New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-09

interests of the Government, and, in "A restricted
sense detrimental to parties ana TO adilnistralons
sati0n twice that of the Presidentf Why should
each abstract from the Treasury annually more than
- aa,nhined salaries of the Supreme Court Bench
wv = should these three officers receive more than
ny to the President his Cabinet and the Judges
~ pau d c,,nrcrne Court combined These monstrOus
~, "a ovor6tant sums are paid to officers whose re-
orsibiIities are certainly no greater than those of
M one of the high administrative or judicial officers
= ~, - named Popular attention has never been
n" directed 70 this matter or long ere this, am
@ 3n ifresstia cry for reform would have over
tbro,rn the system anu "a abuses Whch are every
Wv So demoralizin9 and injuI s 70 me 'lllIsIs 80
yreatly overpaid. pernicious TO their
md abeye all letrIpeQtal to the public
gSondalous these influences have been IN the u
,ed,ate past, they may be exceeded ~ the futuTe
rben extending upward as well rs downward, the
rerv eonrces of patronage may become tainted The
tF6gple for these lucrative positions will in time if
they have not already. inevitably engender corrup
tion in their pursuit and retention; the vast and
eyer-inCTeaSing emOluments and the enormous power
of patronage must attract the nnprnclped, and
every nsidous device and corrupt statagem Will be
employed TO secure and enjoy this coveted wealth
and power.
prspoNsIHLITY FOR sEUUREs-NIEREsIEp otFlCIALs'
But to return II may be urged that as the response
utv of seizures and suits rests upon the Collector OF
,,s he must he compensated for the risk. If this
ore GO II is evident that the Naval officer and Survey
or who do not share this risk cannot plead me neces
sity for such protection; but even az ga ISL ,ht
ior he pea speciuus there exists no RECORD nat
snv such officer ever suffered peeunlary loss through
such responsibility The courts hsTS ,b ouId
certificate of probable cause ana, Hi.ney EYER
an oyer-zeaous officer would IND prQecioh III .c ~ III
Tahes Of special legislation NO. IL Is tne ,ti f m
that Is finally responsible; ana II II s'iI t ~ h'r
cfcal VINO shares the successes, 10 sht Tue puueh
or failures upon the broad shoulders OF tut M -
Rut there are reasons for the abolition O he system OF
rnoiees which lie deeper in principle ana anect more
seriously the public service than e'T tbese Officers
such an interest in frauds upon the IeNtue @ nel
advantage lies rather in the continued tAse9ce OF
rauds than in their complete repression IN Iact IL Is
their interest, TO certain extent, 10 III
- ~ ~ 81 lepiencv as will afford the largest official
emolument without lettering others lVn Ia, P.
tees While it would be temerly 10 50 ac d t' tacl!
cement Of fraud upon the revenue would be at
| once apparent 10 the puDuc' 'ho 4"'' " ~
/ 10 me well established
Tot s look at the evidence upon this point az brought
out nv an examination Of the secretary report FROM
the Isl of January 1863 to the Slt OF November 1870
h we're detected in the several customs districts Of
~ oorn+rv OIL cases Of smuggling. In 1879 Of these, the
es were settled without suit In 1873 cases the goods
were seized and sold without suit ana the offender al
lowed to 20 free. In 49, the goods were released and
returned 10 the smugglers, upon payment OF the APP
praised value. Fifteen were compromised ana In only
i9 were the goods sold by decree Of court and the Of
fSnding rarties were not otherwise punished During
the same period there were 84 OF aud ana crime,
VIOLATIONS of the various sections imposing fines penal
ties and punshment found in the laws Of 7g l7os,
nackages and Vndervaluations or this number 1886
cases were settled without suit in r. the goods were re-
leased the viOatOrs OF the law on payment or the Vaue
thereof the Collector; Is Of differentiation In
Voving the payment OF over 100000 compromised;
and Y were disposed OF by decree Of court Ii thus a
pears that, out Of all the cases OF smuggling ana oher
illegal and fraudulent practices upon the customs rev
enue which detected during this period OF nearly
three years rising to the startling number OF 1870 lhtIe
only 49, OF them which ever went into court even
for civil prosecution This leaves 800 as VIII ne seen
which settled compromised, or the goods dispo7eO
Of by those who had an immediate interest IN the pro-
ceear 10 De 9otalheu III one maY n r. ceI y f@ me
Of the mOleues when they cOud secure ~ seems 10 e
there be but answer TO all this and tat answer
must be unqualified condemnation OF the system
which thus becomes the nursery OF criminal cohuuc' anu
| the protector Of palpahle iniquty. ,.. -
are confronted with a still more striking and alarming
view Of the case II has been that there were 1895
hy the collectors and mOiees paid TO the Onclas emu
tied to them during the period named OF this number
29ll were for smuggling, and 14s4 we're Tor fraudulent
practices OF various kinds. need not say to senators
That Is crime nor tas %, 'g Thai over
subject through criminal courts, TO condlgn pun
A SYSTEM or COMPROMISING CRIME.
But let me inquire, what has been done with them
We right expect that every one had been pre-
sented grand jury for indictment aud put on trial
IN criminal court for the oenses CHARGED But no such
thing. OF this vast number lind there has been only
presented 10 grand jury or at least but one
| indictment found. This happened III New-1Ork and
upon the facts revealed In the report OF the Secretary
il presents which again illustrates the evil tend
SDym0nd & sally paid to the Collector either
gust September, october Il presume In the latter
Of S355 81 under decree Of court for fraud In under
! be found statement that John Dymond ct al were
arrested Dec 10, ls6Y for bribery OF Custom-house
I
time before the court decreed that this firm
fraudng the revenue This is DOUBT the OF by
1nond a Laly dnstead of DymOnd sally" the
port has I who extensively engaged in bribing
! officers 10 make false returns OF weights and
! aPpraseemeniiss OF SUGARS, l9VolEEing me mIeg
zee. II was grave crime punishable with
u convict on criminal trial. than 10 obtain decree or
court that they should pay s large sum OF money. an
equal portion oI when was 10 DC usIiDuIed III mole
Z ties Yer yyOl
money having been paid over to the Collector Indeed
report fails to disclose that individual has been
convicted but it does name twenty or thirty persons
who have paid anything to the officers OF customs,
who are being prosecuted IN the criminal courts out
her comment to make their own lneVtabe suggestions
To the minds Of those who are willing 10 receive the les
section Is Of thelact Of July, 1866, provides
m a .le sg',s II we Is . o. s a cud or e
s q1ae the revenue i- "asn '1 'on - I no
&C. bis opinion the same shall have been ncorred without
Its apparent Therefore that the law enjoins strict
enforcement OF the penalties IN case OF It's VlOhnOn
TEeh Mheh mere exists no stronger cause than Nul
mi aout where an intention OF fraud Is manifest
~, punishment must follow. In my Judgment TINS sec
should be amended that II IL be established, by
tenfidn Of raSd was neither wiltul negligence nor IN
r.,i, duu u snail be the duty OF the secretary To
rued 6u either DID exist III fbe aW .pod l he en-
neiCi "''"ou' power of relief III the HANDS Of any
EFFECT on SUBORDINATE oryrcrps
> WI" oie III reference to the banefu influence of
~ Wv "l'ol 'he subordinate officers. Upon
them greatly the efficiency Of the servic. and the rr
collection Of the revenue depends They receive the
tries attend to the landing Of goods, handle then,
Icing landed weigh appraise and deliver them TO Their
owners. In fact, the whole business ia arCelv IN ~
hands OF the many comparatively poorly paid subordi
Mates whose terms of service pIccarOus saw the
least The lesson Is daily taught by the practice OF
principals that II Is admissible to compound felony
that IL Is common 10 corrupt the service. l. il any
wonder That they follow IN the footsteps OF their official
leaders aud profit by the opportunities of the hour
need not further look fOg why inspectors
dutablc goods without the payment Of penny the