, 1874-03-11

When IL is understood that tho Treasury Do
partnent comedies tho various laws regulating
imports to bo 40 complicated and intricate that
the most honest intentions, to violate aomo pro-
ylsion thereby Involving the conAacation Of an
ontiro cargo, tho enormity OF theHo proceedings
will bo more apparent. THUS, IN importer pro-
sonts tho invoice, mado out in Europe, at
tho Custom uouBo. This invoice is exnmi.,-
ed by two different departments Of the
CuBtom-HouBe, which arc authorized by law to
correct errors Of any kind in tho valuations or
other details of tho invoices. Tho goods aro
then critically examined and compared with the
descriptions given in tho invoice, ind on tho
invoice valuation, as corrected and examined by
all these officers, tho importer pays tho duty.
II, after all theHo precautions, there bo Ill
error in the invoice; il, In computing tho foreign
cost of the goods, tho item OF carriage DO omitted.
or il tile goods DO bought Jan. and not shipped
until March l. and any increase in the currout
price Of tho goods bo not added to the invoice;
then, III such case, tho entire importation, worth
it may 10 $5o0,000, becomes forfeit, though tho
loss Of revenue to tue Department may not OK
coed five or ton dollars.
In May, 1869, one George D. Jayne WAS ap-
pointed, through aomo local influence, Special
Agent Of tho Tronsury Department. and since
then he has boon nsing his of1icial position to
harasa aud oppress tho importers in tic most
Infamous mannor. The case against Phelps,
T. ~ ~ md
moro recent caso Of Jordan, Marsh t. Co., Of
Boston, finally arrested tho attention OF Con-
gresa, aud the Secretary OF tho Treasury was
forced to recommend the abolition OF the moety
system. Tho moioty system ia wrong because
| it nolds out to the several departments Of the
Custonl-House tho temptation to permit orrora
aud defects in tho invoices to pass uucorrectod,
in order TINT, subsequently, tho entire importa-
tion may DO contiscated, and the va1ne thereof
distributed among those whose business It is
to prevent the orrors.
Jayne'a practice bas been to get tho informa-
tion of technical errors or lcfocts in invoices Of
importations, aud then, by d Bocrut statement
before q court obtain an order for tho Seizure
of all the books aud papors Of tho merchants,
aud removal Of them from their stores. The
goods wero alHo seized II possible. In niuo
casos out Of ten, this proceeding in fatal to tho
business OF tho acousod person. Tile alleged
f1auds on the Treasury may not exceed perhaps
8100, but the amount Of goods forfeited, Or pcn-
allies incurred, nlay roach to million or sey-
cral millions Of dollars. Pending the seizure Of
the books tho business Of tho merchant ia
closed. The whole proceeding is summary and
arbitrary. In the case Of phelps Dodge l. Co.,
tho ponaltieB demanded amounted to several
several millions OF dol]urs, on an allo-
CATION that, during several years importa-
tionH, exceeding two millions or moro
each year, tlero had been loss OF 5000 Of
revenue. This was the charge. Finally tie
1rm was released upon paying sQ7l .000 Of
which the infornor, Jayne, aud tho Customs
officers received slo5,000. At tho beginning Of
tue present session, tho Committee on Ways and
Means, on motion Of Mr.. Dawes, called for llst
Of tho Custom-House seizures which had been
compromised. The report has boon furnished
to Congress-. It shows that tn New York tlo
sozuros wore over s4,000,0o0i that tho whole
amount Of the duties oIaimtd wero only s229,-
900; the court costs woro e294, 900, tho COL
lootors got e407, 700; tho Naval Officers not
s024.000; tue Surveyors, $901, 1000; tho Bpioy
and infoEmera s7l8,0o0. In Boston, tue nor
ohants we're pluuderod out Of eGD9, 900, while