The Republican journal., 1875-06-03
From the Progressive Age, MAY 81.

From the Progressive Age, May 81.
Between 1867 and 1861, during Buchanan's admin
istraton there similar official attached to the
Custom House in this city. He had revenue cut
boat his command and an able bodied seaman
appointed and paid by the government to navi
gate the craft There was regular smuggling trade
carried on between this city and Prince Edwards
Island and other parts OF The Provinces The whole
coast from here to Frenchmans Bay was lined with
old unnavgable hulks of fishing vessels hauled up
in obscure nets, and drawing fishing bounties, and
some Of them were visible from the deck of the cut
she lay at anchor in the harbor. Yet during
all that time not single smugger was overhauled
single bounty catcher reported by that official
the government in the mean time, being defrauded
at the rate of from 100000 to $4,000 yearly If the
cutter boat ever left her moorngs at ALL it only
Tor the purpose OF taking gander party down
the bay pleasure excursion. Isn't il little in
consistent for the Journal thus to make talk about
! useless officials" Suppose its figure head had
been called upon, az the present incumbent was
recently, to explain TO a Treasury Agent what he
| had been doing to his salary. What would he
haye to say?
The tlounderings of the Age in this bus
mess leads it into strange Inconsistencies.
A few weeks ago, in seeking to draw
Barrabas out of the slough into which his
greed and dishonesty had led him, it said
| this
| As TO the relations of the Collector with the gov.
crnment he is responsible for tho. management of
the office; gives bonds for the faithful discharge of
its duties and is responsible for the malftasance of
those under him; they hardly more than clerks
| or assistants OF his.
1T those under the Collector were then
| clerks or assistants of his, rs the Age says.
| Of course the responsibility for the laxity
of duty lay with the Collector in office at
that time. If smugglers or bounty de-
| trauders were not pursued, it was because
the head official did not direct that course
| The Age says he was irresponsible for
| the malteasance of those under him
Judge Dickcrson was Collector at that
time, and it has taken the Age eighteen
wears to discover what no one else ever
charged, and to which its own language
Judge Dickerson was Collector he did not
| sell Goldfish and molasses in another town,
| but STAYED in the custom house and attend.
| ed to business There was no stealing OF
salaries, no charges by indignant citizens,
| no official investigation. In the case OF
| Barnabas the detective uncovered mass
| OF dishonesty and rottenness which the
testimony traced directly to him.
:. That is not all When the office which
Pitcher holds was created, soon after the
appointment of Barnabas, the Age charg
ed that ii was for corrupt purposes. When
Barnabas was made Collector, the Age
| declared that he was unfit tor the place,
and that his appointment was against the
protest of the leading Republicans Now,
mark the result Official investigation has
| proven that the subordinate office Is u cor
| rupt and dishonest sWindle 1t has proven
| that the Collectors arm is up to the elbow
| in the plumber. And yet the Age is now
| the loud mouthed defender of both Was
it sqnealing for chance at the public
crib and is it now 50 complaisant be
| cause its nose is in the rotten Swill