Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-10-21
DOM EsrtC.
DISTRICT COURT. Ger. 6. 1884.
TIfPOR TINT C1SE

, VI.
IMPORTANT CASE.
TIE U. Sos. DAVID LEAvIrr AND q. S. Rowland
Befere the Hon. Juige Dopis.
Tho District Attorney, A. Dunlap, Esq, appeared for
the Government, and Daniel Webster, Esq iorshc de-
fsndsnts Mr. Dunlap stated, that this action
Custom. House bond given 10y Mc.srs l. s. Co Tor The
payment Of certain duties claimed by the Govermen up
ON large quantity Of cadeu bu,ts imported per ship Ju.
liam which duties deendsr ts refused to psy hiessrs
Leaviu Co., Mr. ID. said, were white lead msnhf.cIu-
rers at rooklyu N ", aud had imported these articles
under the name OF metal bu-., affirming them such 10
TO Tree iron duty under the passed 10y Congress
1882. which provides hst "s bu-,s Of marble metal or
plaster, stall be imported into tho u. 5. Of dm,y-
The Custom House lothoes, however, con;cndcd that
ho buss In this csse were but pgs OF lead thrown in
their present form for the purpose avoiding duty
This Mr Dunlap said. uas clearly the aud The
PENDANTS had violated the larai enst spirit-hy which
alone the decision OF the Court be governed Con-
gess he sAi had adj should
be thus npor,edih.y lately discovered tie esk" in
the former act aud had at the passed another
prohibiting the admission of buss unles, they could be
proved be double the value Of The meta, Of which they
were composed This Mr. ID. designs,ed deciara,oty
law, aud We understood him saying that IL ought 10
have It's effect on the present aston.
MI Webster said the law Imposed sduty of three
per To-. upon "iesd ia pigs bars. sheets" Now, the
simple question whether the articles be fore the Court
he bus) were or were not Pgs. bars sheets OF lead
Certainly they were not He had desitc 10 see the
laws evsded-and he had performed his share of duty
sewhere in supplying the defect which exised in relation
tho Importation OF lead There was however a f,Ia
omission IN the act OF 81 uuder which these buss had
been imporeda "ieak" the counsel for the Govern.
ment had termed H. aud such being the case the defend
pay tue duty A. TO the law passed by Congress during
last session. haf bad nothing TO do with the preseni
NO law could operate rerospeclveiy All laws
ed 10 the uture aud not 10 tue past and the very fact OF
Congress having amended the law OF 3D. proved the
stence of the defect and omission hich led 10 the
importation OF the articles in question lie (Mr wy re-
peated that he had no wish 10 sancton The
but ho thought IL better, iI&t the ia The act Of
32 had been e,oPped-pow tat further evil could ac.
crue-that the revenue ehould suffer THE sing l.. in.
stance. rather than that forced construction should be nut
upon the law in order to procure a CONVICTION.
Ate areply from Me. Dunlap. lis tIou Judge Davis
addressed the jury in able and Impartial charge
In the course oil which lac alluded {, ermer decision
relation sugar The duty loaf sugar lac said
been liked at very high rate; but eluded ia many
cases by the Introduction oil lie article in pounded
state. The government c~imed the duty, but the court
Notwithstanding tue pounded sugar superior TO the
best American LOAF suguar that could be obtained
that Was Lot oai sugar, aud therefore subject
duty.
The jury. after deIiberation, gave their OPT.
Mon "that the articles in question lesdeu buss and
consequently zee from duty"
The total amount OF lead imported by Msssrs Loaviu
& Co. ia the shape OF busls during the summer was stat
ed 10 be GOA 900 ibs.-B0sfOu Alias.