Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-06-14
The Custom House Investigation.

WASHINGTON, June 4.
Senators Buckingham, Pratt, Howe and
Stewart to-day reported from the Com
mittee of Investigation into the New
York Custom House. They say no mon
strous abuse has been discovered in con-
nection with the General Order business,
unless 1t be the Misrepresentation, not to
say the mendacity, filed on it. There is
not in the testimony or outside of IL the
faintest suggestion that Leet was indebt-
ed to any kind of favoritism, political or
personal, for his employment on General
Grants staff. While the President, in a
letter to Mr.. Grinnell, merely attested
Leet's fitness for the business, aud did not
ask any appointment for him, the fact of
Leet's preferment on the ground of per-
sonal merit is well attested. The testimony
proves conclusively that neither Generals
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
judgment of the Committee, the General
Order stores ought not to be controlled by
the steamship companies, for the Govern
ment should have as security for payment
of duties possession of goods and the
bond of the importer for use in case of
loss or destruction of the goods. There
is no evidence of presents rendered or ac-
cepted by Custom House officers from their
subordinates, or preference given to any
of the latter. 1t is evident some payments
were made to officers above the amount
fixed by law to secure additional oorviocs,
but the practice has come down from
former generations, and effort is being
made to abolish it. The committee con-
denn another practice on the part of Off
GERS in accepting considerations for the
passage of personal baggage, but say
there is no evidence of failure to dismiss
officers detected therein. The committee
suggest thai unclaimed goods be received
at the pier by the General Order man,
and carted to the warehouse, and when
ordered to the public stores be delivered
to the contractor. The revenues, say the
committee, must have profited rather
than lost by compromises. 1t does not
appear that officers derived any pecuniary
| profit from these compromises, except in
| the way of legally allowed moieties. 1t
| is admitted that officers attend political
conventions, but efforts have been made
to discourage such attendance, which,
! however, is no greater than formerly.
| The committee feel compelled to regret
! Horace Greeley's view of the influence of
| the Custom House over New York poll
tics. There is no doubt of the use of
money for political purposes, and the
committee see no reason why salaried
officers may not be properly invited to
contribute therefor. 1t appears that all
the collections are made either for dis
bursement out of the State, or for the aid
of campaigns organized 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 Repub-
lican party is disposed of by the fact that
the very individual who urged that accu-
sation is now arrdyed in open opposition
to the party, and there is no longer any
known faction in the Republican party.
The committee say number of persons
removed from the Custom House were
subsequently provided places under the
city government, through the influence of
Tammany. While the committee are not
satisfied that it is wise to exempt mer-
chants from giving bonds for the duties
on their warehoused goods, or to remit
the interest on goods warehoused for the
year, they concur in the suggestion that a
commission be appointed by the Secretary
of the Treasury to revise and remodel the
whole service as far as is found necessary
The committee, without waiting for such
| investigation, recommend the adjustment
of the system of moieties to officers ex
cept in case of the seizure of smuggled
goods. Salaries should be adequate fol
all the labor performed and the responsi
bility assumed. While other agents OF
the Government should be stimulated tC
ferret out frauds, assistant appraisers and
examiners should be experts and be ap
pointed only upon written and recorded
proof of unexceptionable character and
certain acquaintance with the commodi
ties they are called upon to appraise
They should receive adequate salaries and
remain in Office until convicted of miscon
duct, or mentally or physically disabled