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

mortar said building was built of, which was
nothing more, comparatively speaking, than
yellow sand from the shore, which sample
gave him; and the bricks that said building
was built Of were very much broken, and Of
inferior quality.
SYLVESTER r. HAZARD,
Keeper Of .Ntppon lighthouse.
JAMEsrowS, February ii, 1897.
NEWPORT. IS:
Personally appeared before me, Sylvester
X. Hazard, and made oath to the truth Of the
above statements by him subscribed.
WM. GILPIN,
Justice ofhe Peace.
NEWPORT, february II, 1897.
Letter from Dapid .NeiviN, of.Neoport.
The chairman presented and read the fol-
lowing letter from David Melvill, Of New
port, Rhode Island, which was ordered to be
put on the journal.
NEWPORT, r. l., february ii, 1887.
Sir: Since | wrote you on the ] lth instant,
and since the departure Of the collector for
Washington, it has leaked out that the charge
he intends TO sllege against me, to lessen the
force Of my charges against han, and IN justl-
fcation Of my removal from office, is case
that occurred in 1890, under his predecessor
in Office, Christopher Ellery, Esq, under
whose authority acted; and that case is in
conformity TO the practice IN similar cases IN
Boston, and perhaps in every other collection
district in the United States.
understand the charge is, Of making re-
turns Of cargo Of sugar entered for exporta-
tion, but part Of which was weighed by me
inward only, and charging, in my accounts
for weighing, on the importation, ito ascertain
the duties to be bonded and OH the exporta-
ton also, Ito ascertain the amount OF draw
back TO be allowed thereon,) in violation OF
the 73d section Of the "Act to regulate the
collection of duties on imports and Tonnage,
passed Cd March. 1899. That part Of the
section of the act referred to which applies
TO this case is in the following words: "And
ifany gauger, weisher, or measurer, employ
ed as such by the public, in the districts OF
Portsmouth, Salem and Beverly, Boston and
Charlestown, Providence, New York, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and Portsmouth
or Charleston, shall gauge, weigh, or meas.
ure any articles other than shall be directed
by the proper officer, in order to ascertain the
duties to be received or the drawback to be
allowed thereob; or shall make a return OF
the weight, gauge, or measure of any mer-
chandise laden, or to be laden, on board OF
any ship or vessel, for the benefit of drawback
upon expectation, without having actually
weighed, gagged, or measured the same, las
the case may require. after such merchandise
shall be notified to the collector and entered
for exportation, they shall, for the first Of
fence, forfeit and pay the sum ofiilty dollars;
and for the second offence. shall forfeit two
hundred dollars, and be discharged from the
public service" According TO !he construc-
tion given to the law at the time, the district
IL, ,l,.o
] considered it excepted from the provisions
OF the act; but after more mature considera-
ton, am satisfied my opinion was wrong
But it is at least doubtful, because it is am
biguous, and people disagree upon that point
Upon an examination Of my returns and the
strict letter Of the low on the subject, charge
Of the kind might have grave appearance
.~S subject D.G TO censure; but When the cir
cunistances attending the case are considered
aud that was acting under the collector thei
in office, in manner that met his appreciation
canEot conceive but that any chnrge OF the
kind brought up for political purposes woult
be considered nugatory. 1t has been The
practice here ever since the organization 4"
the Government land am Informed the prac
tice is the same in every collection district o
the United States that, when merchandise il
entered for expectation, and weighed on un
=. icn. Ito ascertain the duties to be receive,
or bonded ana -u-pv-,,;v; in public store un
der custom house keys, not to weigh th'
same over again, when exported, iinmediatei, J.,
after discharging; but 1t has been The uniform
practice for the weigher, gauger, or mea
surer, us the case might be, to make out re
turns OH the importation, and also on tn
trportaiion, and charge in their accounts 10
-, Q.c tt,s,o f,rlr nd Inv al
reciions from the collectors. 1t was a per
quiste of the office to weigh, &c. on the i'm
portation and exportution; and their right I
charge the same has never been disputed il
this district, Tor in any other, that have eve
heard@ and their accounts have always bee
allowed and paid. This was the uniform
practice when there was a portion Of the du
lies charged on goods entered for expectation
retained BY the United States "for expense
incident to the allowance and payment O
drawbacks At the time of the case unde
consideration, as at present, no part of th
duties paid OF bonded OH goods entered fo
expectation was or is retained by the Unite
States, but the whole amount refunded il
drawbacks.
The case on which the charge alluded to
founded, was a vessel belonging to Wiliar
Gray, lone of the most respectable and opu
lent merchants of Boston,) from Cuba, boun
to st. Petersburg, with full cargo Of whit
sugars, which put into this port TO obtain
clean bill Of health, in order to avoid the Ion
quarantine 10 which vessels direct from Cub
are subjected at st. Petersburg, which is
great delay to commerce, serious injury I
the American merchant, and sometimes des
troying the profits of the voyage. To avoi
this serious delay, on the arrival of an Amer
can vessel at St. Petersburg, land many othe
ports in Europe,) it is requisite that the YES
sci should be furnished with bill Of healt
from the collector Of the American por
whence she cleared out, and evidence of IN,