New-York tribune., 1874-03-26
RELIEF FOR MERCHANTS.
AN EARNEST PROTEST AGAINST REVENUE
OUTRAGES.

hN EAhNESI fhOlESl hOhlNSl hCf CNtC -
OUTRAGES
ENIHU sIAsTIC MEETING All sTEINwAY HAIL-RE-
PORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE or THE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-sPEECHEs OF JOSEPH
H. CHoATE, THOMAS BARBOUR, JACKSON s.
SCHULTZ, 9. u. CHIrrESpEN. AND OTHERS.
The meeting of merchants held at Steinway Hall
last evening to hear the report of the Special Com
mittee of the New-York Chamber of Commerce on
the Reform of the Revenue Laws though not 80
largely attended that of the previous evening at
Cooper Institute, when National Finance was the
subject of thought, equally remarkable in
character. The floor of the Hall was well
filled. and very large proportion of the
audience consisted of merchants and clerks Deep
interest was manifested in the proceedings, aud
every countenance on the platform and on the floor
gave evidence that tho subject under consideration
was one with which all were familiar and to which
they had given much and earnest thought Among
the prominent gentlemen present were:
Cyrus w. Field, William NJ. Vermilye, Leopold
Bierwerth, j. A. Stevens jr; James n. Constable,
&. ID. Rusv,c-, ". ID. Barbour, Daniel c. Robbins,
Gustav Schwab, A.A. Low, L. L. Chittenden, Morris
X. Jesup L. C. COwdin, f. f. Shepard, George II.
Lane, S. b. Chittenden, Joseph Seligman, William
II. Fogg, Jackson s. Schultz, Ambrose Snow,
Samuel Sloan, Joseph Choate, Oliver Hoyt,
JODdlUdu SlUIPtS lucOuOTe hOSeNclt, jas. D. l.
Stranahan, Charles Z. Beebee, Charles T. Landon,
William Watson, James NJ. Roosevelt j. p.
Wetherill, William J. Peake, John II. Hall, f..
Obeorman, L. Greeff, A. Sclesinger, Adolf Rusch,
Henry Winsor, Joseph Grubb, Charles Mali, Henry
Sanger, l.. Hartt f. Luckmeyer, James S. Harding.
MeSsrs. Henry Winsor, Joseph Grubb j. p.
Wetherill, and James S. Hand represented the
Philadelphia Board of Trade.
Thu rnaatiny ryoa oale1 RI ar1ar at 2 N hV
George Opdyke, the First Vice-President of the
Chamber of Commerce. He briefly stated the OBJ
ect for which the meeting had been called and in
troduced John Austin Stevens who read the report
of the Special Committee of the Chamber of Com
merce the resolution proposed for the consideration
of the meeting, and the amended Revenue law pro-
posed by the Joint Committees from the New-York,
Boston. and Philadelphia Chambers of Commerce
for presentation to Congress. The resolution was
unanimously adopted
The Chairman then introduced Joseph II. Choate
as an eminent lawyer who in his professional prac-
tice had had opportunities of seeing some of the
evils Of which the merchants complained. His close
mcisive arguments were listened to with fixed
attention and the speaker was interrupted with
frequent and loud applause. His references to the
"means of extortion which have been placed in the
hands of corrupt Custom-house officials and
more corrupt informers," and his advice TO
the merchants to refuse to compromise, and
to demand q trial by jury met with a
prompt response. He argued strongly against the
molety system, by which the plunder taken from
the merchants was divided not only between the
Government and Custom house officers, but so that
part found its way into the pockets of members of
Congress, and, hence, shut Off redress from the
merchant, who might appeal to the Secretary of the
~. Al 4.
nght of search and seizure of private papers be
stricken from the statute-b0Ok and that nothing be
put in its place. In England mans house, he said,
is his CASTLE into which the king cannot enter If
that was good law in England before the American
Revolution, it is good law for free America.
Thomas Barbour the story of whose wrongs and
of whose bold fight against wrongs has been told
in The TRIBUNE was next introduced. Referring
to that statement as published, he said that it as
tue. every word OF it, and he could prove it.
The Chairman then introduced the Chairman of
the Committee on Revenue Reform, &" whose courage
and ability had done much to create the feeling
which pervaded the community on this subject"
Jackson S. Schultz received with tremendous
applause and his address was interrupted by fire.
quent tokens of enthusiastic approval. The words
fell hot from his lips, and the language in which he
denounced the "hounds of the Custom-hOuse,p
and their cOnfederateS IN congress, was NOT
chosen for it's inotfensive character. AS he
spoke of Butler, that honest gentleman"
groans and Kisses were heard in all parts Of the
house. He had been attending much to other
peoples business recently, he said and had been
acting the spy himself much, that he was able to
tell more about the affairs of merchants than
they knew themselves His explanation of the
reason for Mr. Clans satisfaction with the Custom
house management received with laughter.
Mr. Barbour, who had more courage and backbone
than any other man within his knowledge" had
fought the Custom-hOuse and beaten it, and yet ad-
yised all merchants so situated to settle. If Mr..
Dodge were present he would probably advise
to fight and not to settle. Whichever
course man takes, when he is undergoing
the squeezing process" he will be so hardly used
that he will think any other course would have been
better. Mr.. Schultz resumed his seat amid stamp
ing of feet and cheers
S. Is. Chittenden spoke vigorously for few mo-
ments, The only remedy, he thought was to di-
vorce revenue appointments from politics. Joseph
c. Grubb of Philadelphia followed. He considered
the tmoiety system of unmitigated plunder.
John F. Wetherill of Philadelphia, Mr.. Dnsmore,
and Others made brief addresses. The meeting
closed about II p.
THE COMMITTEES REPORT
Rad ty Agst,n Slrens, yr.
Tho Snerial Committee to which the Cham