The Republican journal., 1873-05-29
Barnabas Peeps Out of His Hole,

has been IN terrible suspense and agony about
an investigating committee. 1t would be really
amusing, We're it not for his suffering Now
Billy" go right ahead; ferret out and bring to
justice your friends, whom you professed 10
have knoern as engaged in smuggling. and ray
over TO the Government what you received hv
collision with smugglers. When you have
completed this Job. other employment will be
found for you. 1t is pretty well known lust
'rh0t you are good for! In the mean time.
whenever committee representing the citizens
of Belfast. and one commanding their respect,
Shall wish to examine the Custom Hou.e
records for the last two Years. they will he re-
ceiyed with great pleasure, and have all the sd
can give them. Mr.. Simpson slightly mistakes
in supposing that he is Belfast.
B. NJ. ROBERTS
In regard to the investigating commit
tee we will say that it was neither desired
suggested or asked for 10y us. The idea
had its origin in that wonderful brain OF
the Collectors. In one of those remark
able letters to the Age, the like of which
was never seen in the heavens, the earth
or in the sea under the earth, occurs the
following
In answer, Mr. Simpson, to your repeated in
slnuatlOnS, | have to say, that with the consent
of the Treasury Department-whch have no
doubt can be obtained-a committee of the cit-
zens of Belfast, majority of whom shall be
Democrats. are at liberty TO thoroughly inyeSti-
gate the affairs of the Custom H0use tor the
two years have held the office, which believe
to have been kept with scrupulous axactnesS
and fidelity.
Now this means, if it means ANYTHING.
that the Collector, stung by the accusa-
tons of gross violations of the law and
glaring frauds in his conduct of the Gus
tom house business, which we have often
made, and here repeat, -consdous of
condemnation in the public Judgment
protfered an investigation into lis affairs
by committee of honorable citizens He
was to obtain the consent of tie Treasury
Department, by an official request. Upon
the face of the matter, we say. this is
what appears. But it was reilly, like the
greater part of his acts, a haud Good
faith had no part in it. Wien the offer
had been promptly accepted, he was for a
month wholly silent, and new commences
to claw off. His proffer originally was to
gate the affairs Of the custom house"
That was as broad as W. desired. Now,
however. he talks abou examining ''the
custom house records" That is quite
another thing. 1t is rot to be supposed
that he has placed his cheating on record.
He is very careful no to do that and verv
wrathv that we have done So An investi-
CATION like the one originally protfered
and accepted, is net to be one sided; for
the accusing party to have an opportun-
itv to present and substantiate his charges
Else it would be farce And we again
offer to accept t1e tribunal that the Col
lector protfered and to make good before
it our charges against him of maladminis-
tration, malfeasance IN office and frauds
upon the government.
1t will be noticed that the collector ac-
cuses us of COLLISION with smuggiers.
The foundation upon which he has built
the formidable accusation is this: After
his ascension to the CollectOYship, we re-
marked to him that smuggling was con
stantly going on in the district. especially
at this port, and that, instead of selling
snuff and raisns by the cents worth, at
Stockton, he should be looking after it, as
his duty required, We declined to become
a specific intormer, and thereupon he as
Sunas that yvo ara in cnl11, sion with,
glers. He forgets that persons in such
collision never give hints that accuse
themselves. He knows enough to insist
that there is no Illicit trade We obtained
our knowledge in the same way that we
did of the fact that a few years ago yes
sells from the British Provinces secretly
dropped Struggled anchors in Stockton, to
be afterwards fished up and used in the
same way we did that cargoes of iron
were secretly landed there at night; in
the same way we did that Collector
Roberts business partner, placed in q
tight corner by the detectives. paid q
thousand dollars in duties and fines, that
the firm might escape prosecution; in the
same way we learned that an attempt was
made to smuggle lot of carpets for the
collectors house, which was detected-in
the same way, ill short, in which we learn
OF all the miserable frauds which the col
lector OF Belfast nurtures and covers up,
rather than do his sworn duty in the
premises.
Why should there not be smuggling
here? The collector, in violation of law
is grocery dealer at Stockton; Mr.. Thorn
dixie, the first deputy, has store in Bel
fast which receives his personal attention.
and another in Bath; Mr.. Tucker, another
officer, stays on his farm in LncoInville
The only person to be seen about the Gus
tom house is Mr.. Parker, q worthy gentle
man whose education and habits of life
unfit him for the office OF detective, Thus,
with the doors wide open for smugglers
to come in unchallengea, and with the
officials of the custom house up to their
eyes in neglect of duty and corrupt prac-
tees, the collector wonders that anybody
should consider it remarkable!
The Hon. w. w. Eaton, upon assum-
ing the duties of Speaker o! the Connecti-
cut House of Representatives said in his
speech: "Honored on q previous oc-
casion as | have been again at this time,
with this important preference, it may