, 1874-03-14
HELPS TO BLACKMAnERH

| our CuBtom-House spies aud blackmail-r retain
erB unacr tho most iniqui.ous laws ever enacted
by civilized goyornment-the law for soizurt
ofgoods, books papers, etc., whore the i1nporte,
is suspected of somo irregularities in entering his
goods-unake grievous charges Of frauds and
Bwindling through Irregularities in the procees
OF Invoicing aud chipping goods to this country.
1hore arc two sides to this question. II the
Government can Justly claim TINT Its laws
shall bo kept, 1t ia bound to show that
the law which 1t has made can be uu-
dorstood and can bo obeyod. II It attempts to
enforce obcdsouco,-and all just Governments
should be abIe to enforce just 1aws,-then 1t
must not let 1t be known that 1t is itself viola
tion of Inv. Tho law-maAing md law-enforcine
power must Justify its own position By being
iaw-abiding as well as law-onforcng. It was
one Of the most creditab1o things said OF tho lnte
Inst Napoleon, that, while much OF lespot, he
set tho best example to his nubjects in showing
them that he was most faithful keopor Of all
the laws OF Ills Empire enacted for the public.
1t haH generally been admitted by all
who have had anything to do with
enforcing or working under the laws
pertaining to tho Importation Of gooaa into
this country from foreign countries that they
are laws hard to be comprehended aud very dif-
taculs to opey,-ospecially that part Which an i'm
porter has to comply with. which has to be oxe-
cuted In foreign country, and by subjects OF
another Government, who do not care to muddlo
their heads about our peculiar style Of 1ogis1a-
ton. Our laws regulating Consular duties fand
tho laws pertaining to importation Of goods arc
pro-eminently lavs Of Consular 1urisdiotion) are
laws Of our domain enacted for oil creation,
They bring under cur Jurisdiction the subjects
Of al other countries who deal with Us re
compel them to obey our lava, whether
or not they had evor set foot on
our blessed aofl; and II they do not square up
to the mark in all their !" oaths,"" afirmations."
or deolaration6." and they commit pertury
actually or constructivoly, aud We canuot get at
them (as surely We cannot), then our law or
the officials arc down with vengeance on those
WHO receive the goods here. That ia. tho crimo
follows the goods, aud thoy arc brought to
punishment by having the goods coniscatcd, and
innocent importers suffer for tho crime of
othors.
This law Of imports, In tho assumed yiolation
Of which thero Is 10 much involved IN the yay
Of blacls1nail, espionage. seizlng goods, putting
our heavy firms undor condemnation and ,javu-
ing them (Which means not highway robbery but
connting-''ouse robbery. begins its operation
with tho subjects Of anothor Government,
For ins'anco Her Majesty, the Qucou Of England.
In oonsul'a office under tho flag OF tho United
statest nlakea declaration before him or .
Commissioner, or by an oash before a mag
iatrato OF the country,-aud yet it is known
that 1t would be preposteroua to oouyIot tho
party OF perjury, and tho attempt never ySet
has boen made. The shipper swoara to all the
tacts required In the Consular certificate to be
attached to tue invoice, and thls he not 'on1v
awoars to once. but three timoa, Is theso in. |
volooa haVo all to bo made in trlplca!os. Swear
Ing three times over to tho same thing which to
those very peculiar Foreigners has about
the ssme etteot as tho repetition Of |
tho Judge while sentencing tue criminal.
"that. you b hung TIL you M dssd. dead.