Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-09-21

The following article on the subject OF Custom
House oa,hs, from the New York Mercantile,
will no doubt meet the views of great majority OF
those who arc acquainted with the subject. We
have often reflected upon the i'll effects arising
from the multiplicity Of oaths taken BY persons
employed in the cunmerce Of the country, and
the consequent hghtness with which they are re-
garded. This article places the matter 10 clear
Iight. aud directs the attention OF Congress to
the evils
Castor. House Oaiks.-It has often been
subjea Of a remark, that the innumerable oaths
required IN Revenue Departments, have an inJu-
rious tendency on the morals of people On
lookine over some of our late English papers,
we find that on the 18th July. Bill, titled "Cus'
tom House Uaths BILL was read IN the House
of Lords third time and past During the de-
bat. on the subject, the Marquis OF La"nsdowhe
stated that in one single department OF The Gus
toms 10. 600 oaths mad been taken IN the course
of last year, and no less than $4,000 during the
same period in one department of the Excise
lie observed that the bill repealed eighty or
ninety classes Of oaths connected with the Gus
toms, and nearly the same number attached To
the Excise.
The Bishop of London said "he felt 1t hts Gu
~ as a minister Of religion, to express The plea
sure he experienced IN seeing such bill passed.
The practice Of taking Oaths with reference 10
the NEST trivial matters had, he contended, d.
rect tendency to lessen, especially amongst the
. lower orders. the reverence which should always
be attached 20 the solemnity OF taking an oath"
In me collection of Our revenue, the oaths re-
uuired from importers are very numerous ana
we wish. Tor the credit of our National Legisla-
turp and the character Of our merchants, that ma
nv Of the caths uow exacted, were expunged from
the Statue Books. The oaths required are Il tacIt
imvlicatipn. that every inycice aud document pre-
seli;ed al our Custom Houses 'sise-and that
The intention Of every mefchsat Is to detraud the
revenue.
By the Collection laws now in force, passed,
we believe, on the 9Th March, 1928, the various
oa,hs neutrality-suspicious. in the case OF mer-
ohandtze paving ad vaiore,n duty, are drawn up
with mach care aud skill, embracing nearly eve
~ situation in which an importer can be placed,
and guarding agains; every possibility oil commit
TIM fraud, without being guilty OF perjury III no
more than this were required, our merchants,
wouId have much less cause OF complaint than at
nresent: # the tbs so carefully dictated and so
risidly enforced we're believed, few might deem
that they had rIaht TO cOmplain-but the Oaths are
virtually not believed. The oath OF the foreign
owner is required with all goods imported. sworn
=, before nuDlic officer. duly authorized to adj
minister oaths, TO which must be added the GER
tiGicate of the American Consul stating that the
dcponent is worthy Of credit, and that the ofhcer
before whom the oath was administered was du-
Iy authorized iH the case--if even tins was De-
iicyetl no upright or honest merchant might com
pain-but it is not. After all tins jdrcc oil od'hs'
tbe Government by their laws imply, that although
k,g,, arlSf ri 70
true cost of his invoice, although our own Con-
sui has certified that the owner Is worthy OF Gre
dit. and that the magistrate was duly authorized
IN administer oaths, and again, though the impor-
ter. whether owner or cOnsignee, has sworn be-
fore one of our own Collectors, that every item
and CHARGE is bona6ed true-yet all are uuwor-
stby of credit-the oaths are all utterly disregard
ed. and the fee paid to the American Consul Is
lust 80 ,na,i uoncy uselessly th.own AVA.
The -...', one ga- Sage 8a' ~ sNt' l.'"!; "'
allmthe ,avoce) must be sent to the puu..c stores,
tho ou,ntitv must be examined aud the charges
annraised by officers appointed for the purpose,
whose decision shall outweigh all the oaths that
have been reouired-and vet il these Oaths, so
utterly disregarded, do not accompany the goods,
they are subject to certain penalties. Such Is
brief outline of the oaths required on goods pay
inc adj valorem duty-and it is OF such, that we
have cause to complain.
The merchants of our country-and we refer
especially to those Of New York, stand above the
implication of dishonesty. which the collection
law. casts upon them-thefew instances OF ,raud'
notwithstanding all the vigilance OF our officers'
and the faction of losses on Bonds secured acre
averaging even less than one quarter per esa''
ARE proof if proof were wanting. OF the 'h'e-
gritty and upris htness of our New YORK mer-
chants.
We touch upon the subject thus early, that
those who meet on the first Of December next,
NAV have time to consider on the subject, and
Judge of the prOprety of different system
of an abolishment in part Of oaths-n the
collection laws.
Thelsoutheru Mail of yesterday brought us the
Oxford III. c. Examiner of the 18th instant, con-
& IL. of hart