Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-01
The Southern Congress.

a 10 De e1lttneq hct 10 QecQTe ana eStdOttSn
the Free Navigation Of the mississippi Riuer
SECTION l. The Congress of the Confederate Sales Of
America, do enact That the peaceful navigation pi
the Mississippi river is hereby declared free to the
citizens of any the States upon its borders upon
the borders of its navgabe tributaries and all ships
boatR or RATS. or vessels, may navigate the same
under such regulations may be established by
hority of law; under such POLICE regulations as
may be established By the States within their several
Jurisdictions.
Sec 2 Be it further enacted All ships, boats or YES
sells, which may enter the waters of the said river,
within the limits of this Confederacy from any port
place beyond the said limits may freely pass with
their cargoes to any other port place beyond the
limits of this COGfederacy, without any duty or hin
draDce except light money, pilotage and other like
charges but it shall NOT be lawful for any such ship,
boat vessel to sell, deliver in any way dispose
of any pat of her cargo, or land any portion there
of 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 delivered landed
for that purpose, in violation of the provisions of
this act the same shall be forfeited, and shall be
seized and condemned by a proceeding in admit
rally 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 du-
ties chargeabie On the said goods, wares, or
merchandise, landed sold, or disposal Of In viog-
tion Of the provisions of this act to be recoFered
Dy pfUPof pFUettutDB BSIOHc pllS Sdu
court in the district where such ship, boat, or yes
sci may be found half for the use of the coec-
tor of the district who shall institute and conduct
such proceeding, and the other half for the use OF
the Government of the Confederate States Pro-
yided that if any such Ship boat vessel shall be
stranded or from any cause be unable to proceed on
its voyage, e Cargo thereof may be landed and the
same may be entered at the nearest port OF entry,
in the same manner as goods, wares, and merchan-
dZe regularly consigned to said port, and the per-
I'LL. sklo1R 4ts,h
eft of drawback of duties, of warehousing said
goods, wares and merchandise, as provided by law
in other cases.
SEC, g. Be it f4rtasr smashed, If aay person having
the charge Of or being concerned ~ the tfaRspofta
tion of any goods, wares or merchandise upon the
said river SHALL with intent to defraId the revenue,
break open unpack within the limits OF the Con
federae 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 deface any seal or fastening placed
thereon by any officer of the revenue, or If any
person shall deface, alter forge any certificate
granted for the protection of merchandise trans
ported as aforesaid each and every person offend
ing shall forfeit and pay five hundred dollars, and
shall be imprisoned not less than nor more than
six months, at the discretion of the court before
which such person shall be convicted.
SEC. 4. BE further e1aactea, In case any ship boat
or vessel shall enter the waters OF said river with
in the limits of the Confederate States, having on
board any goods, wares and merchandise subject to
the payment of duties, and the master consignee
shall desire to land the for sale 9TH
erwise it shall be lawful to enter the said goods,
wares and merchandise at any port of entry, or to
forward them under bond or seal, according to the
regulations customary in such cases. when conslgn-
ed to any part or place beyond the limits OF this
COnfederacy-in the same mapner as goods, wares
merchandise regularly consigned to the said port
and in payment Of the duties on said goods to OBJ
tain license from the collector to lapd the sameet
any point on the river, and when goods wares or
merchandise shall be entered as aforesaid the owner
importer or consigpse shall be entitled to the bene
fit of drawback duties, or Of Wsrehousing the said
goods, wares and merchandise as is provided by
law, upon complying with all the laws and regula-
tons which apply to cases of entry for drawback
or warehousing respectively.
SEC. 5-Be ii further endcted, when any such ship
boat or vessel having on board goods, wares and
subject to the payment 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 end Immediately
after his arrival deposit with the CQllectQF mani
fest of the cargo on board subject to the payment
of duties and the said Collector, SHALL after regis
tering the same transmit II duly certified to have
been deposited to the officer with whom the entries
are to be made and the said collector may, if he
Judge it necessary for the security of the revenue
put inspector of the customs on any such ship,
boat or vessel, to accompany the same until her ar
rival at the first port Of entry to which her cargo
may be consigned. and if the master OF person in
shall omit to deposit a manifest, US afore-
said. refuse to receive such inspector on board
he shall forfeit and pay $780, with costs Of suitone
half to the use of the officer with WHOM the mani
fest should have been deposited and the other half to
the use OF the collector Of the District to which the
vessel was bound. Provided however, that Hntil
ports OF entry shall be established above the city of
cksburg, on the Mississippi river the penalties of
this act shall extend to the delivery of goods
above that port by vessels boats descending that
river.