New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-05


portunity to plumber the public treasury,
when there are such strong grounds for sus-
picion against him. If the evidence now
placed before the President by the commit
tee of investigation appears in his eyes III
sufficient to establish the venality of his
brother-n-law, it is convenient to supply
him with something further, which, it is
hoped, will not appeal in vain to his pur-
blind senses of wrong. 1t is letter ad
dressed by Casey to the Secretary Of the
Treasury. OF course the President las
seen it before, but then the people are not
aware that he has seen it-that is the plt.
We are disposed to think that ere Cal0t
wish heartily that he had never seen Au-
gust Couture & Co., nor heard of their
sugar frauds Here is the letter:
CUsroMHorsK NEW ORLEANS
Collectors Office, November 20, 1871.
SIR haver the honor to submit the fol-
lowing statement for the information OF the
department relative to the Couture sugar
cases now pending before the department
for decision in the matter OF the proceeds OF
said sugars.
lector of this port, it was currently reported
that there had been frauds perpetrated on
the revenue, and when | took charge OF
this office, April II, 1869. at the suggestion
of my special deputy collector, T. r. Her
wig. | Immediately caused an abstract to be
made cut of sugars in bonded warehouses,
with dates OfimpOrtatl0n, by whom shipped,
and to whom consigned. name of vessel. in
voice weights, weights as returned -nlted
States weigher rates of duty and classified
tons.
| discovered that the sugars consigned to
August Couture & Go. were appraised at
the lowest grade and that the average
| wei onts were tar less than the ordinary
| weights Of sugars imported by other lner-
| chants which confirmed my suspicion. and.
| believing that the firm OF A. Couture q
| Co. were about receiving other importa-
| tons | delayed further Investigations, eX-
cept III quiet way. in order not to excite
| SUSPICION When other lots of sugars came,
| and believing that no more would arrive, |
! caused all of the sugars belonging to SAID
! firm to be reweighed and reclassliled, ana
then ordered said sugars to be seized.
That | commenced this investigation on
the night of the first day took charge OF
this office April l.. 1861, and that, IN ten
DAYS from that date. was fully satisfied
of the existence OF the Couture frauds
hut as before stated. kept the matter per
fectly quiet until the arrival OF other sus
! uccted cargOcs. ! further state that the
evidence so furnished by Mr. Herwig was
the first information got relative to these
frauds. except mere street rumor. My 90
iect in making this statement Is TO correct
any Misrepresentation that may exist on this
| subject and in this connection | invite YOU
attention to the inclosed letter OF Mr.
Gormly relative to the matters.
Very respectfully, your obedlent servant
JAMES f CASEY.
Collector
To Hon. George S. Boutwell,. Secretary of the Treas
ury.
What spectacle is presented here. TIT
spectacle OF all honest man flying IN al
vance of accusation, and crying, Thou
canst not say did it., What does he say
was his object in making this statement
TO correct any misapprehenslon that ma,
exist So then. Mr.. Collectors action Il
the matter was on its face of so questlona
bic a character as, in his estimation, to al
ford ground for misrepresentation by tn
department. A very generous admission
indeed Your frankness. Mr.. Casey, dc
serves more from IN admlrlng pubic tina
your discretion: and. take notice, you Wi
he duly credited You have now surrer
dered the key of your treasures into til
hands Of justice, which, though It's organ
are sometimes perverted to wrong, has re
sources that the evil forget but can not e.
cape.
Suppose the department did not misal
prehend, would it be likely to act upon
mere suspicion. and without careful inve
tigation by its agents, Was it to foresta
inquiry that he wrote, Some suspicion
persons, less delicate than others. would il
ter that the object of this letter was to pr
vent investigation, and that its author. col
scious OF resting under the shadow OF
mighty sceptrc believed it would be c
fcctual.
What is the chief point with reference
which he is so anxious that the departmel
shall not suffer under misapprehens"r
He SAYS that when he took charge OF til
office, April Il, 1869, he Immediately bega
a most comprehensive system of Investig
ton. and that within ten days he dlscovert
fraudulent weighing and gauging of tn
sugars imported by August Couture y {
! VIII he now lie goOu enough 10 ftilcNt |
from any misapprehension we may be labo
+ inc under with reference to one little pOll
IN this connection! VIII he tell us why
, was that several months after his alleg'
Investigation had begun. he expressed Il
e most utter surprise upon being informed
Mr. Dillingham;, the naval officer, that the
frauds were going or Amazed, were yo
: Mr.. Collector, TO learn a fact Of such star
t linz import-to learn something that yc
1 already knew
= Again, he kept the matter perfectly qui
until the arrival ofother suspected cargoe'
That hardly disposes OF the charge OF der
LECTION of duty i'll failing to inform Il
department Keep it quiet ot course
= would. for ruin might follow disciosuI
e But what says the President message up'
!, this question of waiting until the arnv
r Of other suspected cargoes! Let him
f informed that the people know 1t. Let hi
o be told, in all kindness, that IL he would
u honored by the people, he must respe
n their rights, he must do their bidding,
must recognize no rivals, even though IN