The New York herald., 1879-02-04

unfit for any public position and as utterly unworthy
of credence. have had opportunity t. inq ure
into the truth of his allegations know that some
OF them are untrue-those referring directly to my
self certainly are SOL believe all of them TO be so.
Goods might appear on the face Of the papers
dutiable when, in fact, they free. This would
be true OF the personal effects of Americans who had
lived or died abroad, and of many other classes of
goods which form large proportion Of those for
which free permits are properly given The evil
10 Mr.. Farmer but would be subsequently presented
10 Mr.. Lydecker. whose CHECK free on oath" was
therefore, legal ana proper.
rHE WAREHOUSES;.
Mr.. Sherman also transmits letter Of one Wood
attacking my course with reference to the bonded
warehouse of III. j. Meyer. The answer is very sim
ple Almost Immediately after took Office put an
end to long standing cause of complaint arising
out of what were known as general order
houses. Against the system introduced there has
never been u shadow of complaint. 1t was
tial feature of that system that each steamship line
bringing goods to this port should be allowed to
designate warehouse situated III the district in
which it landed to which all unclaimed goods should
be sent. The White Star line designated Mr. Meyers
warehouse and / approved it. Two years later
this steamship company changed its place OF land
ing Mr.. Meyer sought to continue to receive their
goods by procuring warehouse in the district in
which the pier situated but he
able TO induce the steamship company to select his
warehouse. and 1 refused to send him the goods.
though l repeatedly told him thai il he
would procure such selection / would approve
1T. To have given him the goods without such
designation would have been an utter abandonment
OF the system. As to the delay in bonding his
house. it because the Secretary of the Treasury
tlOu1nt no new bonded Warehouse was needed in
that locality and because of doubts entertained by
him 10 its safety by reason of the situation. As to
the assignment OF two storekeepers to Mr.. Meyers
warehouse. 1t in pursuance OF the rule that when
there were two buildings adjoining, but not con-
nected, used as bonded warehouses. storekeeper
should be assigned to each. AS Mr.. Meyer
consented to connect his warehouses to enable
storckecper to supervise both the second
withdrawn. All the matters referred to in Mr. Woods
letter repeatedly the subject of investigation
and report by special agents. and the complaints
always reported unfounded.
THE QUESTION TARE.
AS to the question OF tare Mr.. sherman, by omit
ting refer to the fact that had. by my action in
individual cases, established rule to tare seeks
to give the impression that the system which has ef-
fected so considerable saving originated with Mr..
Merritt.
POLITICS IN THE CUSTOM HOUSE.
The President in his letter transmitting Mr. Sher-
mans, introduces charge with reference to the
of tho Custom House i'll politics. Mr.. sherman, in
both his letters, refrains from making any such
charge, presume because he knew better how
recty it had been answered as far as am concerned
by the facts stated in my letter to himself of Novem
Der %, 1877, printed in Senate document Executive
D.. pages 3l32 and how applicable it to the
dition OF things under the acting Collector
SO far the acting Collector is concerned the
attempt 70 use the power OF the administration to
control the last State convention and the local
organizations in this city is notorious 1t has been
to some extent expressed by the press with specitca
tions of acts and names.
In my former letter Up. 25) stated that
informed that the force of subordnates had been
increased under the acting Collector since my
pension that the amount paid for salaries under him
during the latter half of 1878 considerably larger
than the amount paid under me during the first half
of the same year. You will see by the statement
annexed to my supplemental letter of January 1879
(erroneously printed July in the document already
referred to. y. 23). that my statement strictly
correct. AM now informed and assert that very
Gently seven additional night watchlnen nine in
spectors and three clerks have been appointed. As
not that there has been any increase
of business which calls for such increase of force,
and as, of course, Mr.. Sherman would not sanction
increase for any other than that the exigen
cies OF the service demanded it, think justified
in saying that my views to necessary force are
being gradually. but surely adopted. Very respect
TO Hon. RoscoE CosKL1Ne United States Senate
Washington, ID. Q.
At the conclusion of the reading Mr.. Conkling
proceeded to make hours speech, very earnestly
opposing confirmation and going the whole
ground Of the charges against Messrs. Arthur and
Cornell to show that they had been thoroughly
refuted.
sHERMANs CIVIL SERVICE REFoR2
Referring to the complaint Of the Pre- dent and
Secretary Sherman, that the New York Custom
House had been used a political machine
for the benefit Of personal and political
friends Of the persons who controlled ap-
pointments he read several letters from Secretary
Sherman. and Assistant Secretary Mccormick, ad
dressed to Collector Arthur in which they requested
appointments for their personal political friends
Among them from Secretary Sherman to
Collector Arthur earnestly recommending a son Of
Justice Bradley for appointment, and saying at
the close that he NIr. Shcrman 'hoped for manifest
that it would be considered favorably" MIR.
Conklng also read to the Senate letter written to
Collector Arthur by the President Tor by the Presidents
directon) recommending for appointment as Deputy
Collector gentleman (1fr John Q. Howard) who had
written President Hayes biography. General Arthur
declined to comply with the president request on
the ground that he did not think it advisable or
proper to confer SO important an appointment upon
any man who had not come up through the lower
grades of the service and shown fitness for the posi-
ton The day he thus declined to violate the Presi
dents civil service principles was said Mr. COnklng.
sorry day for General Arthur. for the Presidents
opposition to him seemed to date from this refusal.
In the course of his further remarks Mr.. Conklng
referred to the Presidents alleged purpose to make
nominations to displace Arthur and Cornell, in
the event of the Senates rejecting those before
it, He argued that it constitutional prerogative of
moved, and II the President undertook to execute
the threat attributed to him he might find himself
standing on very slippery ground.
Mr. Conkling in conclusion, intimatcd that he
would go into the matter at more length were the
session open and if the hour not SO late.
but under the circumstances he would content him.
self with asking for the Senates decision.
A vote then taken the matter for recommit-
tai, and II was lost by or 4 majority.
THE VOTE THE NOMINATIONS.
The roll being next called on the question of con-
frming the nomination the vote resulted yeas 33.
nays "a, as folows:-
YnAs-Messrs. Bailey, Bayard Beck, burnside, Cameron
Of Wisconsin Coke. ccnoyer, Davis of West Virginia
ILL., osT Johnston S.y Hswo"d MccreSry MsMaa
ss se &hyo Snd
Withcrs-33
NAYs-Mcssrs. Allison, Anthony, Blaine. Booth Bruce
Chaifcc Cockrei Conkiinr Davis of illinois, Eaton Gar
land Hamlin Howe Jones ot Nevada. Kellogg. Mcdonald.
MITCHELL Paddock Patterson Rollins, Sargent, Spencer,
Teller aud Vocrhces-2A
Mossrs Butler. Christisncy. Lamar Merrmon.
Plumb. Thurman and Wallace who would have voted
yea were paired with Messrs. Barnum. Edmunds,
Mcpherson. ingalls,. Sharon. Dorsey and Cameron of
Pcnnsylvan who would have voted may
Mcssrs Herman, Jones of Florida. Maxey and Wad-
leigh. though present and not paired. did vote.
and Mr.. Eustis making the seventy member Of
the Senate was absent without a pair.
COMBINATION BURT.
The nomination of Sas W. Burt was then disposed
Of by confirmation, without debate. tho vote stand
ing as follows: tt..
YEAsMessrs Bailey. Bayard. Beck. Burnside Cameron
Of Wisconsin, Coke Conover Davis Of West Virginia.
Dawes, Dcvrcs, Ferry. Gordon, Grover Harris Hereford
IIoar, Johnston, Kirkwocd McCrccry Mcmillan Matthew'S
Morgan Morrill, Oglcsby, Randolph, Ransom, Salisbury,
Saunders, Shields. Whytc and Windom--ji.
NAYs-Messrs. Allison Anthony Blaine Booth. Bruce.
Chaec Conkling, Davis o Illinois. Eaton Garland Howe
Jones OF Nevada kellogg Mcdonald MITCHELL Rollins,
Spencer and Voorhecs--lu