, 1876-04-25
THE MoiETY LIE.

1othe Ed4tor " Tar Chtcaoo 1rtbnns: |
MILWAUKEE. April 24-The charges against |
Secretary Bristow, aB made and reiterated by Au
evening paper OF this city from day to day, have
t.,aly found their elimination. Judge Cato,
trict ,.,rcscntatiye Of tho Eighth Wiscousin.Dis-
ne,roaans,a a..nred the adoption. in the House Of
yestitatio,, Of resolution calling for an In
ltaio M1 49, ~ sa Mary Merritt case. but how
lutlon kno. ~ VA man who drafted tho reso-
from tho faot ,. tne Matter becomes apparent
Mary Merit. III bbho bbho resolution states that the
tho customs laws. l a635,l7Sd for violation Of
| n}caton which appeared In THE 1atmsr commu-
dpy, that It Sat-
THIS 8TATEMENT 1B FAIsE,
just as are many othor statements made by this
Same evening paper In connection With the
charges. In the paper referred to. reference is
frequently made to illegal document that It
cost ~ 900 to suppress or to "brief that
secured slr. Weiss hts rnoloty, but did not fright
en- Mr. Drstov from perpesrsting direct sscal
from tho Treasury" In Wow Of this fact I
dnem 1t proper to dovote littto attention to this
"1egal document"
Under tic nct Of March 8, 1897, tho Secretary
| Of the Treasury has power to remit fines, pcu-
| niteB and for feitures incurred under the foye-
nus aud nnvtg sttou lnws. aud this powor ok
tohds Riao over tho u>ooty Of the customs oili-
| dor tho law.
nur THIS POWER CEASES
when tho petition is dismissed, aud warraut
OF non.te,nissson Ia granted aud filed with tho
court. Iu the caEe before us, q petition for re-
mission was inhdo simultaneously with Al APP
peal to tue Supreme Court, aud 1t 10 hlonn tint
this first petition waB d,sm!Aacd by tho hecro-
'ary OF tlo Troasu.y, March 20, ls7a. Tor tech e
Solicitor Of tho Treasury, Mr, Bantield, That
the petitioner could not, Oh appeal to the su-
prenao Court, Claim tias thorc was no forfeiture
and at tho Hame time. by petition to tho Secro"
tary, admit forfeiture
II IL ALSO ENowN
that afterwards, In May 1874. motion was
1nado for rohearlng; that Secretary Richard.
son, upon tho strength Of Al affidavit Of the pc
ell tho caso. granted reconsideration OF tho pc:
titioB on It's merits; That, upou consideration OF
these merits tho Secretary of tho Treasury
dcclded, May II, 1874. that uo remission ot
investigation could be granted, and tint tue
warrant Of no1i-remsssoa should stand Rnu TO-
| main In fslll force.
r1a 4 MATTER or FACT AND LAW
| that When this dcc!aion WAS made, and tho war
tho manner required by lar, the suit Of reuib.
sion became res adjaifca as far as the claim Of
MIR. Wotss, or auy other private individual
claiming moity, was concerned.
Now. when slossrs. Feland and Evans poti-
tioued tho Secretary Of the Treasury. uudor tho
administration al Mr. Drsto1, by letter dated
Ebpt. !, 1871, for another hearing, Will WON
Of obtaining llachRrge OF tho judgment OH
ttrod against tho yO6set hud Aer bondHtncn, hlr
Weiss, 10 protect hiH vessel right IN said jndg
.nent, protested hgaiust q rGopcn1ug OF tho cas'
! in q letter dated September. t57A printed 1t
brief form and addressed to tho Hon. b. II
1,r,atow, SECRETARY Of tho Treasury, clainl!n,
that reopaning OF the slit OF remission, with
WOW OF scuittlng tho teAole forfeiture. was un
authorized by law, aud In support Of tho protos
ho quoted froely
FROM THE hnIEY or Nh. nRtscoY
| on hia a1gnmont for tho claimants filed witt
Secretary Richardson At tho time OF the r1heas
. Ink in May previously, At, DraBtow having tho
1nain.ainod that such \ Ieopentpg the H.
uowAere allow4 !" that mo Court diamlssos
Huit In order to make tho phrties bring it again
and that thoEe Ia no sort Of doubt, Il the pot
ton IL .llalnssed, tho custons officers tuiH i.st
tee are barred Hls sato hauiBJ been e1taustcd b
: t.e 9rst action." And thia doctrine, AZ advoca
cd by 3lr. 1}ristoW whilo ploading ~ counsel
/ bolla!f ut tho yoaset-owne1s, was quoted by M
Woiss in his protest, In order 10 show that til
claim OF tbs cuAtomB officers to the fosfeitu1
had become
VESTED HIGHT;
and, furthermore, 10 fse ~ titus claim or motel
p was concerned, the case Was pEseed beyond tn
scope Of further lnteEfssencs By the Secretary I
: the Treasury or any ons n4ae.
= True thla protest, or bElef MAS mailed 70 Il
Secretary Of tho Treasury for tho purpose
defeating tho petition Of Messrs. FolAnd ar
] Eysns. above referred to butt ia Also tras TIL
b this protest Vas
:. xST1Rklx UNNxCxs8knx AND 6UpEaFLuous.
a. It will appear from tho hles OF the Treasury u