The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-14
Circular Instructions 20 Collectors and other
OAicers OF the Customs.

Onicers OF the Customs.
TaEAsuRy DEPARTMENT, December 81, l649
| In view of the specific appropriated by Con-
gress TO defray "the expenses OF collecting the rev.
enue from Customs" contained in the 4th section
of the act of Sd March, lS49 to wit the sum Of one
million five hundred and sixty thousand dollars per
annu,n, and in proportion for less time, and the
peremptory restriction by law of such expohscs
within said amount, 1t becomes the imperative duty
of the Department to make such curtailment and
reduction of existing expenses of collecting the rev.
enue from customs as will conform to the require
ments Of the law, to take effect and after the LIST
of January, 1850.
In accomplishing this object, il has been the wish
and cndeavor of the Department to apply the cur
tailment and reduction Of expenses to objects and
services deemed least likely to affect the security OF
the revenue, or produce inconvenience and embar-
rassment to the branch Of the public service in
question.
Upon careful consideration of the entire subject
the Department has, under the pressing necessity
before referred to, concluded to apply the reduction
of expenses to the following enumerated objects and
services:
lst For the present, and until otherwise ordered,
to discharge the crews Of the revenue cutters, and
lay up the vessels.
On this point specific instructions will be imme-
diately given to the collectors of districts where
revenue cutters now employed.
ID. Under the existing restriction by law in re-
gard to expenses attending the collection of the rev.
enue from customs, it becomes necessary to defray
the entire expense of the warehousng system out of
the receipts from storage; it being evidently the in
tention of Congress- in granting the facilities of that
system that il should not become charge upon the
revenue. You will therefore, be careful to adopt
such course as will be sure to all the expen
ditures for rent labor carriage, and for the services
of storekeepers, clerks, and all other persons en-
ployed in the public warehouses at your port
3d. The 4th section Of the Tariff act of 30h July,
1885, provides that in certain cases therein speci
fed, weighing, gauging, and measuring shall be
performed at the expense of the owner, agent, or
consgnec.
Whenever it may become necessary for the APP
praiscrs to have any merchandise weighed, gagged,
or measured, with view of verifying invoices ON
appraisement the expense incurred therefor must
be borne by the owner, agent, or consgnee.
In cases, also, where it may become necessary to
weigh, measure, or gauge, in order to ascertain
deficiency damage during the voyage of impor-
tation, on the application of the importer, such
pense must be betrayed by the owner, agent, or
consgnee.
Whenever it becomes necessary under existing
laws OF 'TeSulatlonS W WeiBu, gauge, OF HledsurS
any article of merchandise, in order To ascertain
the dutiable value, in the of unclaimed goods
and when no inpocs has been received, the expenses
connected with the will be duly noted and
collected with the duties.
4th. The expenses attending the appraisemento of
merchandise, such labor, carriage, storage, &C..
must hereafter be paid by the importers, and will
be charged upon the goods and collected before de-.
livery thereof
9Th. There must be withheld proportion of the
compensations of all officers Of the customs, and
other persons employed in the collection of the
revenue from customs, until the result of the cue
tailment and reduction herein proposed shall have
become known to the Department.; and in making
remittances to collectors, &C.. the Department will
retain such per centage on the amount of their
estimates as may be deemed necessary 70 accom-
plish the object proposed in these instructions.
In conclusion, the Department must impress up
collectors and other officers of the customs the
necessity for reduction Of the contingent expenses
of their respective Offices to the lowest practicable
amount, dispensing with such objects may not
be indispensably necessary for the prompt dis
charge Of the current business of their Offices
VIM. M. MEREDITH,
Secretary of the Treasury.
transmitted, 18th January, lS50.)