, 1865-01-25
TRANSIT OF GOODS THFRD,
+, CANA nss1AN Ts:XsKHTURY.


TREASURY DEPARTMENT., Jan. 19. 1866.
Sir: have the honor to reply to resol1
tinn Of the Housc Of Representatives. of tht
Goth instant, to wit: 'l2esolpvd, That ths
fnrm the House under what law goods, WIRES
merchandise, produce, &c. nre Permitted tc
pass from the United States through Canada
and again inEo the United States,h that The
fourth article Of the Reciprocity Treaty be
tween the United States and Her Brltannic
9th day Of August, 1854, grants to :" the citi
zens and Inhabitants Of the United States
- the right to nayir .te the
river st. Lawrence nud the canals in Cauatfa
used a6 the means IF communicating between
The Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean with
their vessels, boats and crafts, Us fully and
freely as the subjects Of Her britannia Alajes.
mtnts Us now are or may hereafter be cxactel
ef Her Majesty's sub1ects.n
March %, 1854, provides, 'sthat any goods.
,one;s, ,%a1eS, or merchandise duly entered for
st yeyea . Sye5 aay foreign territory, tie Govern
stipulatfons grant, free right Of war over
such terri itory / anp the ninth section Of tue
same act authorizes the Secretary Of the
Treasury: from time-to time, to establish
rules and regulations, not Inconsistent with
The lars Of The United statcs, for the due
execution Of Its prov1sious.n
The tariff act Of 1916, and subsequent tariff
ACTS, provide for admission, free pt duty, Of
goods, wares, and merchandise, the growth,
production, or manufacture OF thd United
brought back to the United States IN the
eame conditi as when exported, upon
which no drawback or bounty: had been al
lowed !: Proridtd, That oil rcEusa tions to as
certain the identity thereof prescribed By
existing laws, or Which may be prescribed by
11s nIed dSss'1S'a5s s'S Of the Treasury ahhm be com
Il will be perceived by the foregoing acts,
and regulations in pursuance thereof, that
goods IN bond, imported goods, duty paid,
and productions Of tile United States, are BY
virtue of the aforesaid treaty stipulations per
mltted to pass through Canada In American
yesscls>by way OF the st Lawrence and Cana
dian canals
Yet these several acts do not provide for
the transit Of merchandise through Canada by
other routes than those designated BY the IT.
ciprocity treaty. 1t may be remarked, how
ever, that merchandise passing from one port
Of the united(States to another, though1!he
transit may IN part be through foreign tcrti-
tory, has not been regarded as exported, with
being to q port in the United States, and the
not being unladen within the
foreign jurisdiction. Ifall the requirements
Of law regulating the export and im-
port Of. merchandise have been substan-
TALLY complied with, and al proper
precautions taken to punish frauds on
the revenue, it has not been thought ncces-
sary to inquire by what authority the mes-
chanefse Is permitted to pass through the
foreign jurisdiction to it's port Of destination
n our Territory. It has been regarded sutli-
,icnt that the ioreign government makes no
objection. But to insure the protection Of
lhe ferenue, the Department requires the
50 passing In transit from one |
put Of the United States to another, over |
canadian railways, to he conveyed in locked
:a1s, md to be accompanied by IN officer Of |
our customs through Its entire transit. The |
condition ofmerchandise so transported differs |
n no essential respect from that conveyed
between the same ports In vessels which pass
thrt ugh foreign waters, except that in the |
EIanst ty land there is the additional security |
of actual and continued custody By the Gus
toms authorities of the United States. IT,,
With great respect,
-, =. ~ P. FEssESDN,
Secretary Of the Treasury.
aon: SCHUYLER CcIrAx, Speaker Of the House
Of Representatives.