The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-11-06

attack upon il. ''
With great respect. your friend and servant.
Gen J, Watson WEpB
mir. King aud the Francisco Merchants,
II seems that Mr. T. Butler King, the collector Of Gus
toms at San Francisco. has given considerable dissas
faction 10 the merchants of that place Several meet
ings have been held; and f. w. Macondray, esq has
been dpued by the merchants proceed to this city, and
lay the subiecm matter OF complaint before the govern
ment
The origin OF the difficulty, gather from our Cal
liorna hles is this: Foreign goods which had paid du
ties al the custom houses on the Atlantic and goods of
American growth or manufacture, had been sent to Cali
fornia by the isthmus of Panama. without regular mani
tests OF clearance Mr. King and his predecessor in Of
lice took bonds in such cases, which were 10 be can
celled on the production Of proof, within specified time
that the goods OF American growth or manufacture
or, if Of foreign growth manufacture, that duties had
been paid on them. The amount of these bonds is es.
maed at four millions of dollars, and many of them
have been placed the hands OF the district attorney for
suthe time having expired within which the evidence
was to be furnished The merchants of San Francisco
object to this proceeding, by which their bonds are be
adudged forfeited. and the penalties demanded and they
urge with great force the destruction OF papers and evil
dence in San Francisco and in the custom house. by
the fires and the uncertainty and delay in trans
porting the mails from the Atlantic coast TO San Francis
CO. Under these circumstances they appealed to Mr.
King 10 exercise whatever discretionary power might be
vested in him public officer TO stay proceedings al
ready instituted and to grant further time for the pro-
ducon OF the proof required by the bonds yet placed
| in the hands OF the district attorney forfeited. Mr..
King considers that he has control those bonds on
which suit has been instituted, and authority TO ex-
tend the time TO the Others without the OF the
Treasury Department The merchants have. therefore
deputed Mr. Maconday TO lay the matter before the gov
lnment. They have also drawn up the following me-
mora which to be presented to the Secretary Of the
Treasury:
To the Hon Thomas Corwn, Seereta, of the Treasury
| Of the United States.
We, the undersigned merchants of San Francisco re
| spectfuy beg leave 10 represent
That, during the past two years, goods OF American
manufacture, and foreign goods upon which duties had
been paid have been imported via the ishmus of Pana-
ma from the United States ports the Atlantic and from
foreign ports on the Pacific, and elsewhere.
| That many OF such American goods thus imported
were shipped from American ports in informal man
ner in many cases in charge OF passengers baggage
That bonds were given for the production OF certified
manfests of clearance of such goods, where ii was
known by the collector of this port, and the information
given by consgnees here, that such goods clear
ed from the custom house oil the port of shpmeni and
upon such bonds being given stated by the col
lecor of this port that necessary provisions would be
made by the United States Secretary of the Treasury to
cancel such bonds where positive evidence could be pro-
duced that goods thus imported were of American manu-
facture, or, If foreign that The duties had been paid
That in other instances manifests duly certified, where
goods had been cleared al the port OF shipment
Warded 10 cOnsgnees here and received from the
arrival OF the United States mails. or when received ar
rived few days after the time for which bonds
given and expired.
That in other cases, evidences which would have can
ha0o dGcg
San Francisco by fire. and the bonds therefore forfeited
That in cases, where bonds informal, dis
ceon has been given 10 the collector here by the honor
able Secretary OF the Treasury TO cancel such bonds upon
the production of evidence, satisfactory TO him. that such
impotations goods OF American manufacture, il
foreign that duties had been paid thereon, and in
where such goods had been cleared al the port
of Shipment and that, under such circumstances, bonds
have been cancelled, while in other and similar cases
| letters and evidence destroyed by fire.
That, in consequence of these facts and OF the length
of time required 10 obtain your decision upon these rep
resentatons and under the extraordinary circumstances
existing, your memoralsls have asked from the collector
and district attorney OF this collection district exien-
sion OF six months time from this date.
Your memoraliss would further represent that since
the establishment OF the United States district court in
this district suits have been commenced against import
within it, who show that the above stated circlm-
dances existed.
That such suits are attended with enormous expense
and your memoralisls believe that they are uncaed for
unjust and contrary TO the spirit OF the law.
And your petitioners would ask that the above facts
should receive your careful consideration to the end that
such provision should be made by you, or recommended
by you the Congress oil the United States will pro-
vide for the relief OF your meDorallsts.
| And your memorialiss will ever pray.