Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-06-12

those places until they receive an order for
that purpose from the governor of Cuba.
The motives of public officers ought never
10 be impugred, but on the most explicit
evidence. Every allowance ought TO be
made in favor of the officers of a foreign
government, whose manner of acting differs
materially from ours. Making all due allow
ance for such difference, we are unable 10
conceive Of any legitimate cause of the delay
which has occurred in making the transfer OF
the coded territory. The treaty was ratified
by the King of Spain on the cath of October,
1920. The course pursued by the United
States, through all the different stages of
the negotiation, evinced the stedfast deter
mlnation of the government to avoid extre-
mites, If possible, and TO accept, at any time,
OF the terms which it had proposed or ac-
coded to. The subordinate officers Of Spain,
To whom the transfer of the territory was
contided by the King, must have known, long
before the delivery Of the order of the king
for that purpose, that the transfer was to be
made.
The order presented by Mr.. Forbes, ought,
therefore, To have been obeyed with the ut
most promptitude. Why has any delay i'm
its execution occurred? The candor and
good faith which has characterised the con-
duct of the Minister of Spain, forbids the
idea that it has originated with him. The
motive for delay, in making the transfer,
cannot betraced to the government of Spain.
Why then has it occurred? Its impractical
bic 10 designate, with lhe precision. ne
ccssary TO bring home conviction TO the pub
lie mind, the real cause of this delay AS no
legitimate cause can with propriety be as
signed, 1T is necessarily inferred that the
cause must he Legitimate, unless it canbe as
crlbed To the habit'ial procrastination which
mas Tor ages characterized the proceedings OF
the Spanish nation. We attribute il to that
cause, as the impuiaiion oil unworthy mo-
tivcs will thereby be avoided.
1t Is however due TO candor TO state expl-
city all the circumstances ofthe case as fur
as they are known, in order that the pubic
may be able to forma definite opinion OIL the
subject.
III is matter of general notoriety that the
dulles now levied upon foreign merchandise
III the ports of Florida are mach lower than
those imposed III the ports OF the United
States. Ii has been reported ut the Havane.
and Pensacola, that commercial spec;ilatians
are IN train OF execution, by which I'M
mense quantities OF agn merchandise are
intended TO bc introduced iu.o those places.
before they are transferred to TIE u. States.
II is even r,mored in some of The eoulmer-
cal cities OF tbs country that expectation OF
merchandise FOR the benefit of drawback is
contemplated, to large amount, with the
intention of importing them afterwards into
PENSACOLA, and st. Augustine, before their
transfer TO the United States. These spc-
culations are founded upon the idea, that
merchandise found in those places, AT the
time they are transferred to the T. States.
may be lawfully introduced into the States.
without payment of the duties of imports-
uon. The correctness of this idea may wei
be questioned. tits true that the act autho-
rlzlng the President 10 take possession of
the FIoridas, extends to them the revenue
laws of the United States, so far as relates
TO the collection of the revenue. By the
operation Of these laws, the merchandise
imported into the Floridas, after Tpossession
is delivered, and consequently after the reye-
nue. laws begin TO operate, may be lawfully
imported into the United States. By the
treaty, the inhabitants are to be protected in
Their persons, property, ard religion, unit.
they are incorporated into the Union. Tn.
der these provisions it by no means follows.
that merchandise imported forthe co.isulop-
uon of the inhabitants of the territory. can
be introduced into the general consumption
OF the United States without paying the dn-
ties of importation cxacted by the laws on
the Union. Before the transfer, these duties
would have been exacted upon all merchan.
dlZc imported into the United States from
the Floridas
There is no reason for relaxing this rule.
III favor oil merchandise imported into them
before the transfer. The duties imposed nv
the UNITED States have not been paid upon
them, and IN justice to the fair American i'm
porter, they ought not 10 be permitted TO en-
ter into the general consumption ofthe Uni
on without t1aU,n,, tIo,. d,,t;oo
presumed, then, that measures viii be taken
by the government 10 prevent an ai1use of
this nature, aud that the merchandise found
there at the time that Possession IS taken OF
the fiorldas, will not be permitted to be m
troduced INTO the United States. This APP
pears 10 us to be the most favorable view Of
the subject that can be taken.
There can be no difficulty in assuming that.
all importations made previous to The trans-
fer, with a view 10 the supply of the United
States, without paying the duties of inpor-
tatlon required Iy the revenue laws. are
fraudulent as TO the Uuited States II, there
fore, appears TO b. reasonable, that the go
vernment should consider such importatioDs
unlawful, and tie merchandise subject to
SEIZURE aud condemnation. If, instead OF
seizing and Prosecuting such merchandise 10
condemnation, the government should he
content to subIectjt to the duties imposed
by. the revenue laws, the parties ought to fe-
llcitate themselves upon the extension of
degree of clemency on the part Of the go
vernment, to whicl, their conduct presented
no well founded cllilns.
We are not aware Of the particular views
Of the government in relation to this subject
We have ventured upon the expression of
such as appearedto us likely to be enter
tanned by it. We shall rejoice if the antic-
pations here presented should not be reaIiz-
ed, as VIC shall take more pleasure in COM
mendation than IN blame. Nat. Int