The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-13
The Moie,.es Hnye,t.gatlon.

ftMeans Committee OF the House upon moietics
Is telegrapbed In full. It tells the story
The members of tho committee give no Init
mation Of their action in the matter. The
committee meet on "Wednesday next, blli
viii hear no further evidence.
Mr. Foster, Of the committee, made an
Enquiry about the Woodruff Il Robinson
case. He could not sec 'ow a firm not guilty
OF an intentional fraud, and who owed the
| Government only four Thousand dollars.
could be made to pay fifty thousand dollars.
| Dir. Bliss said they were not made to pay
that amount. they offered it in compromise.
Other questions were asked and answered.
William Il. Dodge, Of New York. made a
few remarks In answer TO q statement of
| Bliss with reference to the case Of Phelps.
| Dodge Il Co. He said the statement was
calculated to make the impression that the
firm admitted that they were guilty Of ir-
| reSular'hes or fraud, and on that ground
made a settlement by the payment of S27I.-
| 600. This MIR. Dodge Indignantly denied,
and repeated the reasons why they made the
settlement. He stood before the United
States innocent OF any charges, excepting
those against the firm, made by men
| interested in notifies. He was reminded of
the TACT that he had heretofore spoken of two
| CongreSSmcn in connection with his case
one Of whom was General Butler. Having
been asked who the other was, he named
Senator Conkiiug. While the question was
pcndinc whether the case should be settled
or not, Mr.. Latin. the Naval Officer Of New
York city; said the crime was 80 enormous
that he would never consent to settle It for
less than 100000. He thought Senator
Conklng advised him to do better. 1t was
said that Conkling was there as the advisor
OF Latin.
Mr.. Shultz now closed the case of the
complalnanls before the committee. lie
commenced his remarks by saying that
they could rely on Janye; he was an innocent
youth from Western New York, coming to
the city With hay-seed on his head and grass.
hoppcrS on his clothes. The object of his
visit was to reform the morals of that COM
munitv. Jayne bad told them that of sixty
one customs officers he had reported to the
Secretary OF the Treasury tifty-two had
been receiving brides, and yet lie could not
get them displaced from office. Jayne had
said that while thieves were permitted TO
: remain in office he looked upon the seizure
: of books and papers as little else than high.
, way robbery, and therefore he had quit.
Thus ii appeared that Jayne had at last re-
tired in disgust aud threw up the sponge.
Mr.. Shultz explained, and showed that
it was customary for merchants to pay labor.
ers for services outside of their allotted task
Of work, especially in the removal Of goods
which are perisbable or may be damaged
Shultz said legal conspiracy, If there were
such thing, had existed in New York
more or less criminal. and which involved
l | more or less individuals, and this was espe
cially shown in the Phelps-Dodge case
; Abiding TO the remark of Bliss thai
such eminent merchants as Stewart anC
Clatlin are not here complaining Of hard
; ships he said that public sentiment wa:
against the present system Of laws oPpres
, | siye of the merchant; and if this could no
be shown independently, and Irrespective o.
all party lines, then those here representing
the mercantile class would yield the whole
, question. He criticised the opinion of Bliss
that public officers are stimulated by rewards
, and took the ground that men should bs
employed to do their duty without suct
stimulus. AS the name of William Orion haG
been mentioned by Bliss, he would say tina
) Orion was good man, and an expert in reve
, nue. matters, and he suggested to the commit
tee that if Orion should be in Washington
they summon him before them. He knew tba
Orion was now opposed to the present sys
, II tenn of moieties and rewards. In conclu
sion, Shultz said that this was no rarty
question. 1t was unjust and unfair to say
that it was. Did any one suppose that be
cause be did not believe in the custom.houst
e ne was going to leave the Republican party
= We want, said he, revenuereform irresecptiv'
, of party, and We mean to get it, and W.
think you will grant it. We thank you fol
giving us q hearing. To whatever concu
sion you may come, we shall cheerfully aiC
you. The merchants are as anxious to en-
, force the law as are those who receive
moieties.
Mr.. Dodge, in reply to question, said ht
did not know whether Senator Conking wa:
present at the settlement OF his case as coun
t sci or not. Thought he was in crested in tht
position occupied by Naval Officer CIafliu
Alluded to the matter to show what an array
there was against him.
Joseph c. Grubbs, of the Philadelphia
Board Of Trade, speaking for himself anC
that association, denounced the moiety sys
. ten rs one that should be abolished. Mos
of the trouble arose in uncertainty in the
1 construction Of the revenue laws. Congress:
s should give this phase of them, and indeed
t the whole system, its earliest attention.
. When the bearing Of all parties had beer
competed the committee adjourned unit
, next Wednesday.