The New York herald., 1879-02-01

and he with great reluctance consented to in
that position. Mr.. Robinson. the third member OF
G Is an Seep ., shs Of
the Treasury. No special agent officer of this de-
partment served ON the commission and never heard
| any objection any member Of it made
| by Mr.. Arthur until after its reports.
The two citizens selected the commission
| were OF opposite politics and men of eminent
position and high character He complains of their
mode of proceeding. but it appears that he testified
called was called and examined. and every oppor-
tunity was given to him to present his view OF the
facts
| He says that I carefully and prudently kept the
evidence taken by that commission from publication
The evidence was not published by the department.
| been published the New York daily papers. Tho
examination accessible to Mr.. Arthur. and
quest by him would have secured it's publication.
| 1t was referred to rs part of the reports made
by the commission, and could at any time have been
any member of either. 1t is herewith transmitted to
| the Senate and respectfully ask. in view of the
statements made by Mr.. Arthur that be published
| His complaint OF unfair treatment by the depart
ment Is entirely untounded.
OFFERED FOREIGN APPOINTMENT
He states that the first notice OF his intended
| moval was accompanied with al offer of an i'm
portant foreign appointment under another depart
inconsistent with the pretence that he was treated
| harshly. In September. 1877, after the first two
or three reports OF the commission Mr. Ar
thur freely talked of resignng, said he had private
business that demanded his attentions that the pas
sage the Anti-Moiety act had greatly reduced the
desire to retain it, In this connection stated to him
that believed ne would be necessarily embarrassed
in carrying into execution the reforms proposed;
that his intimate acquaintance with the persons
ploycd in the Custom House would make it difficult
your consent, say to him that in he resigned
position Of dignity aud importance i'll the consular
service would be rendered to him. This intimation
received by him with favor, but he subsequently
declined, because he alleged that his resignation
would be q confession of fault in the matter dis
| closed
| TENURE OF OFFICE ACT.
In seeking his resignation earnestly desired to
| your administration Changes had been made during
the count of the electoral vote in the tenure of Office
in New York that believed indicated that change
| made by the present administration, however inn
| portant 10 the public service would be contested.
The tenure of office act, of which your predecessor
compel you to employ, in the discharge of the most
delicate executive duties imposed upon you by the
iieved unt to be trusted With such Duties and the
| we'll known practice in the Senate to
defer largely to the Senator the party in
the State where the Office is located made it at all
| times difficult and sometimes impossible to make
the most necessary changes. When Mr.. Arthur de-
cned to resign still hoped that the reforms sug-
| gested by the commission might be executed by him,
| and the voluminous correspondence OF the depart
ment will show the difficulties encountered and the
kindly action of the department to Mr.. Arthur II
committed any fault III connection with this matter
it was in not concrrring heartily ana promptly
| change in the leading officers of the
Custom House. You had examined these reports and
1
that the Senate in view of the facts would advise and
| consent to them. No order of suspension, however,
| was made, might readily have been done, but the
meeting Of the Senate was awaited with view to
| submit nominations. The Senate, having rejected
The correspondence will show that after that time
every proper effort was made to secure his coopera
ton in the necessary reforms but without success
except in an unwilling way that obstructed while
SPECIFIC cHARGEs-BRIDEs
| come now to the specific charges to which he re-
|
bribes given to clerks and other employees. 1t is
| matter of surprise that Mr. Arthur should assert
| that the Jay commission obtained evidence in
laton to the amount OF grauties and irregular fees
to clerks. weighers inspectors and other officers of
most of the witnesses who were nterrogated on this
point testified that gratuties were constantly re-
ceived 1t in testimony with regard to inspectors
that they anxious be sent to discharge
ers rather than sailing vessels, because they were
from $40 to SIS, technically called "house money"
The agent OF of tie lines stated that $50 paid
to each inspector discharging their steamers as
"house money. The agent of another testified that
perqusites were constantly paid TO inspectors for
discharging vessels; that the shorter the time the
vessel to be in port the larger the amount paid:
that the inspectors received gratty for permitting
the vessel to discharge before the Custom House per-
NIT reached the ship; that these were not paid
the inspector had Il p his power to delay the vessel
in many way, Src ~ is wae merely question be-
| IL was worth to the former to obtain these
facilities-that is, whether it was cheaper to
pay the inspector gratnity for obtaining
|
stand upon the strict letter of the law and throw OBJ
structons in his way. 1t was also in testimony that
| spectors customarily called "hatchets' and
''bones'-"hatchets' being fees received from mer
chants for the preventing of holding their goods
| the dock instead of going into the general order
store at once, and bones being fees paid by
gers for favors extended to them in the examination
with regard TO weighers it was testified that there
complete list of irregular fees adopted by all Of
them to be exacted of merchants for Supplying copies
of %
thirty cents ton for iron and other metals and
schedule upon which the foreman of the wcighers
accustomed to make the demand shows in detail
the amount to be collected upon each barrel package
and bag; upon rice. sugar and many other articles
it also distinctly testified that the Collectors
entry clerks received fifteen cents for each entry
and the Naval Officers entry clerks ten cents
for facilities in passing the entries The receipt OF
these irregular fees by entry withdrawal. export
entry and refund clerks was afterward fully shown
from the books of Custom House brokers. In addi-
on to all this Ii Is clear from letters addressed TO
the Jay Commission by the Collector. Naval Officer
and Surveyor, in regard to this very question: that
the practice Of taking illegal fees well known.
Mr.. Arthur mentions his entry and withdrawal
clerks a. the ones most exposed violation of law
charged with functions the prompt and rapid per-
formance of which Is of great moment to importers
their goods" The Naval Officer says that
those clerks whose administrative action may
interests of importers particularly exposed to
such improprietes: that they are but human, and
whenever there coincidence OF temptation
and opportunity there naturally he but one
result; and Surveyor sharpe answered in the same
strain specifying in detail the kind of fees received
of importers.
GUILTY OFFICIALS RETAINED.
Mr.. Arthur speaks OF my action in relation to the
retaining in Office certain entry clerk and in
spector shown 10 have received money from brokers'
But the evidence before was clear and conclusive
that this practice was common to all such clerks.
1t would have evidently been unjust to
make an example Of this clerk, permitting. at the
same time. others equally guilty to remain; but if
all guilty in the Office had been discharged tho
service would have been crippled.
The statement of Mr. Arthur in regard to the
restoration to Office of storekecpcr dismissed by
him upon charge of taking gratuites is strangely
incosrect. full investigation of the
made by Assistant Secretary Hawley, and IL
then shown that the storekeepcr referred
to of unimpeachabe character;
that he had been told by the Superintendent of Ware
houses, his superior officer. that the fee paid was
part of his compensation for writing over hours;
there Nothing TO show that he corrupt in his
receipt of this fee. and therefore revoked his dis
missal. On this state of facts alone he restored.
tat