The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-12

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
WAsHENGToN, d. o., February 10. I
To George IYiLsOH, Esq, Sc4tarv of he
York, NerO York!
SIE-l have considered your note Of
FEBRUARY TN, in which you enclose a
copy o. the report adopted by the Cham.
avL "eL ol commerce on the Sd inst, on the
subject Of the collection Of dulles on
sugar. ana in which you state
snAS ~ the same meeting 1t was
nesolysn Ihat me Secretary OF the Treas
nIy DC respectfully requested TO rescipd
his order ol September III, 1879, and to "a.
lund tho excess that IL collected under II
above the lawful duties as prescribed bv
the existing statues, 'N "
have the honor to inform the Chambsr
OF Commerce that prior 10 the order reier.
red to the Department had become inllv
satisfied that large quantities Of snvsr
had been imported which had bean
artihClally Colored for the sole purpose Of
introducing them into this country as 0i
color and grade below that which fairly
belonged 10 them, thus delraudinV tbe
government OF large amounts of its CuE.
toms revenue, running honest i'm.
pofters and depriving the sugar
planters oi the country Of the protection
ThlCh Congress intended to afford them,
Two cases had been tried in the conrts
one In San Francisco aud one In RslI1
more, In which such fraudulent and arii.
tictal cOloratiOn was established hv Tho
court and jury In both cases. The conrIs
ruled, as matter OF law, that Il Ia ths rivht
and duty OF officers Of the customs tn l6oS
through fraudulent artificial color and az
sess the duty on sugar according To ia
true color, stripped Of all dlsguises,
Ihls doctrine must command Itself 10
Ihe common sense OF every honest man.
10 mold that an importer may import
sugar, the true color Of which Ia above
No. ~, Dutch standard, mauileslly colorsI
30 as 70 reduce 1t Rpparetly below No.7,
would be TO hold out premium for dia.
honesty and fraud. The Department there.
lore, under the order OF September DI
20, has undertaken TO look thronCh
the fraudulent color, and assosses the dniv
upon sngar at It's true color. In execn.
ting this order II Is stated in vonr
report that thousand suits have
arisen, aggregating nearly ono million
aoiIais' Inc order was prompted
py o hIkH bonbo VI uLuClAI uuty, with no
other object than 10 prevent frauds on
the revenue and to protect the honest i'm.
porters and sugar producers, Nothing
had occurred to shake the confidence OF
the Department as to the Correctness of
the course pursued. Tho Government
will be prepared for the trial OF The mend.
Ing cases In the courts as soon as
they can be reached. 1t will be
seen,. therefore, that the request 10
abandon the suits andretund the dutiesin
the controversy can not be complied with,
1t may be proper to suggest, In conCu-
sion, that one at least Of the gentlemen on
the Special Committee who made q report
70 your Chamber is q party to one or more
Of the suits referred to, and has, therefore,
a pecuniary interest in this question. NV
sincere respect for tho Chamber of Com.
merce Of New York, and its important
functions and influence in COMMERCIAL
matters, leads me to state more fully
In answer to your resolution the position
Of the Department than, perhaps, your
formal communication would demand, II
Is the desire Of the Department not only
10 enforce the laws iu tho collection OF the
revenue, but In doing 80 10 secure The
kindly aid and good will OF tho merchants
with whom the customs business is chiefly
conducted. Very respectfully,
john SHERMAN, Sec'v.