Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-07-14

retail and packed at Bos.ca, ia: e.,
not in the original package" and / N
fore mot subject TO the infection. o, =
law" How is the collector 10 know Z
The same may be said OF every olher, \"
age: the goods must be detained ua, r.
oTner con return to Boston and .r,,.S
Negative. :
Ills is no imaginary case. Nam -.
of dctual occurrence might be cited l.,
der OF this town Carried cCastHis e n .
timore several boxes II China. ;rr,.
several years past, some OF which 10
purchased in The shops, Others a, ,rc,-
fhey were shipped previous 10 lie .ss ,,Sp
of this laoc, afnve.. one or Two DAYS -.
It's passage, and were arrested BY The s -,
tom house al b. ,timore, on The De, y
they were not accompanied by the M
and certificates by a iGss passed onh ).
days before! The owner came b,SS, - :.
Boston, and alter several days search tcrj
out the importers, obtained the oyiderrs d
regular importation and finally procur,I ],
re ease oil MS goods. Apply this Case :, |.
vessel coming from Ncw-Orleans, ig0cr,.
of law not passed at the tine Other ,rE,.
The coDsignee must send 1900 mile, :.
the necessary papers 10 obtain the pose
sion Of his properly.
Ii is daily asked "what is the obiec, =,
the 7ih section Of the edict OF April h,
all experiment on the patience OF the cor.
mercial class a trial how fur he nav /.
burdened and CALLED wilhou; wircinsi /
it TO prevent our coasters from receiyir.
goods at sea from foreign vessel and i.
Producing them into the L. States Ire /,
duty ?" Ii this latter be the design, VIZ
does il not apply to goods paying spec,f
as well as those payingan ad va'orem dur
Coffee and sugar and pepper Tor insi1rtt
can be carried cosstwise without the o.,
and invoices, and certificates required,
protect the latter. Can those articles hr +.
ceived at sea as well as dry goods lid.
tie the case, theremedy is ei'ec!ual, ard 4
burthens imposed utterly useless.
The 10Th section Of this law eracts L.
any merchant VITO shall be chosen by b,
Collector, or by the party in Interest :,
make any aPpraiscment required ~ d.
act or under any other act respecting IT.
ports and tonnage, end who shall, after q,
notice, decline or neglect 10 assist al sud
apprai.emeEt, shall be subject 10 fine
not more than 80 dollars, and 10 the COS
Of prosecution in any court Of the Unite
States"
Thus the collector or party in intere
has II in his power TO appoint capricious
or soherly, any individual merchant 10 d
performance ofthis task. He may say an
will great reason, that those who have ha
most experience are tic best qualified t
the duty-Mr. Gray and Mr.. TMndk
for instance, two OF cur mos, extended N
oldest merchants. II may be true that the
have other avocatiors, both OF a public an
private nature, which may render this n
cupation somewhat inconvcnient; yet
must he remembered that private conv,
nience is not to be plead ; they must pla
or pay 1.-The law allows it and the court
wards it Apropos would not the Apo q
ment of these gentlemen as standing (pr
vate) appraisers, be an admirable exp,
dient for helping the Revenue 4?
We are in Justice bound to observe Tia
the officers of the customs in this town
however veyed and perplexed they m
have been by the operations Of this Law
have never lost sight OF their characteristic
urbanity in the execution Of their duties.
Having touched on the most rrominen
though by no means The ONLY obiectionabl
features OF the edict If Apri 2Oh, ] shouI
conclude my remarks by joining in the e.
neral lamentation that the great body I
our merchants and traders are liable to ,h
imposition Of grievous and mnecesssr
laws, for the want Of practical informatic
of the part OF those who enact them; an
lastly that any merchant. being memb1
of'Congress. and present IT the passage
the act of the Goth Of April. should not hsy
foreseen its impracticability. and solemn
have protested against its impolitic. perm
cious operation, is truly matter Of astoniss
ment. A MERCHANT.