The New York herald., 1871-03-07
CUSTOM HOUSE AFFAIRS,
The Report Of the Congressional
Committee Criticised.
Frauds in the Appraisers Departmen.-what the
Good Old Man" and the Eccentric
Old Man" Have to Say.

The general impression among the Custom House
officials Is tnat the report Of the investigation made
by the congressional committee has proved a com.
plete 1zze. They contend that the committee
makes statements at random which t cannot sub.
santlate. 10 complains OF abuses, but suggests no
remedies. Collector Murphy asserts that Senator
Patterson's sole aim In this investigation has been
to get the general order business back to the
Cunard line. Ills testimony, he says, had been
garbled and the most important parts OF the evil
dence omted but he caused it to be corrected at the
very last hour
IL Is astonishing, says the Collector that the COM
mlttee made so much ado about the paltry general
order business OF which tho gross receipts do not
amount TO more than sl5o.Oo0 year. He thinks
senator Patterson was unduly Influenced by the
agent Of the Cunard line. He the Collector has
CLEAR CONSCIENCE,
and had no trouble In defending his administration
He did not work Tor anybody. The committee says
Mr.. Murphy ought TO have given more attention to
rHE FRAUDS AND ABUSES
that are Of daily occurrence In the Appraisers de-
partment. The sums paid by the governments for
drawbacks for damages foot up to 81 800, 900 an
nuay. One case has come to hts knowledge where
ninety per cent duty Of the gross amount Of the
bill was allowed for damages and thus the govern
ment deirauded OF Its just revenue. In England the
government abates nothing for damages aud the
Collector wishes to haye,the same law adopted In
this country. In March, 1860, for instance the
duties collected on goods that were afterwards re-
appraised for damages amounted to little over
1,300,0 900, and on an order for reappraisement
$751; 900 was allowed and abated by the government
This was In one month.
Why cannot the importers asks Mr.. Murphy, In
sure the dury as well as the original goods and the
freight His impression is that
THE LAW is CONTINUALLY ABUSED,
and that the proper safeguards are not employed
around the examination when an allowance is
made for damage. The appralsement does not come
before the Appraiser. The Examiner and Assistant
the latter has stamp bearing the Appraisers name,
with which ne marks every bill that has been ex-
tons for damages were allowed BY the Appraiser
after the insurance companies had positively
as s p 5 ay or s d r sess wss a
damage a. all This crying abuse claims the Col
THE aoREST SPOT IN THE CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT.,
ana yet the Congressional committee has only
given 1t passing notice.
MI. Murphy also contenos that General Palmer'a
evidence as far as II advocates the employment Of
lawyers as appraisers Is quite faacious. know.
should. above all, understand the goods that are
brought under their examination.
wa Mpng as o me M mas m Inc
will, however, himself urge upon the next Con;
gress the necessity Of making change In the
present Custom House laws.
The reporter then called upon Mr. Grinnell, In
order 10 elicit an expression or opinion from him
with regard to the Congressional report The ''g00d
old man. Was JUST discussing some trivial matter
with number Of his followers, who listened with
bated breath 10 his Oracular statements Mr. Grim
nell, who had himself made the change In the gene
raj order business, OF course thinks that II was
made for the good Of the community, and with his
usual benevoence communicated his views on the
subject, which are similar to those OF Collector
Murphy.
Surveyor Cornels testimony received only
passing alus1ol from the Congressional committee,
which fact this silently profound and modest 0il.
cial attributes to his own lnslRnlfcance. At least
gao0us young mau has the knack Of keeping on
good terms with everybody, and can, II necessary
change sides with cheerful alaorty. Assistant Col.
ecor Church looks upon the investigation business
immortalize himself by exposing the folly Of Con-
eress In sending members to investigate Custom
House frauds, Which, like the antlluery stone OF
Dickens Pickwlckan trio only existed iI their own
imagination. The ancient and eccentric dgnitary
was, however, not IN laxative mood. AfIer the
delivery OF this weighty sentence he lapsed into
suen silence, and looked gloomily qrand.
The following Is the report OF the Warehouse de.
partment for the month OF February, 1871 -
Withdrawals from warehouse, S,ci7; duty pail on the
same 4A,16402s 37
Warehouse bend. I
Warehouse and sportaton entries. .......... liz
Withdrawal for transportation entries. lig
70 21
Foreign export AL
Foreign export class 2....... 81
enHcs lH
LIQUlpArroNs AND ADJUSTMENTS.
Entries on hand February 1871. S7................. 7g
Entries received In February. 2,1sI
Total. ................ 29M
Entries nauaaea IN renruaty. 23ls
Entries ready for liquidation March ], l07l........