhOuse. ........... 1876 mep All men i32men
Aggregate amount of
saari4s........... k233 $40 $43l 70 $500 5Q-
Thus it is shown that with one-thrd less
business in 1869 and 1870 the force employed
is more than twice as large and the ex-
penses are double those OF 1859: and under
the present management the force is in
creased twenty men, and the expenses are
las computed from new rOlls) ST., S65 over
those OF 1869. Butt comparison of the Gus
tomhouse expenses under the tariff laws
enacted since 1859 will apply more directly
and with greater force; therefore. we sub
init the amounts expended for salaries dur
ing the months of May, June, July August
and September for the years lSGG-67 -6S-69,
as follows: l.
Amount expended for said months of 1866
was S93ii 60.
Amount expended for said months of 1867
was $l469J7 80
Amount expended for said months of 1868
was SiS3.506 -.
Amount expended for said months of 1869
was $2O4.756 %.
From these amounts it appears that the
expenses under Collector Casey during
these five months of 1869 exceeded the ex.
penses for the same months of lS66-67-6S
V. in amounts as follows: SlU5-
3l4 40: $j7.19o &c. S2l.249 3D. Or com
pairing the expenses of August and Septem-
Der. 1868. with those for the same months
Of 1863, the last months for which Collector
Casey has rendered accounts, we find the
amounts expended as follows:
Amount expended in August, 1863, s33,-
- D. against Sal, Cos So for the same
month 10 1869
Amount expended in September, 1888. {
s33. Is -, against 42,2'7 IS for the same
month III 1869.
Thus it is shown that in August and Sep :
ember, 1869, under Collector Casey. the ex- !
lenses exceeded the amount for the same !
months of the previous year by ST. ,0i0 81, $
It which rate the expenses of the whole 9
ear of 1869 would exceed those of 1868 by i
:l02,242 IL. and 1870 las shown from the :
lew plan of reorganization the expenses
will exceed those of 1868 10y sl74,iO i6. 5
md those of 1869 by s. 800 d
We respectfully call attention to the
abor rolls of warehouse No. | for the !,
months of June. July and August. 1869.
he last received at the department. \
which respectively contain the names OF q
fifty eight. sxty-nine and seventy-six men. \
t cost of sl7 ,462 and respectfully ask if
hese men were appointed by authority of
aw Were their appointments approved d
t the department Were the men en- r.
oyed required to take the oaths prescribed !
" law Did they perform the duties of a
hnr Ifyy %1,.r g..