The New York Herald Newspaper, January 27, 1872, Page 10

8 PRISON REFORM. “A Wall of Influence Stronger Than a Wall of Granite.” MEETING AT STEINWAY HALL. The Present Criminal Codec Defective. Interesting Address by Dr. Wines, United States Commissioner on Prison Reform—The Disci- pline and Proper Treatment of criminals Explained—The National Prison Asso- ciation and Its Successful Efforts— Speeches by Ex-Governor fey- mour, Ex-Lieutenant Gover- nor Wayland, &c.—The Resolutions Adopted, A meeting was held last evening at Steinway Hall to promote the cause of the International Prison Congress which is to assemble in London next duly. The main object of the gathering, however, was to hear from Dr. Wines, Commissioner of the United states to organize an Interuational Peniten- tary Congress, a statement of the progress @nd results of his mission. ‘The meeting was Itkewise in a measure responsive to @ similar one held in London last November, and endorsed ‘he action of the European and South American governments in relation to the Congress, and in- Tended to give expression to the voice and sentiment of America on this subject, and to take the neces- ‘®ary measures, 80 far as the United ptates 1s con- cerned, for the meeting of the Congress. There ‘was a pretty large attendance, though it was hardly 0 numerous a8 was generally expected, while the @bsence of several of the distinguished speakers g@nnounced to take part im the proceedings caused ®Bome disappointment, But tuere was nevertheless manifested the decpest interest in the great cause Of prison reform, At eight o’clock the platform ‘was occupied by several distinguished gentlemen, On entering ex-Governor Seymour was greeted ‘With aa enthusiastic weicome, Dr. PRIME called the mecting to order. He said:— ‘The occasion appeals to our interests as citizens, to our judgment as pnilanthropists, to hearts as follow. ers of Him who said, “I was {0 prison, and ye came unto me” With us to-night are distinguished statesmen and churchimen—tie law and the Gospel Diending in this divine mtssion—and their presence gives moral grandeur to the hour, Forty years ago tho King of the French sent two of his most emi- neat meu—Beaumont, ms Attorney General, and De Tocqueville—to study our prison sys- tem. They came to Sing Sing, where I[ Was then a teache We had a sunday school im the state Prison, which these French come missioners requested the privilege of attending. De Tocqueville stood by my side holding the Bible 4% his hand while a telon convict recited verbatim two entire and beautitul chapters from the Gospel of St. John. Turning to me, the great his- torian and siatesman said, “Has not this Instruction Much to do with the government of the prison That was their first visit, them first lesson, and the moral of it went with them. They recorded the im- pression 1n their report to the French government, In my = school—not in the prison, but in the Academy—was a boy, then learning his alphabet, and his name was John. He subse- quently became the Chief Magistrate of this city, and is now the justly honored Governor of we State of New York. In his necessary absence we have with us one who, by common consent, fs in the /ront rank of the statesmen of our country asa philanthropist and social philosopher, and 1 pro- pose that Mr. Horatio Seymour be requested to pre- Bide, (Cheers.) HORATIO SEYMOUK’S ADDRESS. » Mr. Horatio SEYMvUR, ON Coming forward, was received with enthusisuc applause, Ie said that we had lately had tu our community crunes Of vio- Jence, fraud and corruption, wich at this time Btartie the American pubitc. They excite general Sndignation aud alarm, and the offenders are pointed at as men to be scorned and detested, But this does not touch nor cure the underlying causes of tese evils. ‘These men had no such genius in crime that they could, of themselves, work out all their baleful deeds if there had not been a state of morals and &@ depraved public opinion which gave a hotbed rowth to their powers to work mischief, ‘hey did not make = corruption. Corruption made them. They lived and moved unknown and gnnoticed until they were made pestilental by favoring circumstances, just as tne lurking diseases @re made wide-sweeping plagues when a foul at- mosphere developes their deadly poisons. We can- not deal with Unis suvject of the suppression ot crime in a large and truthiul way without arraigu- ing the public. In no oiuer civilized country, and, Jet me add for the honor of our country, at no other riod Of its history, Would such men be tolerated ro oa@ single day, Just now there is enough of 1ndiznation against criminals; too much, Indeed, 11 it so fills che minds of our people that they forget to look for the causes of those evils, If they ne- giect the duty of finding out how much of the guilt Can be traced back Lo themselves, Uniess we confront the disorders 01 the mes In @ bold and earnest ‘was, we suall merely cut down one class of wrong: doers 80 tliat they mus Le followed by another, whicb will spring up in its place. Crimes do not show so clearly the character of the criminals as Uhey do the social aspec: of the communities mm which they are committed, All who study the promems | of government are struck with the fact tnat the American people are in many ways most Neg'ectiul of politioal davies. We have nrore than enough oO; political strife, passion aud prejudice, Dut tue feeling Lnat weaith and power and influence Dave duties as Well a8 riguts is very Weak. In this respect our men of wealth fai far behind the + privileged classes of Europe. A British peer of the Feaim will take part in questions of government, local or general, Where ove Of our city merchants Jecis that in some way he may compromise his dig- Bity aud position if he does not give the world to undersiand t he looks upon all such things @ uoWorthy «iversion from the great duty of taking care of himself aud bis personal affairs. Dr. Wines, at Whose instance tits uv Just come buck from kurove, wuer the problems of the suppression ot ng is held, has © he went to lay crimes and the retormation of crimtuals velc the statesmen and thinkers of that Continent. Tne leading men met him in the Warmest way and at once took hoia of the great subject. We come nere to-night to excie a like interest in the minds of the American peopie. Above all, we hope we can sur up our men of influence to a seuse of the great wuths so constantly forgotten in the excite ments of city Ite that wealth and business a@nd powers “have duties as weil as rights. Mr. Seymour then proceeded to dilate upon the Present sysiem of the treatment of prisoners and Me Various features of the present criminal code, He considered that in some instances the preseat criminal code was a disgrace, Alter citing several Anstances sowing the injustice of the system, the speaker went on to say thatit was the duty of a State to culuvate every good quality of the crimi- mals. They are sent to prison for particular acts, not for their generai characters. Hope @ great reformer. Despair iw deadly and dangerous, We have by great eforts gained some commutations for those prisoners who euave well, bat here 18 @ great feld of reform. Now men come out of our prisons poor and triend- Jess; feeling that their long years of toil have Drought to them or their families no gain, but that they must go out into the world with ‘worn bodies and blackened characters. How diferent ‘would be their conditions if by we station they were allowed to keep for themselves or their fam- flies the whole or a share Of their earnings. That hopeless toil which now only weakens their bodies and wears out their souls would thea be made instinet with hope. How would they fullow their gain in their imagination as tt went to give comfort to their famiiies; how would their best affections glow aud kindle as in their Sbeechiess solitude they were thus luked to the object of their affection; bow would they gain the courage whi would make therm ready to battie with the triais of life whea the days of their discharge should come. Wise Jegisiation would make our prisons gateways to re- formation. Now there 1s st: mped upon their portais the aspect which tell all who enter theim that they must Jeave hope bebind, If we turn from the prisons ‘Where grave offences are punisned to our jails we must be still more shocked, In them crimes are actuaily taugut. In them the puvilc keep up schools of vice Where more than all other places ‘where the vicious resort humau nature is degraded. We boast at times of the humanity which threw down tne whipping post. ‘This is well, but what do we have in its piace?’ Vile dens, where men are gazed at like wild beasts im cages; where the young are taught and confirmed in vice; where the old aud shameless offenders go to get food and sbelier wile thelr famiues suffer, have seen 80 much of thi upon the jaws against disorders and drunkenness their Lies seem to read, ‘‘Act# lo punish the Wives aud chilaren ot worthless ten.’ How often do the families of such mea, when urging their dis- charge, show that the punishment fails on the inno- cent, Surely there s some relorm which can do away with this wretched system, and which wilt punish pelty offeaces by shamess men in some sharp, certain, brief way tuac will keep them weil up at work im the harness of fe and for then to support thelr samihes by hopeat jabor, or else mak lueMy Wy 1994, NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 1872—TRIPLE SHEET: that there is some sharp daily punishment for each @ay spent in idle, disorderly con- duct, It is certainly a deep disgrace to our laws that they now tempt idle, vicious men to pursue their vile courses by shutting them up tn cells where they enjoy a debased intercourse with kindred wretches, However perplexing the questions may be which meet us in our efforts to sup- press vice, we must grapple them with courage and contidence, We can work ont great re- forms, We can make life and property more secure, We can lift up falien men. “We can check the tide of vice and crime, Ia doing this we shall not only serve and save others, bul do much for ourselves, t fuil of miterest, I might say fasemation. it es an iusight of haman nature which can be gained in no other way. It does not lead to barsh or unkind views of our fellow men, | have hela the lives and liverties of great numbers in my hands, I have heard many thousands of pray- ers for pardon. { have had intercourse with those holding the highest places down to those living In the gtoomtest cells. [nave seen and felt as much as most men of the harshness and bitterness of the strife of this world, All uiis experience has fed me to feel kindly toward my tellow man. ‘The longer I live the better I think, of men’s hearts and the less of thelr head. I grow more and more disposed to charge the evtls men do to their infirmities, and the more deeply am I im- pressed with the great truth of that religion which teaches us the need of a Spirit to guide, a Saviour to atone and a mercilul God to forgive manifold sins and transgressions, (Uheers.) Dr, Wines expressed his regret that several dis- tinguished orators expected to be present were un avoidably detained, He then read, among others, the following letiers of apology:— LETTER FROM PRESIDENT GRANT, Extourtye Mansion, } Wasurnatos, D. Cu. Jan, 25, 1872. DRAR Str-T am in receipt of your letter inviting me to attend the public meeting to be held in New York city on the 26th inst, uncier the auspices of the National Prison My engagements will not permit me to be present, but T beg fo auuce you of tbe loterest I fee! ia your efforts'on be- hat of peniteritiary reform. The cause in which you are laboring has my warmest aym- pathy with its objects and my best wishes for its success. Very respectfully yours, U. 8. GRANT, r. EC, WINES, New York city, LETTER FROM GOVERNOR HOFFMAN. STATE OF NEW YORK, EXFOUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY, Jan, 24, 1872, Stn—I find that it will be out of my power to’ attend the meeting to be held at Steinway Hall on the 24th tnat., to con: sider the object ot prisoa reform. I am in strong sympathy with the purposes of the promoters of the mee! ing, and Feve, with them, that. the diminu- tion of crime, the improvement of prison disciptine and the retormation of persons who have been gullty of crime are objects wilch need the efforts of all good men. Conferences among the frieuts of prison reform ia the our Union, and as you now propose a consult: those in this country and in Kurope wuo take pecal terest in the subjects, will tend to throw much light on the question of the direction in which efforts for Improvements are likely to be most successful and of what are the meaus for accomplishing improvement, ‘the statistics and general information taus to thered cannot fail to be of reat service In future efforts for reform, One of the sub- jecta to which the attention of the meeting Is to be called is the condition of convicts when dischurzed from prison, Here is an opportunity for doing great good, not only to the convicts themselves but to the ‘community at ‘ge. The condition of the convict at the expiration of his term of imprisonment is one of peculiar hardship. The State bas wisely provided that by good con duct winie {n prison the criminal may earn a deduction from his term of imprisonment. This good conduct got after ho leaves the mn. He shares the fate of all alscharged convict encounters difficulties In obtaining bonest employment, 80 great as to be almost unsurmountable ; and ts, as it were, forced tuto the repetition of crime. if benevolent men among us would direct their thoughts earnestly to the devis- ing and carrying out of some pian whereby this unfortunate class of men may be encouraged and sustained, and not as now thwarted when seeking to sup: port themselves by honest work, they could tind service. My sxperience &n Opportunity to render gre: in my preseut oltice, and my conferences satisfy me immediate practical beneat would result to the co: rom measures calculated to lessen the didcultt ch he encounters when fresily discharged from prison than from any other improvement that can be suguested in our present mode of treating ertminais, Very respect! ull JOHN 1, HOFFMAN. Rev. E, F, Winrs, D, D., LL.D, Dr. WINeS stated that he had received letters from archbishop Mcvloskey, G. H. Scribaer, W. 8. Keily, W. U. Seward, Governors Jewel, Parker and Wasiubura; Messrs, Noyes, Kerr, Hayes, Rev. McCosh and Senator Chandler regretting their absencs, and letiers from tne Minisers of ail, nearly ail, the Huropean couniries sympathizing Witb the ooject of the meeting. ‘The CHAIRMAN then uanounced that Dr. Wings, Whose energy and abiity ne highly eulogizd, would now report ihe progress of nis mission abroad, at DR. WINE’S ADDRESS, Dr. Wine said:—It is a high authority which tells us that “it must needs be that offences come”? Crime 18 a3 Old as the world. The first death inat occurred on this earth was a deuth by vioience—a murder—prompted by a bro- ther’s Jealousy and hate. That death bequeathed Wo us aN inuéritance of crime, Whicu has been the baleful patruaony of the race through all tue ages. The proper treatment of crime aud criminals ts, thereiore, a proviem as oid and as wide as humanity itself, But it 18 a proolem which slumbered for nearly six thousand years. It is oniy within tne last century that 1b has received the consideration Which it deserves, and Only within the last hall of the ceatury that 1¢ has provoked that spirit of keen and comprehensive inquiry which marks the era of wue science and gives token of @ real advance in civilization, ‘be study of this problem has now become world-wide, ana is pursued with un- precedented intelligence and zeal. ‘he question of prison refurm oas taken @ strong hoid on the public mind in this and other countries, Men begin to see that it 18 one whicn concerus the safety of their lives and property. As it uufoids itself in ail its length and breadth, it will be seen to be, if not the foremost question, at least among the foremost questions, of the day. There was held at Cincin- Nati, in the autumn of 1870, a National Penitentiary Congress, at which steps were taken towards the formation of @ National Prison Association, an idea which had since beeu happily carried into effect. The objects of the Assoctation, briefly stuted, are: The ameriioration of the criminal Jaw, the improve- ment of the penal and refourmatory Institutions of the counury, and an earnest study of the means and appliances dest suited to save discharged prisoaers irom & relapse, ‘ihere is not to-day a relorm more necessary than that of tne penal codes of the sey- eral States, Everywhere there 13 needed an admin- istration of criminal justice more prompt, more effective, more humane, more relormatory, The improvement of our peaal and correctional esiab- lishments is no less important, no less vital, The question how to hold liberated prisoners to tueir honest intents, Now to keep them from failing back into crime, is one equally Momeutous; and it concerns the commuatty as deeply as 1 does the crimipal, Tne American Prison Association llself with the duty of studying, and, if , Of solving the probiems just stated, woicn are as grave as tney are dificult, The Associauon assumes the further duty of visiting the prisons aad relormatories of tie country, especially im States Where such establishments are in an unsetttled condition, ana of aiding the authorities in charge, by information and suggestion, in the work of im- provement, Still another duty of tne society wiil be that of offering an annual review of te state and condition of prisons and of the progress of prison reiorm in this and other countries, an essen- ta) part of which wilt be the most complete exhibi- on attamable of penitentiary statisucs, ‘The Congress of Cincinnati farther voted that the time had come when, to its judgment, an interna- onal penitentiary Congress might be couvened with promise of the best results, One of the first acts ol the Natioval Prison Association was to re- affirm the action of the Cincinaatt meeting, and pass aresolution to push that idea with ail prac- icabie vigor. The person now addressing you was cnarged by the Association, as he had previously been by the Congress, with this grave duty. My first effort, in the fulfilment of the auty thus lad upon me, Was to secure the support of the national government, Through the powerful aid of my Triend here, Mr, Speaker Blaine, @ joint resoluuon Was passed by Congress favoring the proposition, and uuthoriing tue President to appoint a commis. sioner Lo represent the government in the Conven- tion, Toe President Was pieased to name the speaker as such commissioner, aud, it being under stood that my appoinument involved the further duty of organizing tue elements and arranging tne rilininaries of the Congress, the Secretary of state obligingly furnished me with @ general letier ad- Gressed to all the diplomatic and consular repre. Seulatives of tue United States im Europe, request. ing them to render such aid as they properly might in the prosecution of my misston, Betore golug abroad I sought still further to strengthen myself by securing tne adherence of the foreign Ministers resident at Wasutngiou, This Was promptly given. The Ministers ertered warmly into the project. Of thelr own motion they ad- dressed despatches to tielr governments, com- mending the proposition to a favorable considera- The Buropean ministers turmisned, 1m addi- Mou, letters of persoaal introduction to their re- Spective Cabinets. Personal commuantcations were opened with the governments of Kngland, Franc Beigium, Holland, Nort Germany, Austria, 1tal and Switzerland, and with the remaiming govern- previ dad Lata’ gg ones American Ministers ecredited to them. ‘Three things pt ge ings were asked of 1. That it would send commissioners to the Con- oth tit i 2 That it would name a national Na Thy bas ‘al committee for 4 3 on nu Uh mt beep in reply to a series of uestions, certain information eoncernin and prison aaminisiration, cine biter ‘These requests were readily granted, Everywhere the idea of the Congress was accepted: vy Uie gov. ernments, and assurances were given, not of sym- pathy only, but of active co-operauon. In iliusura- Uon of tue spirit in which the proposition tor tne Congress was received, I cite the oificial action of the Itailan government. It consists of two parts: First, a report addressed by the Prime Minister, Mr, Lanza, to Victor Emmanuel, tn which he proposes to His Majesty the creation, by royal decree, of a Na tional Committee or Commission for Italy; and sec- ondiy, the decree itsel/, issued in pursuance of Mr, Lanza’s recommendation. 1 will not trouble the meeting with the reading Of this document in tull, but will cite a eres or two as showing the spirit that breathes through the whole paper. Mr, Lanza says:— A preparatory Congress was held in October, 1870, at Cin- cinoati (State of bio), througa the efforts of to ‘Astociation. Many aad important questions were the Congress, aud a series of maxims on prisor wi tn London, in Auguat, 187: pointed, why Was charged with th to KuFepe to conte! with the various go them t) take part io this great acientin Hols Udutingastoner, who was aleo selected by tho government Of the Umiied States asa delegate ty Lhe pr an fultilmemt 6 the mfsaion eateusted vo self to ent reporter, Wao, comprebe thropic presente! him: ng the philan- wh Was AomEHE tO be altained through a eon rene of ali clviilzed nadons, did nut besitae to assure Ulm er 1m adie tg A Aa 0 pol be wecday 1 aur fle who enters upon this duty wul nnd | American association in the noble undertaking which it had Proposed to itaelt, ‘The royal decree named @ committee of twenty eminent citizens to act for Italy in benalf of the Congress; also to study the most important ques- Uons offered by modern penitentiary science, and to propose thelr soiuuon, The commitiee, thus constituted, includes several high funcuonaries of the State, the Mayor of Florence and Presideut of the Court of Cassation, four Professors of penal law, the Director General and two Inspectors Gen- eral of Prisous, &c, The government of the Norih Gerinan Union was no less cordial, no less earnest, in its action In bebalf of the Congress, It is bubs Jew days ago Laat | received from Count Euieaburg, Muiuaister of the Interlor for that government, a let- ter written, as he states, under instructions from Prince Bismarck, trom which I make a short ex- wact. The Minister says:—‘3ir—in reply to your letters of the 6tn of October and sth of Noveimver, Llave the honor to inorm you that, according to your wish, 1 intormed Prince Bisinarck of your mussion regarding the lnternatioaal Congress on the question. of prisons, im order that the interest O1 the other governments of the empire May be directed to the approaching Congrevs. Prince Bismarck at once responaed to this wish, aud I am to answer, from him, that partictpation in this work, with whose preparation you have veen charged, shall belong not only to Prussia, but to Germany. As lo your questions relating to the con- dition of German ‘prisons, I have placed tiem in the hands of Herr steiumana, counsellor in my Minis- try, ana specially occupied on the prison question, He has undertaken this work and will send the answers to your address next week. 1 have also requested Herr Steinmann to place himseli in com- munication With persous im the diferent States of the empive interested in this subject, for the form- ing of committees, with Whom He may counter.” It 4s evident [rom these recitas that the Italian and Prussian Governments are hearty in tls work, and i there were time tor @ similar detail of their action, it would be sven tuat otuer Huropean governments are no less so, ‘The Academy of woral and Poliucal Sciences of the Institute of France, the most Ulustrious body of savans im the world, 1uily committed to the Congress. By ‘in- vitaion of M, de Rémusat, Minister of Foreign Affairs, I had the honor, on the 2d of Septewber, last 10 read a discourse on the suvject betore the Academy, and the President, in replying, pledged 118 members vo the use of their best efforts im promoting the success of the Congress. Another signal prooi of the proiound interest felt by Kurope m the proposed Conterence was the meeting held in London oa toe 3d of November last, wich was called to hear from the American Cominissioner a statement of the objects and results of his mission, aud to give voice to ihe senument of England on the question of the Congress. ‘fnere were present aud participating 19 that meeting no less Wan four eX-members o1 the Britisn Cabinet, several leading members of Pariiament gud one of the most emi- nent preiates of the Koman Catnoilc Cnurcea, Arch- bishop Manniag. But onc senthnent animated the assembiuge, that of warm approval of the Congress aud of nigh expectations from it, Tuis was the burden ot all the speeches. A national commitiee for Eugiaud was named by the meeting, consisting of more than @ hundred persons, among whom are the Archbisop of Canterbury, the Lord Bishop of London, Arcuoishop Manning, Dean Stanley, the Lord Cunanceliors of England and Ireland, the Dukes of Argyll and Northumberland, the Marquis Ol Saitsbury, the Karis ol Shaitesoury, Granville and Carnarvou, Sit Stal- ford Norwuicore, Sir Jonn Pukingion, Sir Walter Crof- ton, Miss Fiorence Nigntiug: Miss Mary Carpen- ter, Tuomas Mughes, M, P.; Matthew Davenport Hil, John Stuart Mill and many others of distin. guished name, Since my return to America I nave learned from the Ministers of the Spanish-speaking repuolics of America, a3 Weil as of tue empire of Brazil, that their goveramenis are preparing, With no less zeal than tue governments of burope, to take part in what Mr, Lanza has, 1 felicitous pnrase, designated as “ills great sclentifico-social movement’? So that there 13 good reason to believe that there will be tew, ilany, among the civilized nations of we worid that will Hot be present, by thelr representa- tives, in tue Convention. I beg ro cail the atiention oO! tis meeting to an important tangivie result, which, it may ve fairly hoped, will be among the issues Of the Congress. ‘ihere can be no doubt that a large amount of laformation on all potats cunnecied With prison discipline and the repression of crime will have been collected by the Congress, that certain general principles will have been agreed upon, and that @ strong impulse will have veen given to the cause of penitenuary reform througa- out the world. But Wf the matter stop here the Javors of the Congress will have been comparatively barren of perminent resuits, because the mome4- tum gained will soon have expended ltsell, It seems, therefore, in the highest degree desirable that some means snould be devised to continue and, if possivie, muluply the venelits Howiug from the Congress, as from & living fountain, No better agency to tunis eud Occurs Lo me than the creation of acentral bureau, to which mteiligence relating to this Interest and the progress made therelu shall be regularly communicated every year irom ail Parts of the world, and trom which, tn a digested and printed form, it shall be again distributed to all the civilized natins of the earth, Thus every part of tue world will be kept itvformed of what is doing in every otuer part, in reference to this vital interest of society—the treatment of crime and crimtnals—with a view tw the re- preasiun Of the oae and the reformation of tne other. In this manner a continual circulation of ideas will be maintained, the nature and result of experiments in peultentiary and reformatory dis- cipline undertaken in any given country will be promptly made known tn all others, aud an honor. abe rivalry will be kept up between natious, In which each, while rejoicing in every insiance aud at every proof of progress elsewhere, will yet strive Lo outsirip Its feiows in the race of improvement, Wich uational committees or associitions actively at work in the different countries, with agreat central organization perforu.ing the double iunction of a receiver and distributor of inte ligence, and with International peutteatiary conferences renewed Irom thine to Lime, 1t 18 & Teasonable presumption that within the next half century progress, not hitherto so much as dreamed of even by the most sanguine, will be made in the knowledge ana ap- plication of processes ior the prevention of crime and te reformation of criminals, it was my intention to offer a short report on some of the more remarkavile prisons visited. But 1 must not occupy ume due to others, 1 will but briefly atiude vo one or two, and first to what is commonly known as the Irish prison system, but ought, in my Jadgment, to be called the Crotvon sys- fem, after the uame ot its author, the Right Hon. sir Walter Crottou. 1 knew, the system trom books be- fore going abroad, and had conceived a high opinion Of its merits, ana that Impression was conilrmed by personal examination, ‘the great teavure of the Crotton systew is that It planis lope in the breast of the prisouer trom the first hour of his confine- ment, aud Keeps it tnere as an ever-active force, Increasing 1 potency to the last day of his impris- onmenut; apd that, in my opinion, 1s the whoe phi- losophy in’ a Dutshell of a true and reformatory prison discipline. Never have [ seen, elsewhere, anything comparable to the intermediaie prison at Lusk. Here 1s a prison (which 1s not a prison), consisting of two corrugated iron tents (erected at a cost of only $3,000, hough capable of accommodat- ing a handred inmates), and a farm of two nun. dred acres—an estaoiishment without bars, bolts, or euclosing wall, aud yet, In fourteen years, only two escapes have taken place, thus proving the dictum of Dr. Wichern, that “the strongest wall is no wall;” in other words, that a wali of influence 1s stronger than @ wall of granite. There 18 no chapel withtn the prison premises, the prisoners at- veudiug the parish churen; yet only one complaint ot any King 10 all these years bas been made agatust their conduct. A prisoner, in coming out of church one dar, passed a word with a youag Woman. The word spoken was quite proper ‘in itself, and ouly Improper because forbidden by public sentiment as Weil a3 vy the rules of the insutution, In the prison of Waketiela, West Riding of Yorkshire, industrial labor 1s well organized, and the prison has a casi capital of $100,000, ell Of Which 18 the resuit of the earnings of the prisoners, It is very nearly sell- supporting, Two “Homes,” one for malic and tne otper for discharged femaie prisoners, established In connection With tnis prison, are worthy of special commendation, and ought to be widely imitated. [ saw nothing in ali my visitation of prisons abroad tat Interesied or pleased me more than these ad- mirably planued and managed reiuges. Into them, on liberation, are recelved all prisoners of either sex who wish to lead an honest life and have not other means of going 80. Here they are provided With, work, at which, while waiting for permanent employment, they can earna living and lay bya little Surplus. At least tne men can do tals, for the cost Of living to them is seven English snillings a week, whiie their earnings average (rom eleven to twelve shillings, One man Was earning thirty shil- lings. The inmates of the female Home are not quite so well of, as their earnings have to be sup- plemented to sume extent by private benefactious; but, an any event, no prisoner discharged from tne Wakefield Jail need or can ever return to it on the plea that he could get no work; and every man or ‘woman wiio really wants to reiorm has tne certain opportunity of doing s0 provided at the door of the Jail itself. 1 cannot close without a word of reference to tue prisons of Belgium, which Jona Howard, a century ago, found worthy of praise. At present, however, ican oniy cali your aitention for a mowent io the new model prison of Louvain, planned and built under the superintendence of M, Stevens, Its Direc- tor lor eight or ten years, but now Inspector Gen- eral of Prisons for Belgium, and @ worthy successor in that office to the iilusirious Ducpétieau. The building iiself, which 1s large enough to accommo. date 600 1umates, is of brick, witn marble facing: It is simple, solid and severe in its beauty, With 1 thing of that palaual took which 1s 80 common in our great prisons, and Waich has always seemed to me wholly out of piace in buildings devoted to the treatment of criminals, But it 1s tne inner “glory that excelleth.” 1 nad never conceived of anytuing in the form of @ penitentiary establishment 80 ad- mirabie In organization, so perfect in admin. isirauon, Nothing seems to have been forgotten 1M 118 Construction, Dothing overlooked in its rules, hothing omitted in the detauls ol its arrangements. The sysiem of imprisonment 33 that known as cel- luiar, of wuich, per se, 1 am not & porter; but the cellular system is here applied im @ manner quite diferent from wnat I hava seen it elsewhere. ch. prisoner receives not less, on an average, than five Or SIX VISILs & day, [rom chaplain, schoolmaster, director, Uade-instructor, or other officials, by Whose presence aua converse the burden of solitude 1s lightened and made tolerable, and vy Whose counsels, motives aud encouragements to a better Ive are suggested and preved upon the prisoner. The whole alin seemed to me tu be the relormauon of the criminal; to that all efforts appeared to pe directed: and the results are as extraordinary ag wmey are encouraging. Tie prigoa has been In Operauion avout twelve years, Tue recommittals wo the old prison of Louvain averaged seventy per cent; av present ney are only six per cent. ‘This proves no: only that criminaly may be retormed, bub that ther reformation depends 189 OD OFganizauion ad svetem (hun on the spirit of the administration and the men who conduct tt. “Where there 18 a will there is @ way,” 18 @ maxim which seems as true of the intent to change bad men me good ones as of any other human under- ing. But I must draw to a close; a single word more and I nave done, Tne American Prison Association feels that it has undertaken a great and good work, one Wuich protmises resuits of the highest value to the whoie country. Butitis work which cannot be done—no great and good work can—witnout money. The generosity of Americans has been thoroughly tested, ‘Lhere are no people in the world who give so free! y when the occaston is worthy. Not doubt+ jug. but on tne contrary, earnestly believing, that the present is a worthy occasion, we ask tieir aid— We ask your aid—without hesitauion and without misgiving. (Applause.) THR RESOLUTIONS, Fx-Lieutenant WAYLAND, of Connecticut, havin: briefly, though in very forcthle terms, advoca: the cause of prison reform, presented the following resolutions, witch were unaulmously adopted:— Resolved, That the discipline and proper treatment of eriminais, the Fepreasion of crime, the ndministration of penal justice aud the reformation of individuals and classes of persons now devoted to vicious lives, or growing up to prey upon society. are objects of the first importance In every well-or iered State, and atill more in every Christian commu nity; that these objects ure foo ilttle considered among us, and that there 1s urgent necessity for tore thought, more Ume, more practical aitention and more earnest, devoted, conscientious eifort to be given in this country to the work of penal, reformatory, and, above ail, preventive discipline for the tempted and dangerous classes, Kesolved, ‘That the National Prison Association of the United States, being organized on a comprehensive plan for the consideration aid pubio presentation of these momen, ts, “eserves the cordial support of the people of ‘and 4s hereby commended to the citizeus of the tates and of the whole country’ as wortby of their attention, their co-operation and their contributions, without which its beaiticent mission cannot be fulfilled, the organization and al Prison Association in States and territories ought to be taken up and ard in all parte of the country, either by the ‘associations or of committees of corre- National ion, and that this meet- attention of State xovernments and pub- itixens throughout the land to this subject, with @ view to the more perfect estabiishment of intercoumunica- tion, Resolved, That the efforts of the National Prison Associa- ton, already crowned with success, for the convocation at Lontion, on the 8d day of July, 187%, of an Internatioual Con- gress to take counsel together, and to form and promulgate conclusions in regard to penal and reiormatory discipline, have timely and judicious, and meet with the hearty Approval of this meeting; that such a Congress, reprearnting, as we have reason to beileve ft wil, all nations of the civil- fzed worl, will be able to perform a service of slxnal im- portance to the cause for which {tis convoked, and that its our hope that every State in this Union will take part in its deliberations by offici delegates, so that all parts of our country may proiit by its discussions and by peraonal confer- ence with philanthropists and men of practical administra tive experience of other nationalities, at the selection by the President of the United Wines, D.D., LL.D. a& Commissioner to represent the conntry at the International Congress, has given to the government and the people an official represen- tative in all respects worthy of the high responsibility en- trusted to hit, and that we congratulate Dr. Wines on the In the name of the " Andtvidur Resolved, ‘that the tas« of complett extenuing the activity of the Nal the several cipline, of which he has been for year dvocate. Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting, of countrymen and of the triends of prison retorm taro: the would are due to Dr. Wines for the energy, zeal and wise activity with which he has prosecuted the work of reformation and improvement in American prisons, and especially for the conspicuous share he has had in organizing and conducting toward success the great_movement in 1avor of » World's Congress for the atudy of penal discipline and the repression of crime; that the deliberations of such Congress wall fitly close the ceatury of prison reform imangu- Tated in 1773 by the benevolence of John Howard, and that we recounize in Dr, Wines one of those worthy successors of Howard who have been permitted by Divine Proviveace to carry forward the noble work which the iilustrions Eng- Ush philanthropist began, Resolved, That the work of prison reform, commenced a century ago amid obstacles and dillicalties of a formidable character, thou:h not yet accomplished, has made gratifying progress; that public punishment, both'as @ scieace and an art, is now farin advance of what tt was then; that { 13 ‘most fit that the close of one century ani the beginning of another in this department of svcial science should be signai- ized by the renaton of ail nations fur conference upon this great and vital interest of wociety; that the present 18 a suit- able time for reviewing the past, forecasting the ‘ucure and fathering strength, by mutual counsels and encourazements, ‘or the vast work still before us; and that itis our intimace conviction that an intinence wul'go forth from the Congress of London which, properly guided and in the coming years, will insure progress at unce accelerated and healthful im the right direction, Resolved, That this meeting ‘responds, tn hearty and em- phatic tones, to the utierances of the great meetiny of the 34 of November in London, in which so many of Enxland's best and wisest citizens participated, and to the cordial action of European ands overnments, Which have pledged their co-operation ta what Mr, Lanza, Prime Minister of Italy, bas both happily and justly described as “this great acientiieo-sociai movement.” Resvived, That a Nasional Committee be appointed for the United States, to be charzed with whatever reiates to pre- paration for the Congress ip this country, and that the tollow- lng persons be designated, Bubject to thelr own approval, as such committee, to wi Here foliow the names of the committes from the soveral States, the following gentle- men being selected from New York:—Johin T. Hoffman, Horatio Seymour, Theodore D. Dwight, Francis Liever, Elisha Harris, W, F. Aden, J, H. Scribner, Rev, 0. L. Bruce, B. K. Pierce, EB. L. Godgin, W. Aikman, J. B. Goud, G Be Hubbel, Rev, D. Osgood, ana K, 0, Wines, Professor LIEBER then made & brief address on the sabject of prisoa reform. He was followed uy Mr. Hagerman, and subsequently ny General Pills- bury of Albany Penitentiary, who gave some very Interesting details of tue working Of persons, alter Which the meeting adjourned. ART MATTERS. Exhibition of Paintings at the Leavitt Art Rooms. This coilection of paintings contains a number of pictures of rare merit, and will no doubt create almost as much enthusiasm among the art patrous as the celebrated White collection, ‘there 1s this point ot difference, that while the White coliection belonged to one man, the present is gathered from many sources—a fact wich in no way detracts from its value. Mr, Wellington, of Brookiyn, and Messrs, Williams and Everetts are the principal contributors, Jn the collection there are excellent examples from most of the prominent European and American artists. Indeed, so Yairly are the schools represented that the collection may be regarded as @& synopsis of modern art, Those who desire to be. come acquainted with the style of the various schools cannot do better than visit this exhibition, It would be impossiule for us to do justice to the many excellent works which form this collection, and, therefore, we will content ourselves with mentioning a few of tne most siriking paintings, as they occur to us, “THE JOLLY MUSICIANS”? {Pp by Madon, at once arrests our attention. It Ss one of those paintings which could not be mis- taken by those least skilled in art as the work of an ordinary or mediocre artist. It tells its story witn force and directness, and breathes @ spirit of droilery which 18s absolutey infectious. The two old boys are drunk, but have only reached that state of fuddle when Vie actions of the meoriate are marked by a com:cal ravity which woud make a total abatainer smile inspite of nimself, His technical handing 13 marked by great force and freedom, strength and solidity of grouping, firmaess and decision of draw- ing. There is everywhere iu the two meu’s figures traces of the hand of @ master, rtunately, the artist has not paid the same attentiui wo the bars matd, who 18 seen inthe backgrouad, This figure exhibits traces of carelessness, which 1s to be re- gretted, Without exception, the best painting in Mme gallery, as displayiag power and finish, 1s the “MOTHER AND CHILD’? by Gallait, It has all this master’s usual force, ana displays novuing of the harrowing tosignt into human woe that lend to his works such au uopieas- ant ioterest. Ordinarily we are moved by tie pas- sion or sorrow depicted by the artist, who seems to exercise a strange fascination wuica we would fain escape from, but whico, with true enchanter’s power, will still pursue us, His “Mother and Child’? are enuurely irce from this morbid senument. ‘Tne chuboy young urchin, who sleeps soundly, 13 as rosy and plump as a ripe peach, and tae mother 1s the very impersonation of tenderness. The figures are drawn boldly and freely, and with a softness aud suavity of outline rare among the reatest draughtsmen. The form 1s Clearly and rmiy indicated, but there 13 no line evident, which 1s the very triumph of drawing. The modelling of the form 1s firm, but delicate. The mass of white in the mother’s dress 1s relieved by @ mass of biack veivet thrown carelessiy across the mother’s lap. In the texture painting we have the same richness and depth of color which we find in the flesh. Cari Becker 1s present in all his gorgeous wealth of color it tits “PETITION TO THE DOGE OF VENICE.’? The picture 1s effectively grouped, and the figures are more Carefully drawn than we usually find them in tis works. “Happy Companiouship” displays Meyer Von Bremer’s bappy treatment of lignt el- jects In a quiet and charming way, He has very tender sentiment and idyllic simpiicity ressed in this peasant woman and the pretty tule canary. There is something remarkably pure and elevated in thus painting, which coutrast most favorably with many more striking works which offended refined tastes by a questiona- ble sensauonalism, “iow Shall | Auswer?’’ 1s one of tae most beautifal and thoughtiul works we have seen afver Foulmouche, It 18 somevning more than & beauttiul piece of technical execution, or the colored shadow of @ tashionably dressed woman. In the caim and dignified tace of the beautiful woman can be read a history, and not an unpleasant one, ‘There 1s no pain in the mental strugale, and there can be no doubt what the question is which has troubled her elegant but not passionless existence, Everything about the painting reveals exquisite taste and thoruugh knowledge; the pearly white. ness of the skix, continued by tae white lace whicn covers the shoulders and breasts, leaving bare the exquitely moulded arms, is suddenly contrasted by the black siik dress, which lends an air of GRAVITY AND DIGNITY to the composition well in keeping with the sub- ject. Born ia the texture and fesn painting tue artist has been at his best, ‘The mouern society school, of which Foulmoucne is the great br ging is Strongly represented in the collection, by F. Wil- Hams’ “fotlet,” De Jonghe’s “Lady with Kitten,” Chaplin's “Lesson in Geography,!’ works of the higuest merit in their genre. ‘The Engiish school 1s representod by Nicuol, Re A. Whose “Drop to ms Vutthe Colt? is full of characteristic force and . Webb, another Eaglisn artist, is repre. a by his “Bhrenbreitsien, on the Rhine,” and Mrighion,” @ work of great importance; put we have not space tn this briel notice to more than mention tt, and are compelled to pass over otuer Worksol great merit about Which We sould like to say sumeLolog THE CUSTOM HOUSE COMMITTEE. Another Instalment of Mudgett’s Revelations. What He Knows and Believes About the Military Ring—One of Porter’s “Errors of State- ment” Discovered—More About the General Order Business and Cor- ruptions of the Custom House. IMPORTANT EVENING SESSION. Letter from Secretary Boutwell---More Evidence Relative to Bribery. The Custom House Committee met again yester- day morning at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. There was a@shm attendance of the outside pubite, James Jonson, of the firm of Bigelow & Johnson, Vestified that on one occasion he bad given an in- Spector, whose nume he did not remember, a gra- taity for giving him notice where a permit could be sent to the best advantage; he thought it was only natural that merchants should not be very wing to come before the committee and give evidence on ‘this point, because the inspectors had the power to give them a great deal of embarrassment, Charies W. Van Sonn, Superintendent of Leet & Stocking’s general order stores, was the next wit- ness, He testiMed:—Have been in the warchouse business ten years—all that time in the general order business; nave been with Bixby & Co. and Hopkins & Co. Q How are Leet & Co.'s accommodations com- pared with those of the other firms you have becn with? A. They arethe best I have ever seen—per- | haps the best that coud be had, Q. How aboutthe charges? A. They are the same now as they have always been since the business went into private hands; I have regulated the charges; we have had some complaints; the rave for siorage varies from one cent to one dollar; for ordinary cases of dry goods the rate is fifty cents— Javor and storage; cartage 18, of course, added; goods aré delivered by Leet & Co, with more promptitude than I have ever seen in other stores; Ihave known carmen wait an hour and a half for goods, Q. Did vour people ever make a special arrange. ment with A. T. Stewart & Co, not to charge more than $1 75 a package? A. No, sir; we once re- duced a bili from $2 to $1 75; on that occasion I gave our clerks orders not in future to charge them more than $1 75, except in extraordinary cases; Mr. Gale, who came here the other day and testified that we sometimes charg> $2 50 for the same pack- age that at other times we only charge $1 50 for, bas sometimes come to our store and has used such offensive and improper language that Colonel Leet gave orders that he should be put out {I ne re- peated such conduct again; his statement Is not true; we Cannot discriminate against any one man, because ordiuarily we do not Kuow tue uame of the tirm to Whom the package belongs at the ume the raie is fixed; A, ‘I. Stewart and a few others brand ther guod: Mt 13 possible that a cierk should make @ mistake and charge $2 6) Insiead of $1 50, wut the error would be rectilied if attention were called to it; { remember the case Where $90 was Charged for cartage one way and $53 the other; I asked the carman about it, and he said he took the iower rate because he was dome nothing that day and did not care to be idle; the gouds Were leit outside the store, some o: them, and @ speciai Watchman was detatied to watcl tuem; tf they had been taken inside the store me charge would have been greater; in the case of Mr. ‘fulotson’s wire, we reduced tne charge troin fifteen cents and fitteen cents to ten cents and ten cents; we have no arrangements with inspectors to send goods to our store; 1 don’t think Leet & Co. make any profit on the cartage; they simply charge what they pay themselves; complaints against our charges would average two or three @ mouth: wo try and salisiy them generalty, but if they go to the Custom House first we ins upon our original rates; there hag never been a Case of pillaging in Leet & Co,.’s stores; Mr. Stewart pays only $1 25 uow for what he used vo pay $1 5) to Mr, Meyer; our charges are now less than any I have Known, except, perhaps, Mason & Co. and Syuire & Co.; there 1s Occasionally more diMicuity in getting al goods in @ general order store than in a bonded Warehouse; we could not charge unreasonable one without the consent Of the Collector oi the Orte Mr. Mudgett, recalled—Know Colonel Leet; the first Knowledge I had of him was at Claremont, at the hotel; 1t was @ Jew days alter | nad ‘he conver- sation with General Perter in which he suid that he did not know Mr. Lindsay; I remember a letwer from Mr, Boutwell about the restoration of the general order stores to the Bremen and Cunard stores; that was a few days before 1 met Colonel Leet; Leet sald that he expected to have the contract for fe public order stores; 12 saul that he would probably get it if ae made a caeaper offer than any one else, and that the Secretary ol the ‘Treasury was disposed to nace, things in his own way, and instanced this létter aboushiug the gene- ral oruer monopoly; Colonel Leet repited—") nave @man that can put his hand on Mr. Boutweil’s shoulder; Mr. J. R. Young, it was stated, nad sail that General Grant told him that I had charged that $85,000 had been sent to General Porter; 1 asked Mr. Young yesierday it that were true; Mr. Young said thatthe President had said £0; I have to say thatl never knew of such an affair, and that we statement 1s false that I made the charge or that L apologized to General Porter; General Jonn Cocn- Tave Was present at the time 1 nad an interview with Porter; Cochrane came to me on sunday nd sald Porter was hurt at my having said that he Was interested in Custom House jobs; Porter asked me if 1 had said it, and if L had said that I knew it of my own personal knowiedge; J explained that I did not pretena to Know it of my own personal knowledge, but I added that I be- lieved he was so interested; he replied that neitner he nor Leet nor Bavcock had auy interest in the general order business; he said also that he did not know Mr. Lindsay; General Hillyer told me tne other day that a icng time before this interview wok Bieta: Porter had declined to make Hiilyer's office 18 headquarters, because he had already taken up his headquarters at bts iriend’s, Mr. Lindsay's store; Colonel Leet at Claremont also wid me that he had no interest In the general order business, although Iknew he was geting money trom Bixby; Mr. v. B. Matthison or Mr. ‘Taylor—I think Matthison, but both were present at the time—toid me tnat Porter, Leet and Lindsay were incerested in this busi- ness, and had underiet it to Bixoy; it was common talk among Custom House people that Porter was interested; Mr. H. M. Williams, Veputy Collector at that time, told me something about it; I don’t pre- Tend to give exactly what he said; I believe he said that Mr. Grinnell felt compelled to give this busi- ness 69 Por.er and Leet; 1 should not believe Gen- eral Porter under oath if he sald that he was not interested in the general order business at the ttine of my conversation with him; his denial of any acauaintance with Lindsay was an untruin. Q. Were you appointed Assistant Appratser? a, Yes sir; and when I heard that General Palmer had been removed because I had been appointed, [ wrote to Secretary Boutwell, denying that | had ever been an enemy of the President; I thought at that time that General Grant was not interested in the domgs of a set of adventurers who came im here and disgraced the administration by selling jobs; 1 have been forced to that opinion since, because he has sustained them in what they had done; I had a@ conversation with Legrand &, Cannon about these matters, but never told him that 4 Oraft for $35,000 had been sent on to Washington, to be divided between Porter and Grant ; [resigned my office and went out with Generai Palmer, Q. Because you would not serve under the present administration? A. Because 1 have not much re- spect for it. Q. You served under Johnson—had you much re. spect ior him? A. Yes, but Lhelg office uauer the Collector. @ And you do not respect Gen. Grant? A. There are men for whom | have a higher admiration. Q. vid you ever hear of an interview between Mr. Grinneil and General Porter? A, | was Iniormed oy Mr. Mason that Generat Porter was coming on here ; thought it disgraceful to the administration that these adventurers should come on here and get these Jobs ; General Porver did come on and I heara he forced Mr. Grinnell to give the general order busi ness to Leet. ‘The witness was then examined at tedious length by Senator Howe in regard to the Cartage Bureau, Which he claimed to have been established for the benefit of an adventurer (Mr, Stucking) connected With the White House—a military ring. Mr. Lindsay, according to Mrg Mudgett got it up, but he did not think he did so “for the pubilc good. A. P. Miller, @ warehouseman doing business in Washington street, testified a8 to the general charges tor storage, &c. His evidence was of the game character as that of tne score of other wit esses on these points who are adverse to the general order mouopoly of Leet & Co. He thought auere rae charged by the latter firm alto- gether too high, ‘The Committee then adjourged until half-past seven o'clock, Evening Session. ‘The committee reassembled at half-past seven, A larger number of spectators was present during last evening than at any previous sitting, and the evi- dence taken was of more than usual interest. Ex- Collector Murphy and his friends were on hand, at- ten‘ively watching the proceedings, A lengthy communication was received from Lewis & Co. oases of goods in Leet’s stores, and enclosing. 6 0 of an abortive correspondence WING VULEGVOF MURA A bbe Aaledh 1b Was pes. Ape meg ed one of the firme to to-day. Fead, incioding the following. irom. Secre ponse to a letter addressed him ASUBY DEPARTMENT, wasseronne Jan, 2%, 1872, i ; Sra—I have the honor to acknow eige the receipt of your communication of the 23d inst., wrausmitiing a copy of to . Whitlock, between himae! ihe committee whether the tacts ure correctly stated by Mr. Whitlock, and to point out the rezulutiou and law autborizing the sume under which the sali lees were exacted . In regard to the brst portion of your request 1 would state that upoo examination of the reedrds of the department it 1 wacertained that the statement of Mr. Whitlock is, in the main, correct, He imported into New York trom Manta, per Kattier, March 1, lo7l, a cargo of sugars and made regular warehouse entry of the same, designating a bonded Warehouse, on lund i 288 South street) in tis eniry for the rage thereof. Betore, however, the sugars were uniadew orn the importing vessel and ‘carted to the desi bonded warehouse, he changed bis mind about puiting them under bond and desire! to take possession of them immedk ately by paying the duties there nthe same ag if they hag been entered for consumption, ‘Tnis could only be done by a change ia the mode of ent and under the spectal regulations of the departm recited, the payment of the half storage fees ay xaction of wuich Mr. Whitlock complains. ecial regulation referred to is contained in Part 5) dt Warehouse Keguiations for 1858, and isin the fob lowing words, viz. :-~ Ant. 35 437).—On completion of entry for should the importer desire to take the whole or apy Of is property from the vessel and bay the duties before the same go into warehouse, be shall be at liberty to do so paying the duty on withdrawal, entry for consamption, ‘one-halt storage for one month, aud. giving nnal bond as quired by the fourth section of the act of May 28, 183), * ‘This regulation was also contained in De; nt General Regulations of 1867 (articie 437), and so far as I cam learn had been also in force for sume time prior to that date. ‘Yhere 18 no special provision of la September 3, 1780; "to superinteud we revenue.” It may also be stated that the question as to the right of the government to exact haif for the privilege granted porters and change their entries ua aforeauld Was afirmed in the Circuit Cort ofthe United States for tho Southern District of New York in tae case of Irwin et al ve. Augustus Schell, decided May 21, 183. (5 Blatchfora’s Be- i GORGE 8, BOUTWELL, Secretary. fhe first witness examined was Gustave Schuat agent of the Breman line ol steamers, who testifies as lollows:—I am a memver of the house ot Ulrict & Co.; know Mr. Williams, of Willams & Guion; can confirm Mr. Willams’ statement relative to paying gratuities to Custom House inspectors; 1t has been the habit for the past seven years; ever since £ came to New York as a steamship ageat; the thing is weil Known 10 the Custom House; some time ago a Treasury agent called upon me and told me that the Secretary of the ‘Treasury wished to suppresé it; the Collector of the Port also send round & cir- cular stating that the practice was illegai; we have fees since ceased to pay those gratuities; but F Uelieve they (the inspeciors) still’ receive them in some way; can state witht certainty that no steamsiip of our line has ever an~ loaded at the port without having to pay monery and beiteve that other ines, tn Lact slips boLh home and foreign, are necessitated to do so io order to Dave theiy Work done with execution; the reasol of this i that the existing laws be so harshly on steamship companies and merchants they must tke some measures td protect themselves against what Wey consider op~ pressjon; We give our slups a longer time to un load than the Liverpool lives, and, therefore, we do not have to recourse Lo this system as much as they; but the Cusiom Ho Inspector can apnoy us very much without leaving himself open vo 8s any charge ol neglect; im muany Ways a thing cau hinder us in cur business, and the absolate necessity of bribes will be easily seen; there 1s & barvarous law on tod Statute book WNich says that tue cargo of @ vessel in which smuguled goods are found is to be fore feited to the government; we cannot prevent sailors of our ships from stipugziing small arlicies, aud we are in daliy terror O1 losing cargoes, Senator CassexLy—Witi Would be,tne effect of Your stopping this practice of vriving? A. We are w regular steamship company, aa Lave no ime to make experiments, but We practice las a very bad effect upon the morals of the civil service; there are generaily three inspectors to each slip3 formerly ticre were ouiy two; Unis mercases the amount of mouey we have got to pays it Goes not increase the _ eiliciency. ot the service; Know tuat cases are marked ia bad order in the Appraisers’ sture without sufficient dis« crimination; the thing is irequentiy done; I have come to the conclusion tat ti would be vetter if every steamship company should have its owa gene eral order store; this 18 necessary in order to sauusly the mercaanis anu transact their business property 5 it will be tu the interest of the compa nies to have the stores; our ustom de pends upon it; Mr. Leet or rt. Stockiu has no interest In pleasing the mercian 80 long as they have a monopoly; the goous woul be us safe in tweive stores as Wey howare In twos in fact, they would be saier, for then twenty-four government inspectors would be, watching good Whereas now there are only four: it has been states that a law compeiling steamers to watt tive days should be adopted; if this suggestion should be complied with there would be @ great many more complaints than chere are now; (he proposed remedy would be no remedy ut a for both the Hamburg and our own lines, we occupied the same sjores in Hoboken; @ slower aischaige of goods would entatl additional expense buta on the inerchants and companies, Senator BUCKINGHAM—Do you regard this practice of paying brives as necessary? A. Ido, sir, Q. Do you regard it as legal? A, Yes; but it is @ necessary evil. Q. Do merchants pay bribes as well? A. I cannot speak with ceriainty, bat | believe they do; mucir more so now than ever, since the generai order stores went into tue hands of Lees and Stocaing, Q. What eftect does the praciice of one merchan' bribing and another refusing to do so have upon tha lawer? A. 1 cannot say; 1 Know nothing further than I have told you; but | cam say that ihe paye ment of the bribe hastens ihe detivery of the goods, Q. What remedy would you suggest? A. ‘Thal would be a loug story; but one of the chief cause: of troubie at the present time 13 the insecurity of the position of subordinate oificers; taey are placed there for a me and exposed to every temptation; if thew position was made dependent upon their good conduct instead of on the caprice of any change of government a feeling o1 honor would arise which would stop the present corrupuon. Senator PRatTT—fow much is the gratuity geae- rally paid? A. From ten to fliteen dollars, Q. What effect does thus have upon we ara of the inspectors in the face of their oatny A. cannot testily relative to an inspector's consclence— (laghter)—1 cannot ans wer such a question, Q. Please state what 18 tne duty of an inspector in unloading. A. He holds the 1uvoices in his band, sees that the goods are ail discharged and atvends to the business of unloading geuerully. Senator CasSERLY—You say an inspector can annoy you in many ways witnoat going outside of his duty? A. Yes, sir, in many ways, Q. What effect does it have wpon the service? A. A very demoralizing one; it compels men to violave their oaths, and jeads them to expect payment out- side their regular salaries; 11 might make a sug- gestion, 1 would say that if skips were ailowed ta unload at night there would be iess confusion, Senator STEWAKT—Would it not be better to pay this gratuity into the. hands of the Collector of tne port, and iet nim pay the men? A, 1do not think so. ‘rhis would make it a regular thing; but the ine spectors would still manage to receive sometning privately, and they would look ior 16 too Laughter.) % ve ‘steamships ever reported, those cases? t hus been # public secret (lauguter); every one was aware and is aware ol the practice; there king confplaints; the oniy remeay I can si ie same as i bave stated belore— bel the men should be given a lite tenure of ther offices, Senator STEwART—If the importers are rascals, and the agents of the steamship companies are with them, how is the government to know when i¢ is being defrauded? A, There is no danger of the government beihg defrauded by the steamship com- pamies; the accounts are Kept too straight for that, Q. Coutd bribery be preveated by paying the men higher wages? A. 1 do not believe it would; I bave suggested the only remedy. . Senator CASSERLY—Has there ever been an effort imade by the government to stop tmisevil? A. ‘There was evidence collected on the matter some time ago, but it went no iurther; no action was taken upon it. Q. Can there not be found a numberof men honest enough to do their duty without pribes? a, it would be a difficult proviem to solve; In any case, it never has been tried. Senator PkRATT—What do you know of passengers bribing inspectors wo pass age containing smuggled goods? A, [cannot s$éak from my own experience; most of the passengers we carry are Germans and do got know any of these dodzes, Senator Howk—Wnat ts the specific relief inspec- tors afford you agamst the haroor regulations? A. They afford us reef in allowing goods to be carted away from the dock after sunset; in ae~ flauc? of the regulation they allow us to hoist our goods out of tne ship the enure day, and in many other ways assist us and the mercnants through us; in some cases they wili aliow us to land goods after sunset, Senator Howke—If the term of office was perma- nent and the pay bigher how would the steamship companies geton? A. Things would be managed fairly, and a class of honorable men Would ve em- ployed, which would no longer render bribery ne ‘ou enter these transactions on your books? ry: Do y A. Yes, but in an indirect manner, Q. Yon say the payments are not specific sums? A. They depend upon the nature and the amount of the service rendered; we have to pay more now than some years ago; there 1s very rarely that @ pay. ment is made under $20. Q. If they accept ten or twelve dollars from the picayune lines—the ioman and Quanard laugh. ter)—why don’t you reduce your payments? a, Our cargoes are of 4 different class; the goods are not so easily handled. ‘The witness was examined until a late hour rela. tive to these points? At the conciusion of his evi- dence the committee adjourned unill teu o'clock tals morning, FRIGHTFUL OCCURRENCE, A Terrible Denth in u Jersey Paper Mill. An occurrence of @ most appalling character hap- med yesterday abont noon in the Silver Sprin, per Mill, at Bloomfleld, N. J. A man nam Hogan, Gildershaw or Giubronson was caughtyin the machinery while attending to his Work and his righ’ Arm torn Out irom its sockeL. 111s head was caught also And the brains scattered about the place, it is unnecessary to say That death was lustantaneouss » Li seems he Was caught by the veltiag. Hie was @ ian Of middie age and leaves a wife avd jamily. |