Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-01-19
r CIRCULAR INSTRUCTIONS
TO Collectors and other officers Of the Customs.


Treasury DEPARTMENT., DECEMBER 81, l849.
In view of the specific appropriated by Congress to
defay "the expenses of collecting the from Gus
oms contained in the 18th section of the act Of Sd March,
ls49 TO wit, the of million five hundred and sixty
thousand dollars annun and in proportion for less time,
and the peempoy restriction by law of such expenses with
in said amount it becomes the imperative duty Of the Depart
men to make such curtament and reduction of existing
expenses of collecting the from Customs will
form to the requirements Of the law, take effect and after
the LIST of January, 1850 ".
In accomplishing this object it has been the wish and
deavor of the Department apply the cuament and reduc
ton OF expenses objects and services deemed least likely to
affect the security Of the revenue, produce inconvenience
and embarrassment the branch of the public service in
question.
Upon careful consideration of the entire subject the De-
partment has under the pressing necessity before referred to,
concluded to apply the reduction of expenses to the following
enumerated ojecs and services -.
ls For the present. and until otherwise ordered, dis
charge the Of the Revenue Cutters and lay the
vessels.
On this point specific instructions will be Immediately given
to the Collectors of districts where Revenue Cutters
employed.
ID. Under the existing restriction by law in regard
penses attending the collection of the from CUSTOMS
becomes necessary deay the entire expense of the
housing system out Of the receipts from storage being EVIL
IDENTIFY the intention of Congress- in granting the facilities of
that SYSTEM that should not become charge upon the
enue You will, therefore, be careful to adopt such
will be to all the expenditures for rent labor,
carriage and for the services of stoekeepe clerks and all
other persons employed in the public warehouses your
port.
3D. The 4th section of the tariff act of 30h July, ls46,
provides that in certain therein specified, weighing,
gaugng and measuring shall be performed the expense Of
the owner, agent, or consignee
Whenever may become necessary for the appraisers to
have any merchandise weighed gagged measured with
view of verifying invoices appasemen the expense incur
red therefor must be borne by the owner agent congnee
In also where may become necessary weigh,
measure, gauge order ascertain deficiency damage
during the voyage Of mportation the application of the
importer such expense be betrayed by the owner agent
consgnee
Whenever becomes necessary under existing laws or
regulations, weigh, gauge any article Of
chanse order ascertain the duabe value in the
of unclaimed goods and when roce has been receired
expenses connected with the will be duly noted and
collected with the duties. .8s
4h The expenses attending the appraisement of mechan
disc such labor carriage, storage &c., must hereafter be
paid by the importers and will be charged upon the goods
and collected before delivery thereof. 49,.
5th There must be withheld proportion of the compen
saon Of all officers of the CUSTOMS and other persons en-
poyed in the collection Of the from CUSTOMS until
the result of the curament and reduction herein proposed
shall have become known TO the Department and in making
emittances to Collectors, &c. the Department will retain
such per centage the Of their estimates may
deemed necessary accomplish the object proposed in these
instructions. ,....
In conclusion, the Department must impress upon Coec-
tors and other officers of the Customs the necessity for
ducon of the contingent expenses of their respective offices
the lowest practicable amount dispensing with such OBJ
jec may not be ndspenaby necessary for the prompt
discharge of the current business of their offices:
VIM. M. MEREDITH,
| Secretary Of the Treasury.