Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-28
The Navigation of the Mississippi.

/
| A Bill to be entitled an Act to declare and
establish the Free Navigation of the Missis.
| sippi River.
| Sec. l. The Congress Of the Confederate States
| of america do enact, That the peaceful navi-
| CATION of the Mississippi river is hereby de.
clared free to the citizens of any of the States
| upon its borders, or upon the borders of its
| navigable tributaries; and all ships, boats or
RATS, or vessels, may navigate the same under
such regulations as may be established by
the States within their several jurisdictions.
SEC. 2. Be II further enacted, ALI ships, boats
or vessels, which may enter the waters of the
said river, within the limits of this Confeder-
acy, from any port or place beyond the said
limits, may freely pass with their cargoes to
any other port or place beyond the limits of
this Confederacy, without any duty or him
drance except light money, pilotage and
other like charges; but it shall not be lawful
for any such ship, BOAT or vessel. TO sell, de-
liver, or in any way dispose OF any part of
her cargo, or land any portion thereof for
the purpose of sale and delivery within the
limits of this Confederacy; and in case any
portion of such cargo shall be sold or deliv-
cred, or landed for that purpose, in violation
of the provisions of this act, the same shall
be forfeited, and shall be seized and con-
demned by proceeding in admiralty before
the court having jurisdiction of the same in
the district in which the same may be found,
and the ship, boat, or vessel, shall forfeit
four times the amount of the value of the
duties chargeable on the said goods, wares,
or merchandise, so landed, sold, or disposed
of in violation of the provisions of this act,
to be recovered by a proper proceeding in
admiralty before the said court in the dis
trict where such ship, boat, or vessel may be
found, one half for the use of the collector of
the district, who shall institute and conduct
such proceeding, and the other half for the
use of the Government of the Confederate
States Provided, that if any such ship, boat,
or vessel shall be stranded, or from any cause
be unable to proceed on its voyage, the cargo
thereof may be landed, and the same may be
entered at the nearest port of entry, in the
same manner as goods, wears and merchan-
die, regularly consigned to said port, and
the person so entering the same shall be en-
titled to the benefit of drawback of duties, or
of warehousing said goods, wares. and mer-
chandize, as provided by law in other cases.
SEC. 8. Be IT, further enacted, If aRy person
having the charge of or being concerned in the
transportation of any goods, wares or mer-
chandize upon the said river, shall, with in
tent to defraud the revenue, break open or
unpack within the limits of the Confederate
States, any part of the merchandise entered
for transportation beyond the said limits, or
shall exchange or consume the same, or with
like intent shall break or deface any seal or
fastening placed thereon by any officer of the
revenue, or if any person shall deface, alter
or forge any certificate granted for the pro-
lection of merchandise transported as afore-
said, each and every person so offending
shall forfeit and pay FIVE hundred dollars,
aud shall be imprisoned not less than one
nor more than six months, at the discretion
of the court before which such person shall
be convicted.
SEC. 4. Be f7ticr enacted, In case any ship,
boat or vessel shall enter the waters of said
river within the limits of the Confederate
States, having on board any goods, wares
and merchandise subject to the payment of
duties, and the master, consignee or owner
shall desire to land the same for sale or 9TH
erwise, it shall be lawful to enter the said
goods, wares and merchandise at any port or
entry, or to forward them under bond or seal,
according to the regulations customary in
such cases, when consigned to any port or
place beyond the limits of this Confederacy
in the same manner as goods, wares or
merchandise regularly consigned to the said
port, and in payment of the duties on said
goods to obtain a license from the collector
to land the same at any point on the river,
and when goods, wares or merchandise shall
be entered as aforesaid the owner, importer
or consignee shall be entitled to the benefit
of draw back duties, or of warehousing the said
goods, wares and merchandise as is provided
by law, upon complying with ali the law
and regulations which apply to cases of Gu
try for drawback or warehousing respective
ly.
SEC. 5. Be il further enae,ed, when any snch
ship, boat or vessel having on board goods,
wares and merchandise subject to the pay
ment of duties as set forth in the 4th section,
shall arrive at the first port of her entry Of
the Confederate States the master or person
in command of such ship, boat or vessel,
shall, before he pass the said port and imme-
diatsly after his arrival, deposit with the col
lector manifest of the cargo on board sub
ject to the payment of duties, and the said col
lector shall, after registering the same, trans;
NIT it duly certified to have been Deposited,
to the of1oef with whom the entries are to be
made; and the said collector may, II he judge
Il necessary tor the security Of the revenue,