Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-06-05
Report on the Custom House In
vestigation.

Washington, 4. Senators Buckingham,
Pratt, Hows and Stewart to-day reported
from the committee of investigation into the
New York Custom House. They say that no
monstrous abuse has been discovered in con-
necton with the government order business,
unless 1t be Misrepresentation, not to say
mendacity piled upon it. There is not in
the testimony or outside of it the taintest
suggestion that Leet was indebted to any
kind of favoritism, political or personal, for
his employment on Grants staff. While the
President in letter to Grinnell merely at
tested to Leet's fitness for business, andalid
not ask any appointment for him, the fact
OF Loets preferment on the ground of per-
sonal merits is well attested. The testimony
proves conclusively that neither General
Porter or Babcock had any interest what
ever with Leet. Not single dollar of the
millions which passed through the stores of
Leet Stocking has been lost In the judy
ment of the committee the general order
stores ought not to be controlled by the
steamship companies, for the government
should have a security for payment of duties,
the possession of the goods and bond of the
importer for use in case of loss or destruc-
ton of goods. There is no evidence OF pres
ents rendered or accepted by the custom
h ,use officers from their subordinates, or of
preference given to any OF the latter.
1t Is evident that some payments were
made to officers above the amount fixed by
law to secure additional services, but the
practice has come down from a former gen
Grafton, and effort is being made to abolish
it. The committee condemns another practice
on the part of officers in accepting considera
ton tor passing personal baggage, but say
there is no evidence Of Il failure to dismiss
officers detected therein. The commission
ISnty l,af lni, Ia NJ.
pier by general order man and carted to the
warehouse, and when ordered to the public
, stores, delivered to the contractor. The rev.
enues, say the committee, must have profted
rather than lost by compromises 1t does
not appear that the officers derived any Pc
cuniary profit from these compromises, ex-
cept in the way of legally allowing moieties
Ii is admitted that the officers attend political
conventions, but efforts have been made to
discourage such attendance, which however
is no more than formerly. The committee
feel compelled to reject Greeley's views of in
fluence Of custom house officials in New York
politics. There is doubt of the use of
money for political purposes, and the com
mittee see no reason why salaricd officers
may not be properly invited to contribute
therefor. 1t appears that ali the collections
are made to aid campaigns out of or within
the State aud not to control primary meet.
ings or the election of delegates. The
charge that the political patronage of the
custom house is controlled in the interest of
one faction of the republican party, is dis
posed of by the fact that every individual
who urged that accusation, is now arrayed IN
open hostility to the party and there is no
longer any known faction in the republican
party. The committee say that number of
persons removed from the custom house
were subsequently provided with places
under the city government by the inflence of
Tanmany. While the committee is not sat
istied that it would be wise to exempt mer