Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-03-09
From the n. Y. Journal of Commerce.
Tho Grant omcIals Biaekmalling
the Merchants.
Mr.. Dodce's Statement.
A MISTAKE Cox NFEssED.

"They were fools for paying the money!
says Mr.. VIM. f.. Dodge, speaking (5efors
the Ways and Means Committee) OF his own
firm and their own compromise with tue
government for alleged revenue frauds by
she pay ment Of S27l,O 900. Men are apt 10
have parted with good money unnecessarly
especially II they have used it to buy oil
prosecution, or silence black mailers and
lind, after all that il does not prevent san.
dal. Ii would he impolite for ourselves to
employ towords Phelp. Dodge & Co., tho
pleased TO utter. They mast be the best
judges of the extent OF the error which thev
have committed in seeming to acknowledga
the Justice OF the government charges seaIn
sum. For our part, we will be courteous, and
speak of 1t as mistake. 1t is always a mistak.
for a man who - innocent OF IntentionaI
wrongdoing 10 acknowledge under threats ot
pressure, that no Is guilty Oft. Better impov.
erishment, or imprisonment, any priyatjon
or suffering, than such a Stutiicatou It i.
impossible for man who commits that ton1
not to lose some OF his self-respect-ons of ~.
greatest OF earthly possessions and he c.rtai,
ly diminishes, il he does not W holly forfeit tbt.
respect OF his friends and neighbors when NJ
timid yielding becomes known. When W. tts,
heard OF the accusations against PHELPS Dodoa
81 Co, we advised them to rest upon their ~
nocence, and contest with the government. ,nd
after the settlement was announced We do
plored an act which appeared on its face to
give some color TO the charges The seurej
shows that our advice, If followed, would nrob
ably have saved TO the firm their money The
firm seems to have been stunned and upnerv.d
by the threats of Jayne and his accompIices.
Mr.. Dodge says the accusation struck hin,
IL hke 'thunderoolt, and elsewhere compares
them to "a pistol held at the ear; II was mona
or ruin" In such cases the real courage of y
| man Is tried. Considering the tremepuous en-.
Rineery of oppression welded by the revenue
1 ~
& Co., abandono sd their true defense and maGe
\ weak surrender. We wish to Judge then,
most kindly, and to regard them as the victims
of wicked terrorism and unparalleled ont
| rage: A great many other men in the world
| would have succum bed, terror. stricken to sucl
| fearful odds. But there are-though they are
| rare specimeDs-men who, would never-uev-
| er-have paid the government one dollar in,
compromise Tor frauds never committed. They
| would have put their fortunes at stake if ne e1
he, and would have triumphed at the close
| "They (wel were fools for paving them the
money" says Mr.. Dodge. We advised them
to go into court and brave the consequences
So did Secretary Boutwell, as we now learn
from Mr.. Dodge; and he adds-''Iftbe w,
had followed the Sec-etarys advice they we
probably would not have paid S271 600" Mr.
Jayne himself now admits virtually, that 4
Judicial prosecution wonld have failed. He told
the committee on Thursday that sif he had
known that there had been any overpaymept
on the part OF Phelps, Dedge & Co, he would
| nave ODLalneu tnelt release. As did not know
that there had been more GENERALIZATION than
under valuation, or he would not have pro-
cceded against them" Exactly and whefe
could Phelps, Dodge & Co. prove this fact
one OF the most convincing evidences of their
innocence-except in court of justice? To
that tribunal they should have appealed; aud
had they done so boldly, we believe that the
prosecution would have been glad to back cut
and the case never would have gone to trial
and, if 1t had been tried, that Phelps, Dodge &
Co, would have been honorably acquitted Th g
trial, had 1t taken place, would have brougLG
! the pettlfogglng, sneakiDg course of the gov
ernment toward merchants into lust coniem OF ,
and would have done much, by arousing public
indignation, to break up the infamous practice
of which the importers complain Phelps, bod Sc
& Co. would have saved their money mad he ,
taken our advice-now seconded as we learn
by Secretary Boutwell,, and far more than this
, they would have avoided the appearance o
, eyil,' which inevitably attaches to a compro
, mise such as they made. The moral OF thei
case would sink deep into the hearts OF al
merchants who are liable In their business I.
become victims of official blackmailing.