The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-12
CUST0M-HOUSE NOTES.
WHAT THE COLORED REPUBLICANS
THINK OF THE "REFORM" POLICY.

The Letter Carriers VIII Ask Congress
for an Increase of salary.
Excepting few applications for leaves Of alb
sence, and delegation or two to see the special
deputy to know what prospects there would be on
the LIST proximo for positions in the Custom
House, nothing Of interest transpired yesterday
in or about the Office OF the Collector or special
deputy.
At different times during the day az many az q
dozen different persons, presumed to be appli-
cants for positions, we're gathered in and about
the Office Of the
surveyor of the Port,
but what success they had was not known further
than that some of them said they had been
promised positions on the 1st proximo and ex-
pseted to get them. II was stated by one of the
"outso that another list had been partially pre-
pared and was being corrected and new names
added daily but OF this both the Special Deputy
Collector and Surveyor profess ignorance. 1t is
known that some of those who we're retired upon
the recommendations in the preliminary report
of the Custom Il ouse Commission are booked for
reinstatement on the LIST proximo, when some OF
the officials think the business will be largely
The oolored element do not seem TO be satisfied
yet with the they have in the build
ing, and rumor has it that the leading spirits
propose at no distant day to hold meeting and
adopt an address to the President and Secretary
Of the Treasury, asking that they be given that
share of patronage in the Custom House here
that their voting strength in The State
Entities Them To.
In conversation yesterday one Of them, and q
leading light by the way, referred to what he
termed a very significant paragraph in the tele-
graphic news, which, be thought, proved that
the policy of the Administration did not ''consst'
exactly, and he believed that the Administration
could not pursue the same policy here as that
decided upon in the case OF the New York Gus
tom House.
During the conversation he read from the
Afternoon papers q paragraph in the Washington
kilograms as follows:
"Cornell seems to owe his continuance in office
to desire on the part Of the Administration to
hear the merchants OF New York as to his sue
oessor. 1t is not proposed to extend this system
to Southern custom-houses."
This, said he, shows plainly enough that while
the Administration compelled Naval Officer
Lewis, o colOred man, to
step Down ana Out
from the Craftsmanship Of the Republican Parish
Committee, an exception is to be made in the
case OF Cornell, who is q white man, and the
naval officer at New York. presume, though,
continued he, that in Mr. Cornell's case there was
an influential Senator, Conkling for instance, as
the influence that prevented Mr.. CornelPs sum-
mary removal.
You see, too, remarked the individual inter-
viewed, that it is inferred that in case removals
are made Id New York the merchants Of that city
will be consulted as to the appointment Of sue
cessors, and the very next paragraph states that
IL is not proposed to extend that system to South
ern custom. houses, which means in 80 many
words that it is not to apply to the New Orleans
Custom-House, and for that reason l assume that
the policy will not "consist." Then again, right
here we have, under "existing Influences"
duties Of and confirmed by Secretary Sherman as
cashier OF the customs Offices, which is violation
of the Presidents order, but then he ia white
man like Cornell, and another exception is made
against our race and by the very men we worked
and voted for, and more than that, there is not
an official in the Custom House here who is not
aware Of the fact. and they pay no attention to 1t
whatever.
with referred to the removal of Ringgold and
Fairfax, and stated that on
Half Dozen Different Occasions
he had tried to secure in the Custom House here
position for colored friend OF his who would
accept a position even as laborer, but he could
not secure it even though his friend had done
yeoman service for the Republican party in the
country.
The letter carriers OF the city are now coming
to the front applicants for an increase In their
salaries, and have organized an association in
each city in the United States for the purpose of
carrying this object into effect. The carriers
here have drawn up q petition which sets forth
tb cir grievances, in common with those in other
cities, which they will present to the
Merchants and Business Men
for signatures In this they act forth the law
which stipulated that their salaries should not
exceed $500 per annum, but that upon satisfac-
tory evidence Of ability, merit, etc., the Post
OF them, after two years faithful service, received
$500 per aDnum, but never yet had they received
$1,000. In 1868, they say, there were sixty Eight
cities where the letter-carrier system was in
force, with 18i8 carriers. and then the revenue
from that system was s475,036, and in 1876 there
we're
Eighty-seven Cities.
with 1869 carriers and revenue Of 81, oe5, SOL 70
from the local postage, which increase they say
would justify an increase in the salaries to $1,000
per annunn. Their salaries they say have been re-
duced twice-frst, in 1876. twenty-five per
ceHb auu again. laCeI I'VE per cent, making thirty
per cent in all and. besides that, reduction is
made for uniforms, and should they be ill their
pay is stopped until they are ready for duty
. gain. In addition to this they are compelled to
" ork from ten
To Fourteen Hours q Day,
IN all kinds OF weather which is the fact. These
facts they will present to Congress at it's next
session, when separate petitions from each of the
eighty.seven cities will be presented by different
congressman, as Inducements of resolution to
Increase the pay.
Already committee Of the carriers Of this city
have waited upon and secured the Influence of
the Hon. f. John Ellis, who will present their
petition when the time comes. Congressman
Kelly, Of Pennsylvania, will
Open the Ball
by presenting the Philadelphia petition, and the
move, being made in concert, will no doubt be
as it should be.
The Consular Service.
[Cincinnati COMMERCIAL
WASHINGTON, Sept 9.-Assistant Sec
retary Seward is preparing a system for