New-York tribune., 1873-12-19
THE MAILS INVIOLATE.
SEALED PACKAGES NOT OPENED.

posrMAsryR JAMFs AND COLLECTOR ARTHUR pEsi
RECENT ALLEGATIONS LARGE AAoCNio
DIAMONDS sMUGGIKD THROUGH THE
THE PoeTMAsTER-GENERAL DECIDES Ina
TERs AND PACKAGES MUST BE foRWAbpID ~
THEIR DESTINATION. ,
There seems to be conflict in INC III"
governing the action OF the PosOlce ana the Sh
officials relative to the delivery Of articles on
there IL duty levied, and which have beeh "" "a
from abroad The recent charges that pacA".s 40
dressed to pereons in Boston, Mass, and presun.u
contain diamonds had been detained here, oPeneo' anu
the conte ns seized by the Customs officials have
the matter into prominence Both Postmasei
and Collector Arthur are anxious TO be set rish' "
record. .,
Postmaster James stated on Tuesday 10 q reP a.
THE TRIBUNE that 1t had been the custom from' ~ -
time he took Office Postmaster to TRANSMIT Pu.. P
suspected Of containing duable articles 20 tne
in order that the duty might be collected po"e'
that this course was wrong. and liable TO oe n"
strued he had refused to allow the packages -.
his Office In the cases complained Of there were io.
packages. These were addressed TO Johh uoiu uo =.
Of No. 2l9 East Dover-st. A. 8. Trooder OF NO. " M :,
Dover-st Mrs. Hamelberg of No. RochesterS'' "' ~
Boston, Mass. None OF these packages ~eio ''r ,r,
by the Post Office OF Custombouse oihcmis ~
usual course was followed. The persons 10 "hou' ~
packages were addressed we're Informed ol 'ne i"''
requested 10 come ON and claim ther PioPH a.,
Collector was also informed and he requested INA. .io
packages be forw wsrded to him. as was eusto"Ai'' -,
the Postmaster declined to do letter was . i.. ~,
from Postmaster Burt at Boston, requesting tna' INC
pactaoes no transmitted TO him. The matter was re-
ferred TO the Postmaster General by Postmaster Jae'
and TO the Secretary OF the Treasury by Ooneo'o'
Arthur. Considerable correspondence passeu p''
the various officials The Secretary OF the treasury
held that the laws and custom in the past were ey
on the side Of the Collector The following was '''o
among others: ~,
Article 49, Part g. o. the Revised Custom House heg
lations provides that all letters packages
OF containing articles liable 10 duty whe'nei h de
TO the owner consignee or other persons uss W 81
posited at the house charge OF an oincer o.
the Customs. and notice gwen to the persons W W h
they are directed the same TO be opeheu ~
presence such officer Of the Customs as the 'o'e0'o
may designate for that service"
Also the following extract from letter reeei'eu o'
the Collector Of Chicago IRON the Secretary oi 'he
ury, dated May 2s 1868:
By the terms the NTH clause OF the postal con'eh
tion between Great Britain and the United sas.' a
articles united mail which duties are
able in the United States liable TO the pay M T
those duties. Collectors are required 10 oP.n p,
packages when discovered and sent to them D. % Io-
masters and 70 collect the duties thereon but Dot entry
Or other ices.
Postmaster General Creswell decided that packages
of this kind be TO thersaddress ana 10 u
derstood ,that the Postmasers who receive them may
compel the recipient open the package ana eAhpie
its contents While the corresponce wassn progress be-
tween the Departments, John Goldschmdt came Oh ana
claimed the package and IL delivered TO him III the
presence OF Deputy Collector Lydecker "heh Ioid-
schmidt opened the package it was found 10 contain
diamonds, and these seized under
recent decision by Judge Blatchford' una!
all diamonds brought TO this port through the mans
we're au illegal importation. and therefore Hapie 10
seizure Tue package was opened by no one but the
owner and his receipt obtained for the package
when delivered as Is customary. Collector James
claims that has in every preserved inyolae the
sanctity OF the mails For long time past mas Dee
evident that large Quantities 0d nfn a tbs por
through the mails The United states Cols%l ca
actor A%sieTapn HI,hSr Of haa the osa fscf Al the a
monds from Amsterdam come from one house. They
saS srg sbpe m Which WIN es be- at once by err
enced Post-Ofice officials The fact that dealer may
exhibit invoice when his goods are seized Is no ey
II the package is seized the invoice is shown IL the
package comes through and delivered all night. the
brought forth To mpor; diamonds in the
lawful way duty OF 10 per cent E charged ana III add
BY sending through mails merely tho registered
te r aSe the he RISK Of having one or two eonSpmens
seized If a considerable majority come safe to hand.
ever opened letter or broken the seals Of package
coming through the Postofce He thought that pacs
able articles should he sent TO him In conformity with
the sections already quoted Two yeadS ago ne De-
TO this country had been smucgled in through
the mails. He had endeavored far as possible 10
by the large houses such Tiffany & Co., Ball. Black
Co. and Others To break the system or snnsglne Ia
Justice them The law very explicit on the suO
ject and Judge Batchords decision covered the entire
ground He held that under the law no diamonds could
be imported through the mails, and that their being
brought in in that rendered them liable 10 conisca
ton; nevertheless they were very lenen WIN I'm, I'M
porters in this particular In NO instance nad
the diamonds seized been confseated, aithough
there had been number Of glaring violations Oi the
laws Where the brought III through the
mails worth not than $50, II was the custom
them 20, shown that they were intended
private great majority OF cases they were
persons who Ignorant OF the revenue Avs
On all articles valued $500 the Collector was anthor
iZed the duties release the goods, II, on IN
law,was intendedi From $500 to the matter rested
with the Secretary OF The Treasury. On AL sums
above tl.00O suit must be entered. and testimony
taken before "a United States Commissioner Ile lesu
mopy thus taken orwarded the Secretary OF the
Treasury for his decision In these the only way.
10 the release OF the property was ny entering
goods would be confscated that fine would De
imposed In many cases II was done simply 10 det r.
mine the of duty 10 be imposed. In the case OF
diamonds through the mails he had no enoce
hut TO seize them He would he liable TO removal from
Office unless he carried out the law In this respect ne
claimed that there was no other way under the law
scrbed that duties should be collected at port where
the goods entered or else bond IL gwen ny lhe
owner OF the imported property, by ms aulhorlzeo
the provisions Of the Inland act and the
duties collected at the port Of destination In the case
the diamonds sent to Boston this not done Inc fos
and as Boston not the original port OF entry lhe
Collector Boston could not according 20 the pracce
Of the Customs department, do unless the eoods
sent there in bond IL opening up long
of complications Suppose the contraband articles were
sent TO che Postmaster Of inland town. He has no
authority to deliver them TO collect the duty on hen
He thought Congress would probably act upon lne
matter and pass laws settling this and other Revenue
matters.