# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/12th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 7

Chap. VII.—An Act directing the Secretary of the Treasury to remit fines, forfeitures and penalties in certain cases.
Secretary of the Treasury authorized to remit certain fines incurred upon the importation of goods from Great Britain. Act of March 1, 1809, ch. 24. Act of May 1, 1810, ch. 39. 1811, ch. 29.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all cases where goods, wares and merchandise, owned by a citizen or citizens of the United States, have been imported into the United States from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, which goods, wares and merchandise were shipped on board vessels which departed therefrom between the twenty-third day of June last, and the fifteenth day of September last, and the person or persons interested in such goods, wars or merchandise, or concerned in the importation thereof, have thereby incurred any fine, penalty and forfeiture, under an act, entitled “An act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain, and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes,” and an act, entitled “An act concerning the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain, and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes,” and the act supplementary to the act last mentioned, on such person or persons petitioning for relief to any judge or court proper to hear the same, in pursuance ​Act of March 3, 1797, ch. 13.of the provisions of the act, entitled “An act to provide for mitigating or remitting the fines, forfeitures and penalties, in certain cases therein mentioned;” and on the facts being shown, on inquiry had by said judge or court, stated and transmitted, as by said act is required, to the Secretary of the Treasury; in all such cases wherein it shall be proved to his satisfaction that said goods, wares and merchandise, at the time of their shipment, were bona fide owned by a citizen or citizens of the United States, and shipped and did depart from some port or place in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, owned as aforesaid, between the twenty-third day of June last and the fifteenth day of September last, the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed to remit all the fines, penalties and forfeitures,Conditions. Costs and charges and duties to be paid. Proviso as to goods purchased after the war was known to exist. that may have been incurred under the said acts, in consequence of such shipment, importation or importations, upon the costs and charges that have arisen or may arise being paid, and on payment of the duties which would have been payable by law on such goods, wares and merchandise, if legally imported; and also to direct the prosecution or prosecutions, if any shall have been instituted for the recovery thereof, to cease and be discontinued: Provided nevertheless, that no case in which the purchase of such goods, wares and merchandise was made, after war was known to exist between the United States and Great Britain, at the port or place where such purchase was made, shall be entitled to the benefits of this act.
Approved, January 2, 1813.