New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-20
THE CUsTOMH0UsE MEDICATION.

All government officials connected with
the New Orleans Customhouse are to be
congratulated on the results of the investi-
cation ordered b Congress through the
congressional committee which has been
in session here With the exception Of a
short and corrupt term under the admin
istration of President Johnson, the Dem
Gratis have been unable to use the Gus
tomhouse at this port for party purposes
since it was captured from the enemy by
General Butler. The party has not ceased
to sigh for the old-time corruptions, when
Slidell elections were a golden shower
to all who would vote right and wanted
employment on the construction of the
granite building. In the good old days Of
the Customhouse the laborer's roll was
as elastic just previous to an election as
the muster roll of Democratic street
commissioners department. Remember
ing the old time election aid the Demo-
cratic House Of Representatives would
have been deemed lacking in energy if
they had not made an effort to control
force once so important to the Demo-
cratic party. The country appeared to
be full of willing witnesses. Hundreds
Of men, who had been discharged, or
who wanted places in the Customhouse
were willing to testify Of corruption,
smuggling, or whatever else might be
needed to Gust Collector Casey from his
position. One anxious witness even went
to Washington, writing back en- route what
be intended to accomplish as payment
with interest for the affront of having his
wages reduced. Washington and the Dem
ocratic House appeared enveloped in
clouds Of SANDER; it seemed not difficult
to convict every government officer
in New Orleans of gross official
misconduct. The slaughter of the
Customhouse officials appeared such
an easy task that only nine thousand
dollars was appropriated for the purpose,
and several Congressman, elected to
make good laws and protect the interests
of their constituents, were detailed to
come to Louisiana and make up the
damning record. The chairman of the
was gentleman whose friends
claimed for him that his election majority |
had been made smaller by some mys-
terious Customhouse influence. He was |
a lawyer, Democrat, party interested,
and while he would be just, he would |
let no guilty man escape.
The public is familiar with the evidence
developed before the Gibson committee,
md taking the public for jury, Of mixed
political opinions, the verdict is not
guilty, and the Customhouse defendants
sre discharged from suspicion. The wit
,esses most heavily charged with weighty
and most interested in prov
ng that we had thieving Customhouse
ing working in connection with thiev-
ng set of importing merchants, told
heir stories with the utmost freedom.
There was no effort to keep witnesses
Jack; on the contrary, the political
of Democratic committees
vas used to bring up witnesses,
nd after all, nothing affecting the in
egrity, ability or efficiency of Custom
louse officers, as such, has been dis
overed, Notwithstanding all sorts of wit
esses were allowed to ramble about over
he broadest fields Of testimony. The
consideration of alleged crooked payrolls
the construction department. antici-
ated the testimony of witnesses to be
wen before trial by jury, and cruelty {
private contractors who are
nder indictment by the grand jury of the
deral courts for rendering payrolls which 9
| some cases bore amounts larger than
ere paid to laborers. and in other cases t
S. The Investigation disclosed the fact