Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-08

,,erchandzc Several Of tie cases
.,re,dv been laid before the appropriate
,ees of Congress, without producing ay ~ COLLECTED
t;on but all the material dcc'sions -; nIost of
- s,bmitted together for consideta''oi' ;n,s of
~, b,noas possess importance IN various po''..s
;ev thongh the connected WIN ,'e - -, The
=, .onn;re spccial notice from Tins DePa,.. L. oc
,r,;cles as to which the principal .t;s. arg
..ad h.tle. by judicial decisions or othefwise' o.
Tnons s;lks woollens and cotons FOR ihsrn..' -
MI ,;nans though dyed stained by afthc'a Pr
20 and thus supposed by the Department - " -
~ dntv have been pronounced 'bieacnea anu WI
70 ,,a3 linens" SO as render them tree Again,
nlr"o" - coming from beyond the Cape OF Coco
IIa are subject duty; but those from E"roPe'
18th some ceptions are not Hence me iorhiei'
-, landed and colored or stamped III EuloP.' =.
sro 2cnching here, are believed 10 De oi'eh
free, contrary 10 my o"" oP
of Congress .a c Frrore.
Several articles ALSO are now imported iro'h EutoPe'
hc have been adiudgcd by the courts TO be fee' De-
cause manufactures Of silk though under ter aRpro
or;ate names as chose, ""goves, "shawls, milne &c.
" md other dcscrp tions Of goods, they were Tor
several years resardea Do i'aDie " ''' 49,
Mnnnfaetures of wooen and cotton are subject to
duty but of ate by mixing wool and cotton IN fa
res with silk, they often imported at lower rate
of DUTY or entirely free, under judicial DECISIONS
var.ng the former usages IN force
o,ber material changes have occurred through these
decisions such as that "sewiug silk, which stlI pays
dptv does not embrace some merchandise, 'housh
made Of silk, and used for sewing Several ailerauon
have likewise been adopted, exemptng from the duties
an woollen and Gotten, various new articles mixed WIN
uworsted" or unexpectedly considered by The courts
and uries rs ssworsted, and hence pronounced 10 oe
free Other goods have been relieved from the mgr
duty on "ready made clothing, ana suoJecsea 70 only
,i.reT r. rate of mpost, under other names, .nougn
Uniform rules of construction on these subjects which
| hovp lad fl,e lptuSn la
some cases, been suddenly altered, and much money
already in the Treasury has been refunded and Other
duties secured paid liable to be RENTED here
after.
Several articles ALSO must hereafter be entered free
which, il has been before supposed, were subject &c
duty and others must be admitted at lower rate than
the previous usage. In few only attempts
be made to the decisions by appeals wrs o.
error, the amount in controversy IN each case IL
frequently small, the difficulty exists at times
in the finding of the jury when the general directions
| of the Judge may have been unexceptonablc.
From these circumstances the revenue has already
suffered extensively within few months, and the an
nua loss to the customs by all the decisions before
ferred to- is computed to equal at least two millions
dollars.
All the details deemed useful these points, arc
embodied in the report Of the Comptroller replying &c
my letter, and in other documents; copies OF which are
annexed. Whichever construction in these cases be
in The view Of Congress correct, whether that adopted
|
to have decaratory law passed. setting the rule clear
Is for the future in all doubtful cases. 1t seems, also
equally important to have sucn new provisions IN res
pee, to the tariff introduced shall protect more efec
tually the collection Of those duties, which Congress
designed should be imposed for carrying successful
w the operations OF the Government, ana preserving
! inviolate the public faith.
The opportunity afforded this occasion for supply
ing the amount Of revenue already lost and also any
amount likely TO be needed, TO meet the public engage
mens hereafter, by requiring duty on some articles
now free, might be improved benefclally, without Q
departure from the compromise act, and without ag
tating the question of protection.
! Besides the wide field open for this purpose in one
half of the usual mportatons entirely free, the
Department. under special act OF Congress- still IN
force has been obliged to remit the large amount Of
three and half millions of duties, secured on the sin
gle article of railroad ifon and must continue TO remit
similar duties until il is deemed proper TO revise tho
| legislation on this subject.
| Another nroad on the accrung duties to the extent
OF two or three hundred thousand dollars already re
mittcd and in course of being u.s. by another espe
cia act, on account of the fire and fire bonds in New
York, in 1885 and '36. Other applications for rems
sion Of dues or account of similar losses at very re
cent psrod will probably follow to the extent of from
50 to 100000 dollars and may be found Just. But !
is proper TO add that any kind of legislation on thu
subject matter of this communication during the pre-
cant session Of Congress, wnld not he likely 10
crease the rcsvraas Of the Treasury IN season Tor az
TO meet existing appropriations, III any eXgency sue
as in my last annual report, it explained that TIL
Treasury would be exposed to in the ensuing month
The very large sums then required to pay pension
under laws already in force. and 10 redeem man
, of the Treasury notes outstanding and falling du
in March. demand eurlicr and prompter RENE
dy. Yet in the event that Congress shall max
some precautionary provision Of means, to be use
only when needed, and which arc 30 Justly due to
wise regard for preserving the public taitl under tn
fluctuations necessities, and contingencies TO whic
our fiscal operations dangerously liable, increase
security Tor the plighed faith of the United States
may be derived from the proposed legislation on tn
present subject.
: Respectfully,
LEVI WOODBURY.,
Secretary Of the Teasnr,
To hs President Of The United States.
, On motion of Mr.. J. w JONES, the message an
, documents accompanying were referred to the Commit
tee of Ways and Means and ordered 10 be printed.
On motion ofMr. RANKS, it was
! Rcsolrcd That the Goth rule Of the House, whic
authorizes the reception of petitions daily for thrt
DAYS only, after the organization Of the House, be