The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-05-29


the issue Of silver coin, which, with the
100000 already seL aside, will bring
the fund up to the amount called for al
this time, about $500, 600, that being the
legal.tenders received in exchange for the
silver held Tor the redemption oi fraction.
al currency.
REDEMPTION OF bonds.
The Secretary Of the Treasury gives
notice that the principal and accrued in.
tCrest Of the honda below designated,
know'as 5.20s, ct the act Of March 8, 1865,
dated July !, 1865, will be paid at the
Treasury Of the United States on and after
August IS, 1877, and interest will then
cease:
Coupon boud,-s5O No. SOl 10 5000;
SlOO No. 1000 to 5000; $500 No. 5,OOl
to 10000 81 600 No. II 900 to 2&OOO; to.
tal coupons, $G,0O000O.
Registered bonds-$l00 No. 7Ol to l..
900, both inclusive: 81 900 No. 2,SOl to
1900, both inclusive; $1,000 No. ,l0l to
1900, both inclusive; $4,000 No. i 1882 to
1900, both inclusive; total registered,
100000, aggregate, 100000.
THE RIO GRANDETRoUpLEs.
The entire subject Of the Rio Granie
troubles will bC brought before the Cab.
net tomorrow, and General Ord will re-.
ceiyc instructions as to what course he
shall pursue.
THE LADoRs OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE CON-
MISSION.
The Custom House Commission made
partial report to the Secretary Of the
Treasury as to the result Of their investi.
cation OF the affairs OF the New York
Custom House. The commission find
that the force now employed in the Gus
tom House, the Naval office md Sur
yeyor's Office number together 1,OSS men,
excluding for the present the Appraisers
Department, and may be safely reduced
In number by about 90 per cent. The
Commission propose the abolition OF The
Office Of Deputy Collector al Large, which
is now vacant, and the offices Of other
Deputy Collectors aud acting Deputies,
the suspension OF tae Office oi Deputy
Collector at Jersey City, the continued
vacancy in the office OF Assistant Collect
or and the discharge Of Deputy Survey
or.
They further report that the hours of
employ, which commence nominally at 0,
but in practice generally at 10 O'Clock,
should be in all the departments from 8
A. NJ. until Ar. NJ, except where longer
term ia prescribed by law.
A further reduction can be made should
measures be adopted by the department
under the present law or by Congress in
future legislation, for the consolidation Of
separate departments or simplifcation
OF the general system. The fact that as
appointments are made by political inlu.
ence it is clear that appointments have
been made in great part under political
pressure from party considerations md
with insufficient regard to the fitness OF
appointees.
The Commission report as their con.
clusion from the evidence given and from
personal observation that part Of the force
now employed in the service are deficient
in proper attention to business Us we'll
as in business qualifications and integrity
of character. A few Of them are EN-.
ployed more or less in private business
to the possible detriment in some cases ui
the interests Of the service and some
fraudulently accepted moneys for ser.
vices rendered in their official capacity.
For these reasons the Commission think
that the proposed reduction OF the forces,
should be made in the various divisions
and classes, after a careful examina.
tion in each division, in such manner
as the wisdom Of the department may
determine, 10 the end that the government
mayretain the most faithful and efficient OF
It's present officials. Men are appointed
to positions requiring often the skill and
experience OF experts, generally, at the
request OF politicians and political associ.
atious in this and other States, with little
or no examination into the fitness OF the
appOintees beyond the recommendation
ottheir friends. The Commission PRO.
nounces this manner Of appointment to
be unsound in principal, dangerous In
practice, demoralizlng in its influence on
all connected with the custom services
and calculated to encourage and perpet.
uate official ignorance in efficiency
and corruption.
The Commission believe there can be
no adequate protection in the customs
service for the honor OF the government,
the rights Of importers and the interests
Of the nation until the service is freed
from the control Of party and organized
on strictly business basis, with the same
guarantees for efficiency and fidelity in
the selection OF a chief and subordinate
officers, that would be required by pru.
dent merchants. Under the present sys.
TEN, officers who are appointed through
political influence are expected TO make
their Offices contribute in turn to the sup.
port Of the party, and the amount Of
contributions asked from the men is FIX.
ed by per centage on their salaries. Most
Of the officials thus assessed accede to the
demand, and some Of them repair their
diminished salaries by exacLing or ac.
cepting from merchants unlawful gratul-
ties. The result Of tho inquiries in the
Appraisers office was reserved for fu-
ture report, but it is stated that grave
irregularities seem to exist there.
Appended TO the report are the follow.
ing letters:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 1
WASHINGTON, D, c., Nav %. 1877.