# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 4/18th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 4

Chap. IV.—An Act concerning discriminating duties of tonnage and impost.
The several acts imposing discriminating duties of tonnage on foreign vessels, to be suspended as respects the kingdom of the Netherlands, &c.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, during the continuance of this act, and under the limitations hereinafter mentioned, so much of the several acts imposing duties on the tonnage of vessels in the ports of the United States, as imposes a discriminating duty between foreign vessels and vessels of the United States, is hereby suspended, so far as respects vessels truly and wholly belonging to subjects or citizens of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; of Prussia; of the Imperial Hanseatic cities of Hamburg, Lubeck, and Bremen; of the Dukedom of Oldenburg; of the Kingdom of Norway; of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and of the Empire of Russia.
Discriminating duties of impost on foreign vessels to be suspended, as respects the produce, &c., of the territories in Europe, of any of the mentioned nations.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That so much of the several acts imposing duties on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States, as imposes a discriminating duty between goods imported into the United States in foreign vessels, and in vessels of the United States, be, and the same is hereby, suspended, so far as the same respects the produce or manufactures of the territories in Europe, of any of the above-mentioned nations, or such produce and manufactures as can only be, or most usually are, first shipped from a port or place in the said territories in Europe, of either of them, respectively, the same being imported in vessels truly and wholly belonging to the subjects or citizens of each of the said nations, respectively, the vessels of each nation importing its own produce and manufactures as aforesaid.
This suspension to continue so long as the vessels of the United States and their cargoes shall be exempt from like discriminating duties in their ports.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the suspension of the discriminating duties of tonnage and impost, in the two preceding sections of this act prescribed, shall continue, in behalf of each of the above-mentioned nations, on condition that, and so long as, the vessels of the United States, and truly wholly belonging to the citizens thereof, and all goods and merchandise, of the produce or manufacture of the United States, laden therein, and imported into any of the ports of the said nations in Europe, respectively, shall be exempted from all and every discriminating duty of impost or tonnage, direct or indirect, whatsoever, ​other or higher than is levied upon the vessels and merchandise therein imported, belonging to the subjects or citizens of each of the said nations, respectively. But if, in any of the territories in Europe, of either of the said nations, any such discriminating duty, shall, at any time, be imposed or levied on vessels wholly belonging to citizens of the United States, or on the merchandise imported as aforesaid in them, then, and from that time, the said suspension herein prescribed shall cease, and determine, so far as respects the vessels, and merchandise imported into the United States in them, of such nations: and all the provisions of the acts imposing discriminating foreign tonnage and impost duties in the United States, shall revive and be in full force, with regard to the said nation.
The President to issue a proclamation of reciprocal exemption, on evidence of any foreign nation abolishing discriminating duties on vessels and goods of the United States.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, upon satisfactory evidence being given to the President of the United States, by the government of any foreign nation, that no discriminating duties of tonnage or impost are imposed or levied within the ports of the said nation, upon vessels wholly belonging to citizens of the United States, or upon merchandise, the produce or manufacture thereof, imported in the same, the President is hereby authorized to issue his proclamation, declaring that the foreign discriminating duties of tonnage and impost within the United States, are, and shall be, suspended and discontinued, so far as respects the vessels of the said nation, and the merchandise of its produce or manufacture, imported into the United States in the same: the said suspension to take effect from the time of such notification being given to the President of the United States, and to continue so long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States, and merchandise as aforesaid, thereon laden, shall be continued, and no longer.
Approved, January 7, 1824.