The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-06-17
The Moicty BiIl-Conference Report.


WAsulSGToS. June 1G.-Thc conference
report on the moiety bill makes the follow.
ing arrangement of the points of disagree.
meut between the House and Senate:
The repeal of moietieS is confined to those
arising under the customs revenue laws rs
provided by the Senate.
Section Of House bill, as passed by the
Senate, authorizing the production OF any
book or paper in court on motion OF the
district attorney, &C., is recommended Tor
retention.
The defendants are to be allowed. to ap.
Dear and testify in their own behalf. In or
der to secure uniformity in this respect in
all the States, judges are to be allowed 10 de-
eide IMPRISONMENT not exceeding TWO years
in addition to other penalties provided by
the bill for making false entries with Intent
to deraud the revenue. :.
The Senate amendment extending the for.
fixture TO the entire package containing the
article tainted with fraud, but torDldolnS Ine
forfeiture of the invoice on this account, as
rpouired by existing law, is relained'by the
conference committee. The comm ittee re-
store the provision of the original House Dill
allowing any owner or claimant 10 OBTAIN re-
lease of merchandise seized by giving bonaS
satisfactory to the collector after all accrued
duties shall have been paid.
The committee also restore the sectlon,
originally offered by the Finance Committee,
recurring the Judge, on bis own motlon or
on motion of either party to suit, 10 SUD-
nit to the jury as a distinct and separate
nropostion the question whether an actuai
intent to defraud the revenue has beeh
shown. -, u.o-os
The conference committee also restores
section II of the House bill forblduing Tue
United States officers from making any com,
promise or to settle any claim OF the Ohiteu
States arising under the customs laws, Dul
amend this section so as to allow penalties Us
provided by existing laws.
The conference committee recommends
fixing one year instead of three as Inc lllne
after which no claim shall be maae by a!le
United States for duties on imported soods,
unless fraud is discovered or q protest mas
been filed by the owner. They shall also nA
two Years instead of three as tue time alter
which no suit shall be commenced Tor the
recovery of any customs, penalty, or iorlei'
lure.
The committee report in favor OF fixing
the salaries of customs officers at New YORK,
Boston, Baltimore, San Francisco, New Or
leans, and Portland, as proposed by the Sen
ate Finance Committee and heretofore pub
Isbed, and recommend thas the salaries oil
all other customs officers shall remain US
fixed by existing laws. ,
They recommend that the last section Of
the bill as passed by the Senate shall DC
amended so as to read as follows: " Tnal
all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with
the provisions of this act are hereby re,
pealed; that nothing herein contained snaiI
effect the existing laws of the United States.
aud in all cases in which prosecutions nave
been actually commenced for forteltures ln'
Cured the Secretary of the Treasury snal
have power to make compensation, US pro
yided in the fourth section Of this act, 10 tut
persons who would, under the former avs :
have bee.a entitled to share in the aE'posi
ton ri such forieitures. 90 :,
The report is signed on the Part OF tn