The Portland daily press., 1872-06-05
WASHINGTON.
The New York Custom House In
vestigafiO4.
Report Of the Majority Of
the Committee.

WASHINGTON, June 4-Senators Bucking-
ham, Pratt, Howe, 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 cOnnec-
ton with general order business, unless it be
the Misrepresentation not to say mendacity
fixed upon it. There is not in the testimony or
outside of it the faintest suggestion that 1eet
was indebted to any kind of favoritism, politi-
cal or personal, for his employment on General
Grants staff; while the President in letter to
Grinnell merely attested to Leets fitness for
business and did not ask any appointment for
him. The fact of Leet's preferment on the
ground OF personal merits is well attested The
testimony proves conclusively that neither
Gems. Porter or Babcock had any interest what
ever with Leet. Not single dollar of the mil
lions which passed through the stores of Leet
and Stocking has been lost In the Judgment
ought not to be controlled by the steamship
companies, as the government should have as
security for payment of duties the possession
of goods and bond of the importer for use in
case of loss or destruction of goods. There is
no evidence of presents rendered or accepted by
the Custom House officers from their subordi-
mates or of preference given to any of the lat
ter
1t is evident that some payments were made
to officers above the amount fixed by law to Sc
cure additional services, but the practice has
come down from former generation and an
effort is being made to abolish it. The COM
mittee condemn another practice on the part of
officers, which is that of accepting considera-
ton for passing personal baggage, but say there
is no evidence of failure to dismiss officers de-
tected therein.
The committee suggest that unclaimed goods
be received at the pier by a general order man
and carted to the warehouse, and when ordered
to the public stores delivered to the contractor.
The revenue, say the Committee must have
profted rather than lost by the Compromise
1t does not appear that the officers derived any
pecuniary profit from these compromises except
in the way of legally allowing moieties.
1t is admitted that the officers attend political
conventions, but efforts have been made to dis
courage such attendance, which, however, is
no greater than formerly. O.. E-r
The committee feel compelled to reject Gree
ley's views of the influence of the Custom
House over New York politics.
There is no doubt of the use of money for po-
litical purposes, and the Committee see no rea-
son why salaried officers may not be properly
invited to contribute therefor.
1t appears that all the collections are made
to aid campaigns out of or within the State and
not to control primary meetings 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 disposed
OF by the fact that every individual who urged
that the accusation is now arrayed in open OPP
position 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 subse-
auently provided with places under the city
government by the influence of Tammany
While the Committee is not satisfied that it
would not be wise to exempt merchants from
giving bonds for duties their warehonsed
goods, or to remit the interest on goods ware
housed for year, they concur in the suggestion
that a commission be appointed by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury to revise and remodel the
whole service as far as found necessary
%ta9g waiting Gr sneh
the system of moeties to officers except in case
OF seizure of struggled goods. The salaries
should be adequate for all labor performed and
responsibility assumed. While other agents of
the government should be stimulated to ferret
should be experts and be appointed only upon
written and recorded proof of unexceptionable
character and certain acquaintance with the
commodities they are called upon to appraise,
and should receive adequate, salaries and re-
main in Office till convicted of misconduct, or
mentally or physically disabled
49,, The Buell. Records Found.
A report prevailed yesterday that the missing
records of the Buell. military commission had
been restored to the War Department and upon
inquiry this report proved true.
Out of Town.
A large number of Congressman left town to-
night to attend the Philadelphia Convention.
- MIR. Cox. ....
The physicians of Representative S. S. Cox
are inclined to hope that the critical period has
passed. H-
Murder of n Naval Omcer.
The Navy Department has received a des-
patch from Mayor Goodsell of Bridgeport, Ct,
announcing that Capt. G. NJ. Colvocoressee, of
the United States Navy, was murdered and
robbed in that city last night. 49,
4A 81 Nominations.
The President has nominated Major Benz
Alvord for Paymaster General; Col. S. G. Eas-
ton to be Quartermaster General and Col Stew
art Van Vleet to be Assistant Quartermaster
General; the following Majors to be Lieutenant
Colonies and Deputy Quartermaster Generals:
Alexander Montgomery, Treadwell Moore,
Hyatt c. Ransom, osher R. Eddy and Rufus
Easton.