Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-03-30

Al
number OF boxes; to weigh those taken out
and put in public store, and average thc
weight Of the remainder by the weiSn' "
those discharged, or by comparing the weign.
of those discharged with the invoice weignt
of the whole. He was willing to give bonds
for any amount the collector might require,
which would more than cover the duties
Under these circumstances, las the law was
then. and is now it was considered unneces-
sary TO unlade the whole cargo to ascertain
by weight the amount Of duties to be secured,
and the draw back to be allowed on exporta-
ton, as expressed in the law: because one
cancelled the other, and the United States
could not be defIauded, or the revenue suiier.
It was granted that the wcigher would be
entitled 10 his whole fee for weighing, the
same as if the whole was weighed, as has
always been the practice las before statt0)
when goods were entered for expectation and
Immediately reshipped, and the Government
would lose nothing by it. The object oi the
law il, to secure the duties on imports to be
used or consumed in the country, to guard
against frauds on the revenue, and to pro-
mote commerce and encourage the carrying
trade, by the allowance Of a drawback on
exportatlon, which is now equal to the duties
imposed. In whatever light the transaction
may be represented, | have to state, that
acted in the capacity of u subaltern officer Of
the customs, under the immediate directions
OF the collector, and conducted ~ every res
,pect, while he was ~ office, IN such manner
as to meet his appropriations; which Is stated
under oath in his certificate enclosed in my
last.
In whatever light MIR. Littleield may EN-
deavor to represent the facts to my injury, or
in his own Justification, can state, with con-
fidence, that he knew nothing Of the circum
stance at the time was removed from office,
nor until last August, when the barque ship]
Virg inia, Captain st. Clair, of New York,
from Cuba, bound to St. Petersburg, similarly
situated, put in here for orders, and wished
to obtain bill Of health IN the same way
The collector was then Informed of this case
as precedent, and Of the practice in other
/ places; he had then no scruples OF conscience,
and was willing to accommodate the Tlrgntia
in the same way; and the iceigher had no OBJ
! jeclions himself, but was afraid it might in
/ volvc the Inspector, who, if complaint was
/ made, would be bject to 4 fine Of two hun
dred dollars and be discharged from the pub
lie service; but the collector i0ds i0Hinlg
! will state further: that, when performed this
| duty, David M. Coggeshal was n wcighcr
and gauger also; we did the duty of weighel
alternately, aud divided the cmolumcnts at
the end Of every quarter. Ii happened, ac
/ cidentally, that 1t was my turn to weigh and
make the returns of this cargo My col
league was acquainted with all the facts in
the case, and did not think there was any
thing improper in it, as it was done in other
! places; and the collector assente6, and he
received half the cmoument at the end Of
the quarter. David NJ. Coggcsha.l is the Of
fcer who was removed from the office of
weigher and gauger for voting (himsclf and
his SOM against the administration, and re-
appointed, few days after, sole gauger, upon
the condition that himself and his son should,
III future, vote OH the side of the adninistra-
ton. With what face can the collector pre-
! Ter this charge against me, while my former
colleague Is retained in office? One would
think the well known maxim (''thc receiver
&c.) would apply to him with peculiar force
/ MIR. Gray informed me HIMSELF to convince
nue. that II was not considered an evasion OF
1 tue Quarantine laws in Europe, that, after a
| vessel Of his had been partly discharged OF
I the cargo, and taken it Oh board again, anl
was ready to clear out at Boston, he called
on the consul Of the Government, to which
his vessel was bound, So n consular cerii-
cate. ne consul informed him that his
:, Government required that he should certify
that the curgo had been landed; that he was
desirous 10 oblige him as far as in his pow er
consistent with his duty, and to encourage
and promote the commercial relations be.
tween the two countries; but, from circum
stances known to him, he could not give hin
the certificate he wished, 10 avoid being de.
tanned by their quarantine regulations, but
if he would have his vessel run Oh the flats il
Boston harbor, where she would ground ant
receive no INJURY, and float off a, high tide
lie would give him the certificate which ht
requircd-'that the cargo had been landed."-
His request was complied with, and the Ger
tifcate obtained.
! am, sir, respectfully,
II Your obcdent servant,
:! DAVID MEEVILL.