The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-28

pended on july IL, aud was tlou informed by |
the Secretary that my suspension had been de- |
cided upon n considerable time previously |
while the Meredith report il not dated till July |
II. six days nfcr my Suspension. Ii would
have been at least prudent II Mr. Sherman had
paid u little attention to these dates.
As to tho references to the special report VI
Messrs. Meredith and others concerning Deputy
Collector Lydccker. / refer 20 the answer to
these charges made by Mr.. Lyde..ker IN July
last. OF which n copy Is enclosed. You will per
ceiyo that the charges are based on occurrences
which took place ten years ago that they wore
Investigated ut the time 10y the Treasury De-
parment and others and shown TO be wholly
unfoundcd and that tho same conclusion was
arrived at on repeated subsequent inyestign-
tons. 1t should be noted that Mr.. Meredith
and others coming here avowedly with the deter
minnton to make q case against the New YORK
Custom House, and especially against Mr. lIy-
decker. could find nothing against him, but
were compelled to revive stale charges refuted
more than ten years ago. II Is only necessary
further to add that in one Of the two charges
made against Mr.. Lydecker the Meredith Com.
mission coupled Mr.. Evans. an entry clerk. and
IL one was guilty the other was and that Mr..
sherman himself has since pXOnerated Dir.
Lyons and continues hinlin Office.
Mr.. Sherman adopts the statement OF Mr..
Meredith. and mis- associates. that did not give
that personal attention to the duties OF the
office that would seem 10 be necessary; that no
dld not usually arrive at MS onlce until alter
noon" must plcad guilty TO this charge Hs
lar ny relates 10 the hour at which sometimes
reached my ONCE. l can only say that found
II constantly necessary to work NJ my house,
where could escape interruption n the exam
lnhtlon ol Nolumlnous papers, ana uerprNihE
| questions constantly coming before me. tut that
| always made 1t n rule 70 finish the work OF
| though TINT frequently required mo To remain
| there Tar into the evening. / say confidently
that for many yeurs the duties OF the oiilce have
| not been performed so promptly MS | per-
| formed them. Every ono In or out Of the Gus
tom House who is familiar with the facts viii
confirm this assertion. AS TO my not giving
| personal attention to my duties. the charge Is
absurd. Indeed. those who hnye long been
me that Tor a great many yenrs. no Col
lcctor has reserved to himself for personal
attention So srss portion saf 51es o.
whether the Special or the Assistant Collector,
or the ordinary deputies. 80 little, OF au-
notorious that il Mr. Meredith and his ASSOC
c.ates had made inquiry anywhere but in a
| single quarter they could not have made their
| statement 10 the contrary effect.
Among other things assumed the personal
eis,on Of nil nuestions MOI relmtine strictly 10
| routine. and Tor n long iimc personally per-
ioringd al, the dates OF thH li7uutsing oricer.
| Only those who know tie time necessary daily
for the examination " the large correspond
ence. the signing OF the hundreds OF che"ks Tor
| retunds ana other purposes, ana decisions OF
| the appeals from the acts OF the Deputy Col
| l'c,ors, all ~ which were in my personal care.
| will fully appreciate what amount OF labor the
| statement Just made implies
Mr.. sherman. in his cQmmendation Of the
| Acting Collector, says the Inter enforced the
regulations in regard 70 actual tarc. thus secur-
INK nm increase Of the revenue, the result On
| sugar alone showing n gain 10 Nov 80. 1875 OF
| 396s g2S pounds. which. at the average rate oi
duties on ali sugars. caused II gain OF revenue
OF Sq7 29S rs: and also II proportionate gain in
the Weighing OF many other articles Ia these
two points alone there is gain to the Govern
mcnt OF SlGl.0l0 for period covered. being
equal 70 t245.bS6.l5 per annum.
| Without at present dispUting the correctness
Of the statements Hs 10 the gain 10 the Govern
ueut. the Secretary errs II he means 70 nscrihe
that gain TO- the acts Of the acting Collector.
For NJ least forty years there had prevailed "A
regulation Of the Treasury Department which
fixed the rate OF tare NJ certain schedule rates.
but which gave 70 tho importer and Collector
the right In any special cnse 10 require actual
tare 10 be- H-certIued. The schedule tare on
sugar was l2a per cent, apdtais was TIL within
n year or two n 'cep,ed on all hands As Just and
satisfactory. In the competition OF business It
happened that some importers managed to get
their sugars imported IN packages. involving
This fact was not al once detected. but from
nbout April. 1878. caused ne u rule the actual
tare 10 be taken on importations OF sugar. Ger
tain importers appealed from my action clain-
ing that the Government WIS bound 10 accept
schedule tare. Ny decl-lon was sustaine ny
ISIS I cnus1i letter L. d. ,liro ssed 10 the SEE
rotary. In which | said: II IS submitted that
the most equitable and safest rule would br 81
require TO oe nscertained and all wed the actual
ture, the statute says 10 shall be, IN all cuses
where there Is no agreement by the Collector
and the importer 10 accept tho invoice tare
This was. in effect. only suggesting the altsra-
ton OF the regulation SO us 10 make obligatory
practice | AZ "a fact introduced.
To me. and not 10 the acting Collector. should
Therefore oe ascrihed Z portion AZ least OF TIE
taking actual tare. Il is obvious thu, Mr. Sher.
man MAS aware u this. for he IS careful not to
give the period during which tho gain he
10 Nov 80. 1878" but does not tel from whai
period. and further on he speaks with studied
. Indebtedness OF q gain in u period covered.
Mr. Shcrman's claim Of a proporionate gain
; In the weighing ~ many other articles thnu
sugar IL not justified by any facts which he
, gives or which rs believe. exist for the trent.
ment Of articles other than sugar has not an
Informed, been changed from that which has
may add that in reierringto the reforms in.
troduced hy the Acting Collector. the Secretary
conveniently remembers 10 forget 70 specify
, | them Every one that he does refer 10 was iu
I ,roduced while was Collector or recommended
MI. sherman says that continued com
I | plants came from other ports OF entry that un'
! constitutional discT!minatons were mgde II
| favor Of the port of New York 10y the method o.
J | conducting business NJ that port; that allow
I anees for damage not permitted at other ports
en ms IT, making q Of such
! plants hardly proves their truth, and; even j.
true. they related 10 matters win whlch m
| Collector had nothing % do. NJ. in respect C
. the particulars complained o. the law places
! the entire power in ,ne Appraiser and the See
| Rotary and not in the Collector.
I Indeed. it II proper To state specifically tina
. | OF goods for duty md the nscertninment Of tn,
4 existence and extent Of damage allowances are
, at this port. unlike some other ports, placed b.
= law exclusively IN the hnnds OF the Appraiser
. over whom the Collector has no control. FL
{ can only intervene In cases where. alter the Ap
( praiser has acted. the merchant II dissatishe
a | anu ufNNNlN u ItNDlIAlhFUlNAA. nv Nt'lit'kil
| then appoints merchant 10 act with the Gene
j raj Appraiser. The decision Of the two is ina
. II they agree. II they disagree. which is verl
e rarely the case. the Collector must then decide
= between them; but while | was in OH -. | W.T.
q bound by the regulations Ia adopt In full the do
) csinn Of one or the other of them.
II The Appraiser also acts exclusively in weigh
10 ing cigars for duty. II will therefore be per
ceived that the Collector Is wholly unHlI'cte,
. by the complaints as To false class ication
underVnluHtiOu. or improper or excessive dam
7, nge allowances. which constitute the chic
"A burden Of the reports Of Mr.. Meredith and nj
10 associates and " Assistant Secretary French
both transmitted 10 the Senate hy Mr.. Sherman
9 Icmphnsiln this statement, which AIR, Frrnc
d in his report expressly confirms because tn
J. utterances Of some OF the mer'hnuts iron
x other places who were associated by the Score
10 tnry with Mr.. Meredith showed that they wer
"a wholly ignorant OF this truth
\ Mr.. Sherman says that inter the receipt a
= tho reports OF the Jay COmmiss on. the prrsi
1t dent was strongly Of the opinion that the uuhli
= interest demanded change In the lcadn
% officers in the New York Custom House,
but that he. Mr. sherman preferred
!, try 10 execute the rrforms proposed wit
d Mr. Arthur In ofi'e, rather than
e stranger. But he saws 1t gradually be-
e came evident that I was not in sympNlh
y with the recommendations Of the Cdmmiss on
II and could and did obstruct thor fair execution
!. 1t is impossible 10 answer definitely a genera