New-York tribune., 1872-06-05
NEW-YORK CUSTOM-HOUSE.
REPORT OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE.

PORTER-Mhs MOhIht NHiiE"<hNAA' 49,
POLITICS IN THE CUsToM-HoUsE.
WASHINGTON, June 4-Senators Bucking-
ham Pratt Howe, and Stewart, to-day made report
from the Committee OF Investigation and Retrenehmen
10 which was referred the examination INTO INC No"
York Custom house and other subjects.
In New-York and Washington 100 witnesses were eA-
.mined the testimony. oral and documentary com
prisos more than 22OO pages OF print the sources VI
information are exhausted the testimony Is cohhcVhsi
A. could hardly have expected TO DC as
eomparavely few witnesses were examined VINO u'u o'
appear more or less in the character OF paruss "o
Committee submit first that no monstrous aouse mas
Geen discovered in connection with the General Order
busness unless IL be the Misrepresentation not to say
tbe uendacity which has been piled upon IT, The Com
pee say that Nj. Murphy appointed by President
Grant whose appointments have been habtualy some
what distasttfil to the Democratic party.
TnE PRESIDENTS YOUNG FRIENDS.
Mr. Murphy's own appointment proved distasteful TO
portion Of the Republican party. and so 1t happened
perhaps not very logically, but not very unnaturaly'
that Messrs et and stocking fell heirs to all the malice
which cupdty, the wealth, the influence OF two
great trading companies could engender as wen as ue @
Republican party could inspire STORM orr o i GooSg
Is7O Mesgrs Let and stocking quite unknown TO
fame In 20 months they acquired nOt0riety never Dy
sePoei or sreStesi criminals achieved in 50 brief
period. Twenty months ago t Is probable that thcse
Souue mai bad but seldom seen either OF iheir own @
names In me newspapers There are now probably put
feN widely known 70 tne Lead|rs oi 1A Aer
eau newspapers than those OF Leet and htoeng Ietc IS
the testimony OF outside OF II ING tn,eSt
non that Col. Leet was lnoeoIeq 70 tr Ibs his
kind Of favoutsm, political or persona, posidenf
puioy uient un the stan Of Gen. Grant Inc ftesluen
in lis letter to Grnnell merely stes'eu tne infsD
Col Icet for business lie ana hoI ash ay N" 1iencro
for him s less did he ask for any snare OF tte oehcIa
Order business The fact OF pre yment IN the eaSG ~
Let upon the ground OF peIsGna .rt . Is sb0v,6 @ 6a
atestod be denied even though tha Reor yhoulu oS
exploded by Ram9r peth&aP & IL sa0 mon ~ pc en s sabeoeR
as tie parties likely he interested with Leet and by
testimony wholly fails 10 disclose any foundation FOR
such suspicion. On the contrary II proves as conglu
noither Porter Babcock had any interest whatever
with Lee TIC l92ss caGnEt accept @ be fe
Isehy ef Porter Babcock, Stocking end GFlnnssn ,, ~
ssems SSgstMT H. INJECT GIS ia'5 sre mistaken in 5 opinion
borrowed only from the scandal OF great Drawing Citg
than that Leet stockng Porter, BaDeock aupIE T ap
and Gen. Babcock must stand acquitted OF al p9ruGpa
and MT stocking must stand acquitted Of all blame for
seeking that trust well for accepting II when as
signed 10 them 1t Is evident merchandise mas Ueen very
secure ia the OF Leet and Stocking Heavy losses
have occurred to goods IN other buildings, but
the evidence docs not warrant the conclusion that OF an
the millions iu value which have passed through the
Ftor6s OF Leet aud Stocking single do has Oeeh iost
from them.
rlr GENERAL ORDER BUSINESS AND PREsENT-GIvHG.
In the Judgment the Committee ior the reasons they
xiye the Government ought not 70 permit the steamship
companies to have control Of the General order stores
snder the prc sent warehouse system The Government
Demands aud should have double security for the pay
mont f MS dnties-frst possession of the goods, 10
ne resorted II not lost or destroyed; aud second
bond OF the importer 70 be resofteu u e bVOus aAo
There Il no evidence Of presents having rendered
70 OF accepted by officers OF the IIon tner
yUborduates evidence OF preference given 10 one
D such suboldnates the others in the discharge Of
.G so6a deal Of testimony was Submitted on the sub
Vet of 6rbes aud t61fs to officers connected with the
mere was no necessity any apology for even making
such presents. It IN evidence by the agents. VINO
ronfoss 70 making such presents, IN .at 'e h. %
gary oI the @ des 5i fo NewYork TO invettigate the
practice aud he issued circular prohibiting all suCh
payments but, in spite OF the known wishes OF the
tesretary and 81 his known commands, the practice evil
henty has continued The testimony shows pretty
tleaTly the practice would not Dc condemned Dy go0d
morals, If it were not condemned by law; that the
meney is paid not TO secure violation OF law but ar
services required by law Inc usage Is not Oh reSeh'
date but has come down from former generation.
with reference COnnyance on tho part OF the Ohcers
passing Tie baggage of traders the testimony lett but
seTVce of the CustomhOuse had permitted baggage TO
pass without the payment Of duty and had received
grounds for believing that officers stl III the Custom
house guilty of irregular practices In passing
fhe baggage OF passengers. The COMMITTEE Ie-
sros to mud in the testimony too much as
ssSted while under control OF officers Of the customs.
There Is no evidence that any such abstracted goods are
ever returned there any evidence that there has
been auy failure to dismiss officers when detected IN
such practice such distractions are not so heavy as TO
be very damaging but are so frequent as 70 Dc very an
moving. They are the more scandalOus because they
indicate shfessness more than quit Men seem TO be
betrayed into such distractions nOt 80 IpScn ny stnse
al cupdlty as by sense Of impCDity. The Committee
suggest that unclaimed goods should be received az tpe
pier by the General order man ana Dy nm cdIieu 70 he
warehouse when ordered TO the public stores should
Tic committee say it would seem the revenues must
have proted rather than have lost 10y compromises II
any pecuuiir benefit from these compromises except
An The way Of such mOiees the law awards 10 them
CUsIONHOUsE POLITICS.
n Is ndt denied. but admitted that officers OF the
f1aut affa
and that they have always done 1t is not admitted
nor h II averred that the empoy6 drafted into that
service ON the contrary, Mr. Cornell, Mr. Murphy, Mr.
Latin and M OBerns stated that, In 1871 efforts were
made discourage tue attendance OF officers at the
convention. 1t Is very positively denied that the at
tendance CUSTOMS officers upon conventions IN late
fec sbmseiod TO reject Mr. reeleys view Of the infu-
enee Of the CustOm-house over the politics OF
the character Of the Customhouse officials
AZ must dishOnOr the people OF New-York.
It docs not seem all probable that the people OF New
Work are made OF that clay which few weghers from
the Custom fashion into such vessels as they
The xpeTence OF political parties in that Of religious
denominations, money is sometimes needed Ihere can
members OF the church. often asked to contribute TO
such needs The Committee see no reason why those
eonIrbate as those Who do not They have serious
apprehension that either the members OF the Rep4Dhcan
Vrty or the members Of any Christian church, Will
often contribute beyond their ability or beyond tue re-
quIements OF the puOc g00q ana neh j. saal az
The Government worthy member shall be dismissed
tbe service of The church. Tor not submitting
reasonable exactOn, 1t Will be time enough TO restrain
such contributions IL is proper TO ada tlat from the
testimony h wond appear that all the collections
made disbursement Of the State, for the
aid OF campa organized within the state ana not 10
control primary meetings the election OF delegates
specne charge urged against the political action OF
the NewYOTk Custom house IS that ITS patronage Is con
troled in tho interest Of faction in the Republican
party Political events which have transpired since
that charge made have gone far to ret9te IT. 80 far
is known TO the Committee, every individual VINO
urged accusation Is now arrayed IN open opposition