Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-01-20
From the NJ Y. Evening Post.
PARTIAL IMPORTATION BILL. 0
0,rnerrbanfs will find the bill In this even.

PAkl lAL iV1T I'M a - -
Our merchants will find the bill In TINS eyeil-
+ will be found the collectors are not only
invested with the power, of judging and de-
.termining in the first instance, which IS per-
haps UNAVOIDABLE but in cases OF an unjust
decision from the most unjust motives, sec
no provision giving the injured any appeal,
or redress in any way. The custom-house
officer is vested with exclusive and tinsl Ju-
risdiction, which i,e may exercise as tyrannl-
|cally as be pleases and that custom-house
officers can so exercise it, is too we'll known,
and has been too severely felt, to be question
led.
Secondly. A set ofoaths are provided, which
are to be swallowed by every importer, Sane,
|tionedby the psins and penalties OF wllful and
corrupt perjury. The first oath obllges them
who take it, to swear in these words E" aat
there are not among the merchandise now OF
+ ered to be entered, any goods other than such
as are permitted by virtue OF the provisions
| Of this Acts to be imported into the United
States or the territories thereof sc. WHAT
sort of an oath is this and what sort OF law
to compea man to take 1t under the sanction
| of such penalties ? This act is no more tree
from difficulties as to its construction than
other acts, especially those enacted OF late
wears. but how many countless hundreds o.
dQllars has it cost the merchants In obtaining
1.-The written opinions of professional men OF
Ievery act that the ruling party have underta
lken to pass restricting or In any way reguiat
ling commerce.? And yet, every merchant
before ne can get his property into his posses
sion, must take an OATH, and swear, with the
Fpena!ties cracted against wilful and corrup
! perjury hanging over MIN, that ne under
stands this law and tha, he has not done al!
timing. In violation OF ii say, he must syeal
| that he unders; els the law, for this Is mph
ed hy the oath l&sif. for, unless ne under
stands it, and whit IS . vocation OF It, surely
F! his oath amounts to nothing at all. 10 sWea
| Ia facts, used to be the way, but to swear tt
!, tie construction Of the Jaw, is what | shoulc
hardly have expected would be require
| &C d drst rate lawyer, much less OF tner
chant.
| Lastly. The act ITSELF Though we ceFtainl!
mean not to disapprove of it if it is the bes
that can be got) is not altogether free from OBJ
/ iectiens. In reality it amounts to this Ihost
who omitted to withdraw their property from
| England before February, fearing it might bs
| seized, thus giving faith To the declarations Q
the administration, respecting Great-Britaii
and France, and avoided to run the risk o
tsending out their orders till it was too late
and till Mr.. Galla;in had promulgated the law
of the land by a circular, are punished by sub
| iecting their funds to forfeiture in case OF {
war, or to a sacrifice Of % per cent. in getting
| il away, by means of bills of exchange. While
those are made the fvorites, who, wlthou
any special merit took the chance of giving
orders before they know how my lord Gala
tin would settle the law, not suspccting thai
he would give it an e:rho$t yfdcto operation II
| The teeth of Justice and the constitution, as
he did. But we ask the single question, i
| we are to be involved in war with Great brl
| tain, why should not all classes OF our fellow
citizens be equally permitted to get home
their property in safety out OF the clutches OF
the common enemy.
The late hour at which we first saw this
statute, renders it impossible to add more now
20 the above suggestions. TO 90 the SUBJECT
justice would engross paper
n Hozy can the oath 6e taken in these very
svords 2
A BILL
To authorize the importation of goods, wares
and merchandise, under certain circum-
stances, from Great Britain, her colonies
and dependencies
Sect. /. Be it enacted By the Senate and
Hosse Of Rehresentatives Of fhe United States
of naericu, in Congress assembled, That all
Foods, wares and merchandise, being the
growth, produce, or manufacture of Great
Britain, her colonies or dependencies, and
which were purchased or actually contracted
for in Great Britain, her colonies or depen-
IA of ob