# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/8th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 13

Chap. XIII.—An Act for laying and collecting duties on imports and tonnage within the territories ceded to the United States, by the treaty of the thirtieth of April, one thousand eight hundred and three, between the United States and the French Republic, and for other purposes.
Duties on imports and tonnage in Louisiana as in other states. What laws shall be in force there.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the same duties which by law now are, or hereafter may be laid on goods, wares, and merchandise imported into the United States, on the tonnage of vessels, and on the passports and clearances of vessels, shall be laid and collected on the goods, wares, and merchandise imported into the territories ceded to the United States, by the treaty of the thirtieth of April, one thousand eight hundred and three, between the United States and the French Republic; and on vessels arriving in, or departing from the said territories: and the following acts, that is to say, the act, intituled,
Act of Sept. 2, 1789, ch. 12.“An act to establish the treasury department.”
Act of Dec. 31, 1792, ch. 1.“An act concerning the registering and recording of ships and vessels.”
Act of Feb. 18, 1793, ch. 8.“An act for enrolling and licensing ships or vessels to be employed in the coasting trade and fisheries.”
Act of March 2, 1799, ch. 22.“An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage.”
Act of March 3, 1797, ch. 9.“An act to establish the compensations of officers employed in the collection of the duties on imports and tonnage, and for other purposes.”
Act of March 3, 1795, ch. 48.“An act for the more effectual recovery of debts due from individuals to the United States.”
Act of March 3, 1797, ch. 20.“An act to provide more effectually for the settlement of accounts between the United States and receivers of public money.”
Act of May 7, 1800, ch. 45.“An act to authorize the sale and conveyance of lands in certain cases, by the marshals of the United States, and to confirm former sales;” and
Act of 1797, ch. 13.“An act to provide for mitigating or remitting the forfeitures, penalties and disabilities accruing in certain cases therein mentioned.”
Act of April 2, 1792, ch. 16.“An act to establish a mint and to regulate the coins of the United States.”
Act of Feb. 9, 1793, ch. 5.“An act regulating foreign coins, and for other purposes.”
All acts or of such parts now in force, or which may be enacted for laying duties on imports and tonnage, seamen or shipping for the collection of duties, regulating drawbacks and enrolling vessels to be in force. Vessels of that territory entitled to the same benefit as of U. States which were owned on the 20th December, 1803, &c.And the act supplementary to, and amendatory of the two last-mentioned acts, or so much of the said acts as is now in force, and also so much of any other act or acts of the United States as is now in force, or may be hereafter enacted, for laying any duties on imports, tonnage, seamen or shipping, for regulating and securing the collection of the same, and for regulating the compensations of the officers employed in the collection of the same; for granting and regulating drawbacks, bounties and allowances in lieu of drawbacks; concerning the registering, recording, enrolling and licensing of ships and vessels; to provide for the settlement of accounts between the United States and individuals; for the recovery of debts due to the United States; and for remitting forfeitures, penalties and disabilities, shall extend to, and have full force and effect in the above-mentioned territories: Provided however, and be it further enacted, That ships or vessels, which on the twentieth day of December last, were owned by persons then residing in the above mentioned territories, and who, either were citizens of the United States, or had resided in the said territories, during five years next preceding, shall be entitled to the benefits and privileges of ships or vessels of the United States, whilst they shall continue to be wholly owned by such persons, or by citizens of the United States: Provided nevertheless,But shall register and take oath of allegiance. that the persons claiming such privileges for their ships or vessels, shall in every other respect, comply with the provisions of the acts for registering, recording, enrolling and licensing of ships or vessels, and who, if not citizens of the United States, shall have previously taken an oath of ​allegiance to the United States, which oath the collector of the port is hereby authorized to administer.
Other acts extended to Louisiana. Act concerning the Bank of the U. States; and an act for the regulation of seamen and for protecting the exportation of goods, not inspected, extended to Louisiana.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That so much of any act of acts of the United States, now in force, or which may be hereafter enacted, concerning the Bank of the United States, and for the punishment of frauds committed on the same; for the relief of sick and disabled seamen; for the protection of American seamen; for the government and regulation of seamen in the merchant service; and for preventing the exportation of goods not duly inspected; shall extend to and have full force and effect in the above-mentioned territories.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That so much of any law or laws, laying any duties on the importation into the United States of goods, wares and merchandise from the said territories (or allowing drawbacks on the importation of the same from the United States to the said territories), or respecting the commercialCommercial regulations inconsistent with the provisions of the second section repealed. intercourse between the United States and the said territories, or between the several parts of the United States through the said territories, which is inconsistent with the provisions of the preceding section, be, and the same is hereby repealed; and all duties on the exportation of goods, wares and merchandise from the said territories, as well as all duties on the importation of goods, wares and merchandise into the said territories, on the transfer of ships or vessels, and on the tonnage of vessels, other than those laid by virtue of the laws of the United States, shall, from the time when this act shall commence to be in force, cease and determine: Provided however,Fees, &c. usually paid for pilotage, wharfage, &c. not affected. that nothing herein contained, shall be construed to affect the fees and other charges usually paid in the said territories on account of pilotage, wharfage, or the right of anchoring by the levy of the city of New Orleans, which several fees and charges shall, until otherwise directed, continue to be paid and applied to the same purposes as heretofore.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, to the end that the laws providing for the collection of the duties imposed, by law, on goods, wares and merchandise, imported into the United States, and on the tonnage of ships and vessels, and the laws respecting the revenue and navigation of the United States, may be carried into effect within the said territories,Territory annexed to the District of Mississippi. the territories ceded by the treaty above mentioned, and also all the navigable waters, rivers, creeks, bays, and inlets, lying within the United States, which empty into the Gulf of Mexico, east of the river Mississippi, shall be annexed to the Mississippi district, and shall, together with the same, constitute one district, to be called the “District of Mississippi.”New Orleans the sole port of entry. Officers to be appointed by the President of the U. States. Act of 1799, ch. 22. Repeal of any laws which establish a district on the river Mississippi south of the Tennessee river. The city of New Orleans shall be the sole port of entry in the said district, and the town of Bayou St. John shall be a port of delivery, a collector, naval officer, and surveyor shall be appointed to reside at New Orleans, and a surveyor shall be appointed to reside at the port of Bayou St. John; and the President of the United States is hereby authorized to appoint, not exceeding three surveyors, to reside at such other places, within the said district, as he shall deem expedient, and to constitute each, or either of such places ports of delivery only. And so much of any law or laws, as established a district on the river Mississippi, south of the river Tennessee, is hereby repealed, except as to the recovery and receipt of such duties on goods, wares and merchandise, and on the tonnage of ships or vessels, as shall have accrued, and as to the recovery and distribution of fines, penalties, and forfeitures, which shall have been incurred before the commencement of the operation of this act.
District of Natchez, officer there.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the shores and waters of the town of Natchez, shall be one district, to be called the district of Natchez, and a collector shall be appointed who shall reside at Natchez, which shall be the only port of entry or delivery within the said district, of any goods, wares and merchandise, not the growth or manufacture of the ​United States: Provided nevertheless, that it shall be the duty of every master or commander of any ship or vessel destined for the said port of Natchez, to stop at New Orleans,Ships to stop at New Orleans, and deliver a manifest of their cargo. 1807, ch. 14. and there deliver to the collector of said port a manifest of cargo on board such ship or vessel agreeably to law, on penalty of five thousand dollars. And it shall be the duty of the said collector to transmit a certified copy of such manifest to the collector of the said port of Natchez, and to direct an inspector to go on board such ship or vessel, and proceed therewith to the port of Natchez, and there report such ship or vessel to the collector of said port of Natchez immediately after his arrival, when the duty of said inspector shall cease.
Foreign vessels to unlade only at New Orleans.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That foreign ships or vessels shall be admitted to unlade at the port of New Orleans, and at no other port within the district of Mississippi; and ships or vessels belonging to citizens of the United States, coming directly from France of Spain, or any of their colonies, shall not be admitted to unlade at any port within the district of Mississippi, other than New Orleans: and ships or vessels arriving from the Cape of Good Hope, or from any place beyond the same, shall be admitted to make entry at the port of New Orleans, and at no other port within the district of Mississippi: Provided, however, that nothing in this act contained,Drawbacks at N. Orleans how regulated. Repealed. shall authorize the allowing of drawbacks on the exportation of any goods, wares and merchandise from the said port of New Orleans, other than on those which shall have been imported directly into the same, from a foreign port or place.
Ships bound for other ports must stop at New Orleans, and make entry.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the master or commander of every ship or vessel, bound to a port of delivery only, other than the port of Bayou St. John, in the district of Mississippi, shall first come to at the port of New Orleans, with his ship or vessel, and there make report and entry, in writing, and pay, or secure to be paid, all legal duties, port fees, and charges, in manner provided by law, before such ship or vessel shall proceed to her port of delivery; and any ship or vessel, bound to the port of Bayou St. John, may first proceed to the said port, and afterwards make report and entry at the port of New Orleans, within the time by law limited; and the master of every ship or vessel, arriving from a foreign port or place, or having goods on board of which the duties have not been paid or secured, and bound to any port within the district of Mississippi, (other than New Orleans, or Bayou St. John,) shall take an inspector on board at New Orleans, before proceeding to such port;Under a penalty of five hundred dollars. and if any master of a ship or vessel shall proceed to such port of delivery, contrary to the directions aforesaid, he shall forfeit and pay five hundred dollars, to be recovered in any court of competent jurisdiction, with the costs of suit.
French and Spanish ships privileged in ports of Louisiana for twelve years, from the exchange of ratifications of Louisiana treaty.Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That during the term of twelve years, to commence three months after the exchange of the ratifications of the above-mentioned treaty shall have been notified, at Paris, to the French government, French ships or vessels, coming directly from France, or any of her colonies, laden only with the produce or manufactures of France, or any of her said colonies; and Spanish ships or vessels, coming directly from Spain, or any of her colonies, laden only with the produce or manufactures of Spain, or any of her said colonies, shall be admitted into the port of New Orleans, and into all other ports of entry which may hereafter be established by law, within the territories ceded to the United States by the above-mentioned treaty, in the same manner as ships or vessels of the United States, coming directly from France or Spain, or any of their colonies, and without being subject to any other, or higher duty on the said produce or manufacture, than by law now is, or shall, at the time, be payable, by citizens of the United States on similar articles, imported from France or Spain,To pay only like duties with ships of the U. States. or any of their colonies, in vessels of the United States, into the said port of New Orleans, or other ports of entry in the territories above mentioned; ​or to any other, or higher tonnage duty, than by law now is, or shall at the time be, laid on the tonnage of vessels of the United States coming from France, or Spain, or from any of their colonies, to the said port of New Orleans, or other ports of entry within the territories above mentioned.
Collector to give bond.Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That the collector of the district of Mississippi, shall give bond for the true and faithful discharge of his duties, in the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, and shall be allowed in addition to the fees and emoluments of his office,Emoluments. in lieu of all other commissions, one and a half per cent. on all monies by him received, on account of the duties arising from goods, wares and merchandise imported into the said district, and on the tonnage of ships and vessels; and the naval officers and surveyorsNaval officer and surveyor’s compensation. of the said district shall, respectively, receive an annual compensation of two hundred and fifty dollars, in addition to their other fees and emoluments.
Additional revenue cutter to be built. 1799, ch. 22, sec. 97.Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is authorized, to cause to be built and equipped, one revenue cutter in addition to those heretofore authorized by law, which cutter may be officered, manned and employed, in the same manner, and the expense thereof shall be paid out of the same fund, as is provided for defraying the expense of the revenue cutters heretofore authorized by law.
Mobile may be made a separate district.Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is authorized, whenever he shall deem it expedient, to erect the shores, waters and inlets of the bay and river Mobile, and of the other rivers, creeks, inlets and bays emptying into the Gulf of Mexico, east of the said river Mobile, and west thereof to the Pascaguola inclusive, into a separate district, and to establish such place within the same, as he shall deem expedient, to be the port of entry and delivery for such district; and to designate such other places, within the same district, not exceeding two,Two ports of deliver in Mobile. to be ports of delivery only. Whenever such separate district shall be erected, a collector shall be appointed, to reside at the port of entry; and a surveyor shall likewise be appointed, to reside at each of the ports of delivery which may be established. And such collectorOfficers may be appointed. and surveyor shall be entitled to receive, in addition to their other fees and emoluments, an annual salary of two hundred and fifty dollars. And the said collector shall give bond for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, in the sum of five thousand dollars.
Act in force 24th March, 1804.Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That this act shall commence thirty days after the passing thereof.
Approved, February 24, 1804.