New-York tribune., 1874-03-11


10 do with It, since the duty by the pound and the
Grade was to be H1ed by the Dutch standard The pro-
cess Is this Tho sampler goes to the dock ana taxes
sampcs sugar in his oascs to the appraiser The
spprascr has Office little sealed phias hed with
and he compares these samples with these grades
and when no meets the color which belongs TO them no
to what standard they belong aud then the
bill IA made oat the duty The weighmlster In the
meantime has gone and weighed the sugar Inc OH ~
made out for the duty. and tho merchant pays It, In
this oaso Capt paid about s 900 In gold duty Tor
his cargo. The thing ran along three or four years.
whom some Of very smart men. not what IL caen
regular Treasury agent, but another gentleman VINO
had been turned out his country's service for his
oountrys good and who had taken another oconpation
and become kind OF nformer lying around 10 discover
anything he could find, complained OF Capt Barnes
suit WAS begun and this old gentleman fell into tho
hands of lawyers. who perhaps, were not as wise as
they might be- At all events judgment was obtained
agalns: him for 900 which tho whole amount OF
the cargo OF sugar. including the duty The old gentle
man was worth $4,000 10000 and or course no
did not pay tho Judgment He followed the case up 10
Washington, and when lie got here he found TINS IN
former with his counsel ready TO combat him before the
Secretary In the time he had been substantially
ruined OF his property out OF his hands, These
men beat him before the Secretary. cannot account
for that 1 venture to say that PLAN man as am
could reason of tho Secretary IL the Score
tary was an honest mau. Tho next time met Mr.
Barnes in prison for that crime OF underVauihR
sugars. Yet the Government had not lost one cent
Well what happensdi After long negotiations. IN which
all the influence which could command was brought 10
bear on the Treasury Department, settled 1t for tho
old man for that took nearly tho last
dollar he had from him. and he is n retirement and
near his grave.
GRAVE OMISSIONS IN GOVERNMENT ACCoUErs-A CITIZEN
ExILED.
Now when ara on that point, let mo digress mo-
ment. Perhaps may well mention that that SOOVo
was paid into the office OF the DisrictAttorney In New
York When this Committee called on the Treasury De-
psrtment for the report OF the nes penalties and for
fetures we had already report In NewYork for that
district That report contained some OF the ransac-
tons OF the district. TIE NEwYoRK TRIBUNE In some
way got OF the report about two months snce ana
in that report Mr. Barness case Is credited properly
with our payment of the $4,000. When this report oil
yours camo from tho Treasury Department. 1t was very
natural for us TO look over report and ascertain
whether the two reports agreed for wanted to see
whether Government, which Is 80 particular ABOUT
other peoples books keeps its own books correct That
was a kind OF weakness OF mine. worked all the
night, and could not find my capt Barnes on ms "st
That attracted my attention. said, IL Is year ago.
and it ought there. 1t does not take year TO
travel from New-York to Washington; not generally"
In looking after ths, my attention was called TO other
cases. and think that, II look over these state
ments and you do not find very great discrepancies
Won will more fortunate in your examination than
have been about to lay some stress on this cir
cumstanco untn 1 took up Washington paper this
morning and found that good Secretary or the
Treasury had made a mistake in bis report, and had
omitted 80 cases; and 1t Is possible that that
Barnes case will found somewhere In the Secretarys
Office and that credit will be given for it hereafter
do not want TO Insinuate and do not nsnuae, that
any of this money has been retained in NewYOrk. do
not believe it, Col Bliss particular friend. and he
ia incapable OF anything Of the knd but tho crcuin-
stance needs explanation These gentlemen insist on
other peoples books being carefully kept, that
should like TO the Treasury accounts kept little
more carefully: that is all.
lam reminded to say something about another case,
and then think Will have got over all the cases. Mr.
Downing Of New-York is friend OF mine. At the begin
ming political troubles he helped us In forming the
Union League Club, and during that organization be-
came strongly attached to him. The Committee Will
therefore If speak OF his case somewhat at
length. IL is all settled This gentleman had been
dealing with the Government very long, and by reason
of some little informality the Government officials made
out that cheated the Government to the amount OF
$40 He himself did not make it over $40; but he
was a sensitive man. He travelling In Europe at
the time and he here aud settled the matter for
$4,000 understand that he has left this country for all
time and does not desire to be called an American
citizen any more. do not wonder much at It, / think
that il the Government treated as 1t treated Down
ing should forswear my country aud everything
nected with IL. / am quite sure that would Many
and many time that gentleman gave his $500 to help
to send of regiment, aud to help in many thing
venture 10 say that that man has given moro than
$50 900 during the years for the good OF the
country yet he is charged with having robbed the
Government OF the paltry Of $40. And so, not
ruined but dsgusted and discouraged he has gone to
Europe to return.
Something was said yesterday about the seizure Of
foreign ships and that dare not out the prin
cpe of that iniquitous law far as these ships were
concerned But the gentleman failed to tell you that
foreign ships been seized in the port OF
have tho authority OF the German line for saying that
their ships have seized and they have been com
PEELED to gve bonds $4,000 before their ships were
allowed to sail and before they could get their bonds
released IL has cost them 5000 or $1,000 They have had
TO pay expense before they could get their ships
and their seizure has been account OF the
msdoings OF sailor q mate a captain The gentle
men OF line tell that they have been always
dgent in their efforts to prevent smuggling. that they
20 through all tho hammocks and chests OF the sailors
the purpose OF preventing smuggling and yet they
have been caught twice at it, Now, how long you
continue such practices with foreign steamships and
have them continue peacefully and quietly into
your port, vastly for our benefit. as think
CUSTOM HOUSE BROKERS' ExPERTs, AND LAWYERS.
Let show you how this system weakens merchants
OF you, who have been TO Europe, and taken out
letters OF credit know that merchants get letters OF
o largo scale. II they want to buy q cargo In
South America, for instance, they to Brown Broth
other banking house, and they get letters OF
credit that them pay for The In South
America. The banking house charges trde for that,
some small matter, and they spulae for bringing the
cargo They pay cent OF It's COST and hold 1t
for twenty thirty days for the merchants The Com
mttee will that that is great accommodation for
vouno man one OF the greatest modes OF aiding