The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-03-12


800 per cent upon its cost and yet the productions OF
Grea, Britain, admitted into the ports Of this
eouhuy al much tooer rass Of duty than the prin
eipai productions OF the United States An exsmi-
nation Of the official Reports (of his goyernment Of
The Imports and Exports Of Venezuela aud the duties
paid on the former for the last four years. exhibits
the injustice done The United States 10 this respect
aod shows under what disadvantages the people Of
the United STATES continue their trade with this coun-
try The undersigned respectfully invites the sen-
ton Of MIR Manrque, To the statistics in these Reports,
In support oil the views, which are here briefly pre-
sent.d.
he comparative value, 10 is country, of the trade
with the United States may also be seem at once, by
reference TO the statistical Reports referred to- II
will be there found thai during the year ending LIST
July, lo4l, Venezuela imported from Great Britain
goods 70 the value of sa,2i7,OOO
And only exported 10 Great Britain, Of
Venezuela productions, the value Of l,l5l,vOO
Leaving a balance against Venezuela, IN
favor Of Great Britain OF l,O96,ON
10 the same year ending LIST July, 1871,
Venezuela imported products of the
United States % the value only, Of 10000
And exported TO the United States OF We
nezuela products the value of 10000
Leaving balance IN favor Of this country
and against the United States Of 500, 900
In the year ending let July, 1912, Vene-
zuela imported from Great Britain,
goods 10 the value OF ,52l 900
And exported of her products to Great
Britain, the amount Of $4,000
Leaving balance against Venezuela and
In favor Of Great Britain Of 5S5, 600
In the same year ending i,t July, 1912,
Venezuela imported from the United
States the value Of only lO53OOO
And exported Of her products TO the Uni
ted States, the value Of 100000
| Leaving balance in favor Of Venezuela
against the United States OF 800 900
Ia the year ending Let July, lsi3, this
country imported from Great Britain .
good. to the value Of $4,000
| And exported of her productions to
| Great Britain goods to the value Of l,l6S00O
Leaving balance In favor Of Great Bri-
| tain against Nenezutla of $4,000
| In the same year ending lst July, 1913,
| Venezuela imported from the United
| STATES, the value Of only $4,000
| And exported Of her own products to the
| United states the value Of 1853 900
| Leaving a balance in favor Of Venezuela,
against he United States Of 800, 900
| In tue year ending LIST July, lS44, Vene-
zuela imported from Great Britain,
| goods 10 the value of 273 900
| And ported Of her products TO Great
Britain, to the amount of 100000
Leaving balance IN favor Of Great BfI-
| tain, against Venezuela, Of 1000
| In the same year ending lst July, 1874,
| Venezuela imported from the United
States OF their production the value OF 10000
| And exported of her products 10 the Uni
ted States, the value of l.7l7,OOo
| Leaving balance against the United
States in favor Of Venezuela Of 5000
1t thus appears that during the last four years,
Venezuela has imported from Great Britain ex-
cess her exports to that nation, of 81 900,
whilst she has exported, of her own production, to
| the United State, excess over her imports from
| thence Of not less than s32lS000
That this result should be procured, by the existing
commercial regulations of these nations respectively,
| ts hy no xtr and ha lad 10
undenable proof Of friendship and forbearance, that
the government and people of the United States have
not sooner demonstrated against the obvious want of
reciprocity, in the tariff laws Of this country towards
the United States, and more especially, as the exist
ing treaty between the two nations assumes as Its basis
an entire reciprocity in trade and commerce.
In view OF the lact that the United States admit,
free Of duty the most valuable staple product Of Ven
ezuela Coffee, and that they have imposed duty,
not exceeding six per cent upon the other important
productions OF this country the undersigned might,
with much force and proprety, urge upon this 60
vernment a corresponding rate OF duties on North
American productions but, the government Of the
United States seeks only to have its citizens placed on
footing OF equality with those OF other nations, in
respect to their trade with Venezuela and will be
content if this government shall place them this
footing, BY reduction of the present duties upon
their products, to similar general ad yaorem, or TO
proportonate specific andard
The undersigned assures Mr.. Manrique that the
The belief that this government designed, in the adj
justmen of its tariff of duties to discriminate, in fa
vor Of other nation to the prejudice of the Uni
ted States. IL is inferred rather that in fixing the
specific duties, now charged upon the productions OF
the United States above named, (nstead Of general
ad valorem dutles) the value of those articles the
| United States not correctly ascertained
Connected with this subject the undersigned takes
the occasion to advert to another Of complaint
to citizens of the United States, engaged in CONNER
cia transactions with this country.
With The protested purpose of furnishing attempts
to smurgle foreign goods into this Republic, the laws
thereof req captains of vessels entering its ports
| to furnish mane-s If their cergoes, the
vessels boarded by the costom house officers; and
they are fnable fifty dollars and for CHI and
every error which may be discovered therein; is
any opportunity afforded for the correction If errors
witch may be uninte tloDally committed. IT, for
ample the manifest of the cargo tufni he'd by the cap
tain exhibits thereon 100 barrels of apples, Gan article
not duable and it turns out that only 80 barrels
sen, the custom house, if l0l barrels should be
Sent, the captain is inabe $50 and costs
The reason for imposing such penalty, for such
error, and more especially in relation an article
not dutiable the undersigned has not been able 10
| discover!
An instance has occurred, and which has been
| brought to he knowledge of the undersigned where
during the voyage the captain This provisions falling
| short) having made use of barrel of flour which
part of his cargo, presented his manifest, contain
| ing the full number OF barrels originally shipped
The manifest was delivered to the custom house Off
GER and he -four (ess the one barrel used) taken
| to the custom house according to law
Application was Immediately made by the con-
sgnee of the four, in behalf of the Caltain, to ex
plain and correct the error; but it refused and
the fine and costs rCere eracied and paid These ex
amps Of the operation of the law, to illustrate
the grounds of complaint and to show that
some amendment is proper The undersigned may be
pardoned the suggestion, that instances Of the en-
forcement of these extraordinary penalties, in such
and similar cases, would, perhaps be rare, if
the mistakes Of the unfortunate Captains we're not
by law, allowed to swell the enoluments Of the Gus
| tom House officers
| The und rsgned cannot suppose that the Govern
ment of this enlil hened Republic intends punish
uninentional errors and harmless mistakes in like