Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-03-09
COLLEcTIsG IT, REVENUES IN THE Seeded
OF LTES NOW nLE II BE HNNEg

COLLEoTIsG tn REVENUES IN THE Seeded
sTATES-HoW CAS- 1T BE DONE?
The collection of the re avenue in ports in the seeded
S;A.cs WILL Opue, be no easy natter fact oil winch
Pr slent Lincoln will Doubtless be convinced when he
canes TO G. critical examination of the several laws ap
pertaining thereto It should re remembered that the
President has been clothed with 10 neV power, even by
the Republican congressional majority. de cannot add
TO the regular army and he cannot call out volunteers
Should he mpartially "enforce the laws a. they now
exist, they will to all ntens and purposes practically
defeat all attempts to collect revenue. For an example
Of obstacles in the way OF force, the New York Herald
puts the following case
"suppose that the ship Alliance arrives at Charleston
from HARE, with cargo Of silks, aces, fancy goods
manuao rred articles etc 10 all say I've hundred pack
ages consigned TO my or more persons IN entering
the karbOr the Alliance Is oyer iueu by shp-oi-wa
with a collector on board The master has Roth
inc TO show but his mau S. which does not particular
izs the quality Of tie article shipped u Is Tor the con-
rpnees 10 produce their invoices and bill OF adng pay
the duties and receive the goods When the c0ngnees
fail to appear the packages are to be sent 70 tie tuuc
store and in they remain unclaimed during sp1'
lated period they are sold at auction on account OF The
government According TO mart Law, all duties
must be collected within OlG pa ne league OF the port
and bulk oaGnOt be broken until the weasel has been
r pulrly entered within the habOr. ShoDd the Execu-
tive override all these provisions, aud declare That III
case the duties are not paid according TO the lew reeu
tons csrgoes will be forfeited fresh obstacle ar!ses
The machinery for the collection OF the revenue Is no'
alone executive The Judiciary has m'thing TO DO
with i, The Secretary Of the Treasury cannot forfeit
pai. OF gio4cs without legal process TO be had before
district Judge and Jury Of r, en- to bp
the district where the COLsguees "s'de Shefs |on'd
the government hud Judge or jury Va Obafes'Ou Hh'
yannah, Mobile New Ofleansf
The New York World republican journal also seems
to think that the enforcement of the laws under the
c.sng state of things will be exceedingly difficult, ii
not impo 'ile. Itsays;
President Lincoln declares in bic inaugural, that he
will Ike care at the laws OF the niqn he faithfully en-
forced iu all the Satea to the ey.cf Of has dJHtg IN
der existing circumstances this most important quail
fcttion rs the President himself virtually acknowledges
ttat of the large body OF UIited States statutes tue
laws for the collection OF the federal revenue are the only
ones which he deems il advisable practicable TO ell
force il the rebel Sates The laws of the United States
executed through the agency OF subordinate local
officers As be compelled TO hod once VIM
ont his consent the laws become imperative from the
want of Instruments execute them nr lhhcOlh deems
il unwis. 10 further rritae da cted people, by send
ING among them hest Of aupontees from abroad, ana
the only exeron of executive power he will attempt IN
the sceded States viii be hold line public property
aid collect the revenue. Il may larry De questioned
whether existing laws adequate TO enable him to MAN.
tain this al nodcum OF authority ana II, on eS-
animation, it should be found that they are not the
Presiden. will have consider the expediency OF calling
an extFa session Of Congress
The President has no pcver to enforce tbs aws setpt
By the methods prescribed By eristing legislation. II
person commits a crime smuggling, for enampel 10
which the laws of the United States atix penalty he
can be tried only in the State where the crime was COM
miited, and by jury of the ycinage But il no person
will hold the office of marshal who will summon the jury:
If nobody will consent TO be judge, who will hold the
court If nobody will be district attorney, who Will
manage prosecution? Or if we could overlook these
nsuperabe obstacles what Jury, in one of the seeding
States would convict his ellOwcitisen under laws to
which they have alike abured their allegiance! law
without penalty is practically null but how arc penal
ties to be inflicted when the whole machinery for admin
istering justice is broken doEn and destroyedS
The World concludes, therefore, that Mr. Lincoln,
he is determined to collect the revenue, will have to
await Congressional action.