New-York tribune., 1878-12-03

1
penses OF the District except where otherwise particu
iaIy specified. to be made by the commissioners
accurate account Is to be. kept by the, commits
TO be % made sdo % ss sr and Certified se
by at least two commissioners tht the accounts OF the
commissioners with the original vouchers for disburse
nens to be submitted to the accounting officers OF
the Treasury Department o the United states for set
tlement and adjustment; and that advances for the
payment of tue current expenses Of the District are to
ne made 10 the commissioners from time To time by the
secretary OF the Treasury as he shall approve requi-
THIS construction has been adopted after careful
examination OF the acts, and Will he continued unless
Congress shall signify its dsapproyal by additional
! legislation. o
| CLAIMS.
The attention OF Congress again called to the neccs
sty OF some legislation TO the adjudication OF claims
which arc now within the jurisdiction Of this Depart
ment.
While the Department is wen organized for the
gation OF accounts accrung IN the ordinary course OF
current business II Is adapted to the examination OF
Old and disputed claims Of q different character
For the proper investigation of such claims, the meth
DDS adopted all our courts asceriainng the truth
are undoubtedly the.bcs For this purpose a tribunal
which will require the best evidence OF which the nature
OF the will admit the production Of original papers
rather than pretended copies. the sworn statement OF
the himself facts in his knowledge and
not ;c hearsaY OF third parties, the examination and
Examination of the witness not his ex parte state
melt privately taken, public hearing. aud psblic
record OF proceedings open to inspection, Is essential
These some Of the saf, guards which the exper-
Of Che wsest legislators has placed around the j
dicial Investigation Of questions OF law and fact
II is evident that this Department cannot furnish
these safeguards; and provision of law which will re-
lieve the Department Of all important disputed ques
Claims Is tribunal well qualified for such iuris isiction
II has the prestige OF court OF Gsiiec It's judges are
appointed FOR lie, and transact their business deIiber
alcy. systematically ana publicly. They are governed
by the ordinary rules OF law and tneir decisions of
record with an appeal III proper c'ses to The Supreme
Court Of the United States.
In this connection attention siryed to the n-
prftaUce Of providing some limitation OF time within
whcn claims against inoiydGas aud against the Gov
e'ai ht s.i Dc pLoseecI&' & Oh inr ~.hS VI sJ ,
citi0n, be forever batred such hnthtohs Whlch Ion
part ot the codes OF all civilized natioDs rest partly
upon the theory mat the puOlc peace demands an end
Of litiga;On but manly upon the weiouhded assumI-
ton that dclay beyond reasonable time to prosecute
Il claim furnishes pr, sumption that IL Is unfounded
Even real estate, aequiescence In known al
possession for twenty years IN most o. our states
furnishes conclusive bar To the claim OF any person
out of possession. The limitation Of six years after the
claim against the Government first accrue-, established
by law in the Court OF Claims seems T. be reasonable
Withregard the claims iu favor Of the Government
especially against those who have executed BONDS as
made the protection Of the defendants. Cases fire.
queny arise where suits are brought against surety
has been apparently finally settled Tor many years
the pr!ncpand other ,ureties have died or arr
| in,oveni. aud where tue Government should nave en-
! forced ITS clam while they were awe ana
| solvent In such cases the only rcllet whlch
! thr Secretary can cx,end is under the general law
/ authorizing compromises, remedy sdlJcct |" much
All icci.lsfIom upon this subject should look TO the
Gui-ing o. old claims, whether against or IN ayOr OF
tbe Government A decision made as final by the
tc uVn @ m G ,nc ScSrptarv nr other officer OF
this Department having urisdicnn Should he regarded
as nnai DON III ue D,pSr @ emt % ~, ~ ,h S rev
ifipunais an 1 cissyyacre Of sucn decs-
ION, IN tho Court VI ~ Iais M u.s., 90 ~ Iao,sistion
/ IONS are Opposeu 10 'ho 'iuo ''in0'f' " s'
DUTIES on IMPORTS.
The embarraSsnents alluded t1 In the last ahnua re-
port III reshro 70 'e .. y, .,
suoor claimed 10 be arthcay colorod for the purpose
,,I ,, ,,,,os ~ tbe cpstom House and a suit
,nvovlnc one OF these cases was tried at Baltimore at
| -. .., 60 ,h. r, ,,vorpmaot 9, ,,d Ia tbe importers
| great eNp'Nsc w 'h' p'''' ''' - :, ,
and was recently concluded the verdict beng that the
sugars were artheialy eolorrd the professor manu-
facture e"ascohPie'ei'o ou' '""'' ~ voc "o' ,,,
importer Of the sugars bad thepeoa % a. re
b h ahg M had BEEN artiIcaily coorcd for the pur-
nnse Of d@iraudng the revenue maintained II s pow
erless, under ne & v a~ain.t persons or
nronerty nness there is proof OF guilty Owiedge OF
| fraud.
IL deemed imperative nat sui soI S I'M ana ~ % W a. nre
Vi M an the LAT report that the duty should
be M one rate all sugars up TO point which VIII ex
cude temptation either 10 eoor ~, h no ~
ol suuo,"s d a. %cIsssI6cation The duties now are
Irnr upon the hdelicy of the sampler
one OF the iowestpald pcers in the public service
In the event that duties upon sugars are made depend
10 any considerable extent upon Color py .ng Du'c
standard II Is recommended tnat authority DC gsen ~
tins Department TO ascertain the true hlccharine
strength OF Imported sugars py me.hs oi .ho ~ poail
scope. and that the relation between INC c3ior oi
and their saccharne strength DC dehn'eS pfesefioca
by Congress-. -, ,...to, ., T,.,O,oso "a ooiiod
In this connection the attention OF oonges - cae,
To the opcraions OF the Keeprocy l,oIay ,n
Hawaii aud the United states' coheIuuea JANUARY ""'
1873.
The yaue Of goods shipped from the United states
70 Hawaii ior the year ended December 81, 1873
ihe wear before the treaty went into operationb
49,. co.
And for the year ended December 81, ifosoo
- s0IE az
Excess in lSIl oyer TO; M ,c ~ tho treaty. on
lhe dnlSr ~ INTO The Tnted states ior the
goods imI"tusa as nscnner s AZ AZ ls77 were s3l 2O6
''"'
D,g.rence be, ,ween duties rcmitted by the United
states 1877. value q excess Of imports In
1877 over 1879. sioooi
o. ,t,,, ua bave surrendered duties In an amount
-. ,h ,,, .,,ire excess OF exports i'm 1877 over
gre"'oF ''an @ " ~