Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-12-04


North American Continent
question has recently arisen under the tenth
article Of the subssting treaty, between the In,.d
States and Prussia BY this article, the consul, Of
the two countries have the right 10 sit Judges and
arbitrators Gin such differences as may arise bo.
tween the captains aud crews belonging to the ma.
lion whose interests are committed to their charge
without the interference Of the local authorize,
unless the conduct Of the crews or Of the capt,in
should disturb the order or tranquility of the cooD
try or the said consuls should require their as.g.
anee. to cause their decisions to be carried into y,
feet or supported"
The Prussian consul at New Bedford, in JuBs
1874. applied to Mr. Justice Story to carry into 81
feet decision made by him between the captain
and crew Of tho Prussian ship Borussia bu, Tho
request was refused on the ground that, wilbom
previous legislation by Congress, the judiciary did
not possess the power to give effect to this arceo
the treaty. The Prussian government, through
their minister here, have complained of this viola
ton of the treaty, and have asked the goYemmen,
of the United States to adopt the necessary meas
ures to prevent similar violations hereafter Good
faith 10 Prussia, as well as TO other nations with
whom we have similar treaty stipulaiions, requires
that these should be faithfully observed. have
deemed it proper, therefore, to lay the subject be.
fore Congress, and TO recommend such Legislation
as may be necessary TO give effect to these treaty
obligations.
By virtue OF an arrangement made between The
Spanish government and that Of the United States
in 1881 American vessels, since the 2Sth Of April,
1882, have been admitted to entry 10 the ports Of
Spain, including those Of the Balearic and Canarr.
islands, on payment Of the same tonnage duty Of
FIVE cents per ton, as though they had been Span.
sh VESSELS; and this, whether vessels arrive IN
Spain directly from the United States, or indirect.
4
the act Of the 18th July, 1882, gave effect to th,
arrangement between the two governments, ibey
confined the reduction Of tonnage dnly merely to
Spanish vessels coming from a port in Spain,
leaving the former discriminating duty to remain
against such vessels coming fIom port IN any
other country. II is maniiesty unjust that whilst
American vessels, arriving in ports Of Spain from
other countries, pay no more duty than Spanish
vessels; Spanish vessels arriving in the ports Of The
United States from other countries should be sub
jected to heavy discriminating tonnage duties
This is neither equality or reciprocity, and is in
violation of the arrangement concluded in Decem.
Der, 1881, between the two countries The Span
ish government have made repeated and earnest
remonstrances against the inequality, and the IA.
vorabe attention Of Congress has been seversl
times invoked to the subject by my predecessors
recommend as an act Of Justice to Spain, that this
inequality be removed by Congress, and that the
discriminating duties which have been levied under
the Act Of the 18th July, 1892, on Spanish YES
sells coming 10 the United States from any other
foreign country be refunded. This recommends
ton does no, embrace Spanish vessels arriving
in the United States from Cuba and Porto Rico,
which will still remain subject 10 the provisions
Of the act OF June Both, 1884. concerning tonnage
duty on such vessels.
BY the act of the 18th July, 1882, coffee was
exempted frem duty altogether. This exemption
was universal, without reference to the country
where il was produced, or of the national charae
ter Of the vessel in which it was imported By tbl
Tariff act of the 3Oth of August, 1912, this ex
emption from duty was restricted to coffee import
ed in American vessels from the place Of its pro
duciion; whilst coffee imported under all othe
circumstances was subjected to duty Of 20 pc
-, - -i-,--r Under this act, and our exist
"E treaty WIN tue hing OF Ine Netherlands Jaw
S U. imported from the European ports Of tina
Kingdom into the United States, whether in D,,tcI
or American vessels now pays this rate of du,v
The government of the Netherlands. comnls;n.
mat such discriminating duty should have been
imposed on coffee, the production of one of its co.
ONES and which is chiefly brough, from Java TO
the ports Of that kingdom, and exported Cyom
thence 10 foreign countries Our trade with The
Netherlands is highly beneficial to both countrie.
ana our relations with them have ever been of The
most friendly character. Under all the circnm.
stances OF the case. recommend that this discrim
na'lon should be abolished, and that the coffee of
Java imported from the Netherlands, be placed up-
on lne same footing with that imported directly
from Brazil and other countries where il is nro.
duced :" P'V
Under the eighth section oftbe Tariff ar, of the
sun OF August, 1912, duty of fifteen cents per
gahon was imposed on Port wine in casks while.
on 'he req wines OF several other countries. when
imported IN casks, duty Of only six cents per ga-
ION was imposed This discrimination. so far as
regarded the Por! wine of Portugal. was deemed a
violation oil our treaty with that Power which nro
''des, That NO higher other duties shall be i'm
posed on The importation into the United States of
america oil any article the growth, produce or
y manufacture OF the kingdom and possessions Of
onugai' then such as are or shall be payable on
ne IKE article being the growth, produce, or man
,'a.'u'e OF any other foreign country. According
y 10 give effect TO the treaty as well as to the in
ention of Congress, expressed in nrov;so 40 The
q act itself, that nothing therein contained
mould be construed as to interfere with subsising
'ea'ies win foreign nations, treasury circular
vas issued ON the 10th Of July, 1914. which among
liner things, declared the duty on the Port wine 81
'ortugal, IN casks, under the existing laws and
'eaiy, TO be six cents per gallon, and directed
nat the excess OF duties which had been collected
u suon VINE should be refunded By virtue of
ho'ner clause IN the same section of the act !, il
rovlded that all limitations of Port or anv other
mes, snail be subject to the duty provided for the
enuine article limitations of Port wine, the pro.
".uon OF France, are imported to some extent in
Tue United States; and the government of that
ouh.ty now ciuIms that, under correct construe.
on o. The act, these limitations ought moi TO nav "a
'gner duty than that imposed upon the original
' U,s WINE Of Portugal. j appears to me to be un.
iua' anu unjust, that French limitations Of Port
ILL., ou'u ne subjected to duty Of fifteen cents,