New-York tribune., 1879-02-01

/ The W citizens selected on tnc ~
opposfe politics and men of eminent position anu peh
! CHARACTER. ooo,,,os. I'm, II
,ncats that he testified before them that every person
ne requested TO he called WAS called anu c~Ndim' ~ 49, 'r @
every opportunity was gwen to him 10 present III" VIC"
He says that carefully and prudeny kept the Gyi, %
doncc taken by that commission from pu1lleat4n , ri
evidence was published bv the Demi imsnt pocauSo
Of It's bulk and because iis substance had oren p piD
| was accessible to Mr.. Arthur, and request by MN
would have secured MS pnbe9on IL was aviS,reu and
could AT any Lave been published upon lhe can "
beIcwiIh transmitted to the senate. and respectfully
ask in OF the statements made by MT Arthur lha
This complaint unfair treatment by the Dc Der3ri,
ment is entirely unlo1ded ne s'aSes ac ncconontcd T
| with offer Of an important foreign aPpono- aPpSnrn
| mcnt This statement Is entirely inconsistent
| with the pretcnce that he was treated harshly.
| Of the Commission. Mr.. Arthur freely talked
OF rcsieninc sad he had private business that IG
moirtv act had greatly reduced the compensation nf
he office and that he had great desire 10 retain H. In
this connection stated 20 him that believed he wonld
he necessarily embarrassed in carrying INTO execution
the reforms proposed; that ms intimate qeeuaiglanfe
make difficult him to enforce the new ncth as ana
did wn your consent say TO nm lnt IA case ne & re
signed. position Of dignity ana importance IN the
consular service vonld be rendered TO hlm ms hua
0uently declined because he alleged that his resignation
would he confession of fault in the matters disclosed
In seeking his resignation earnestly desired 10 AVOID
n controversy in tho Senate az tie beginning OF youI
count of the electoral vote tenure of onlce ~
New-l oIk, that believed indicated That any cnangc
lmpnrtaI no trc rrrn pu"iiG5 5 o0Icc Act Of which
vor cop iincd lett within the power OF
the senate compel you 10 employ IN the dschalEeo o
the most delicate executive dnuts imposed % uin you 4ou
nv the Constitution ana the laws. persons whon lou
believed unfit to be trusted with such du1eS ana tIe
vclknOwn practice IN thG Sc%t@ TO- Hra'I % ~ oro 70
the Office is located, made IT at all times difficult ana
sometimes Impossible to make the most necessary
When Mr. Arthur declined TO resign, srll hoped that
the REFORMS suggested by tho commission might he ex-
ccut,d hy him, and thG youmihGaS, GgI o
and the kindly action of the department TO NJ arthur.
II committee any fault III connection with TINS mater
twas I'D not coDCuilHR beaI1y gnu I" ~ io ~ VA I'd,
logic ot the reports VHch dcnauded cHaheG III Ihc du
lna officers of the Custom House. lou had cNaunncd
these reports and convinced tlat cha'grS shond
be made and thai the senate in view OF the lacS "on
advise consent 60 them. No oldcr oi tu~pehSIo
however. was made, might readily nave bfCn dohc
bu the meeting oi me senate was aWHl'eu WIN H ,
10 submit nominations. The Senate having rejected Ihe
/ nominations. Mr.. Arthur continued III the Office 1he
coircspomdence will snow mat ater tnat unc every cry
nec s>ary reforms but without success. except IN an
| unwilling way that Ohstrucjed while conscnllhS'
THE EXACTION OF GRATCInEs.
Tcome now 90 the specific charges to which he replies
and fist as TO the eriutieS in the nature OF Df"cS
given TO clerks and other employees.
Iii matter surprise that M Arthur should assert
that the Jay Commission obtained no evidence in rela
ron 70 the amount OF gratues and irregular fees TO
clerks wcghcrs insuect0rs and other officers OF the
! Custom House. The evidence taken shows that most
Of the witnesses who were lnterroSated on TINS point
testified that CIatucs were constantly received IL WAS
IN testimony with regard TO inspectors that they wero
anxious 10 he sent discharge steamers rather than
sailing vessels because they paid by the owners OF
tho steamships cratuy OF from $40 TO So technically
called house money The agent OF one OF the IhcS
their scanel, as house money" The agent Of another
testified that peTqulscs were constantly pald TO lhSec
tors for dschargmg vessels; that the shorter the lm
tue vessel to be in port the larger the amount
paid that the Inspectors received gratWty 1Gr per
itlnc the vessel TO discharge before the custom House
permit reached the ship that these ices were hot
pad the inspector ha1 IL ID ms PUWor P 10 oG%s v b
tween owner ana he inspect ior as TO now Duch II
was worth TO the former to obtain these tachtcs-that
a. whether IT cheaper to pay the inspcctOr Gratu-
Ity obtaining these facilues than 10 have inc nsc
Tor sJaoa q0h n s sTS Way I;'' ''''' u
II was also testimony that other irregular fees were
! constantly received by nepcctors cusomal1y called
! "hntrlcIS" ana 'bones =" hatchets" being fees
"od from, merchanIs for the preventing of holding
tbeir goods on dock instead Of gong INTO the general
order store at once and bones being fees paid by pas
scngols extended TO them in the examination
With regard TO weighcrs. 1t was testified that there
was compete list OF irregular adopted by all of
them be cxacted OF merchants for supplying copies OF
wcichts These fees ranged from cents TO 80 cents
forron and other metals and schcdue upon Whch
the Of the weigheTs was accustomed TO make
! the demand, shows III detail the amount 10
| be collected upon each barrel, package ana
! bag, upon rice, sugar and many Oiher articles.
clerks received 10 for cach entry, and the Naval
O1lcoI's entry clerks 10 cents Tor each entry rom
withdraw export, entry and refund clerks was after
ward fully shown from the books OF custom House
In addition to all this 1t is clear from letters addressed
TO the Jay Commission by the Collector, Naval Ohicer
and Surveyor in regard TO this very question, that the
practice OF taking Illegal lees was well known.
MT. Arthur mentions his entry and wlthdra wal clerks
as tne onT 5 eIyS ~ reason tHat tncy are cnarged
with functions the prompt and rapid performance Of
which great moment TO importers IN giving them
Officer says that those clerks whose administrative ac-
tion may accelerate IeaId business or otherwise
affect the intccstso of importers were pSrut umy e1-
posed TO such mpr0pretics that they are but human,
and whenever there Is convenience 3I temptation,
result; and Surveyor sharpe answered in the same
strain specifying detail the kind of fees received OF
'-Af CASES OF RETENTION IN OFFICE.
Mr. Arthur speaks of action in relation to the re-
tanning office certain entry clerk and an inspector
shown to have received money from brokers. But the
evidence before clear and conclusive that this
nractice was common all such clerks. Ii would have
evidently been unjust to make an example Of this clerk,
permitting, the time, Others equal{gnlty to
remain; but all guilty i'll the same office had been dis
! charged tie service would have been crippled.
The statement Of Mr. Arthur In regard to the restora
ton to Office OF sorckeeper dismissed hy him upon
charge of taking gratuitlcs Is strangely Incorrect
Secretary lIawlcy and Il was then shown that the store
keeper referred 10 was man OF unnpeachaole char,
Warehouses, his superior officer that the rec pad was
part OF his compensation for writing over houls lhCre
vas nothing show that he corrupt in his rec ipt
OF This fee, and therefore revoked his dismissal On
| this state Of facts alone he was restored
Mr. Arthur gets the authority 10 assert that his
restoration made at the request Of prominent poll
and lniuuatc that tins influence was used 10
! project guilty man. is beyond my knowledge.
FREE PERMITS.
The reply Of Mr.. Arthur TO the charge made by the
Department, that a vicious practice had for long
time prevailed of allowing free permits for imported
goods without authority OF law" is a complete evasion
Of The charge II Is true that the law allows certain
goods to he admitted free OF duty after lawful examI
nation by proper officers and it IS the daily practice in
accordance with law issue permits for that purpose
/ tln uf DcuariIlcDt