Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-08-17

HARBoR FEES, TONNAGE TAxss, &c, ILLs-
GAL.-At the last session Of Congress petition
vessels Of all classes, engaged In the coasting,
foreign and fishing trade, for protection against
all illegal FRACTIONS; they representing that
the PAYMENT Of tonnass taIes contrary 70 ts -
laws OF the United States for the regulation of
commerce, such as harbor tonnage tax avs,
pnot license and half pilotase laws; port war
head-money fee laws, State hospital tax laws,
zone per cent. gross amount Of freight laws
and quarantine fee laws. and have had regu.
imposed. The United States requires that
every vessel shall pay tax Of thirty cents Der
too annually to the collector OF customs for the
ss or sy ssS : Is well
hospital money, which II 10 claimed II al that
owners Of vessels are bound TO pay. The a;ten.
ton Of Secretary Boutwell, having been called
to the matter BY letter from New YORK, the
following letter has been sent to the Collector
OF Customs At New York city:
Treasury Department, Once OF Commissioner
OF Customs, August 13, 1S69.-Sir: The Secrs-
tary Of the Treasury has referred to me q letter
addressed to him bv Mr.. o. f. Barnes, agent
OF the Owners and Captains' Association Of
New York, Boston, Philadelphia. and New
Lo ndon, representing that the clearance ofiicer
In New York collects certain fees not enumer.
afed in the customs fees; viz: harbor masters
ices health officer fe<s, and State.hospital tax.
Mr. Barnes accompanies his letter by a bill
and receipt for the fees paid on the clearance
OF the schooner b. F. Lowell.
To this i have respectfully to call your at.
tentfon, and to express the hope that this col.
lection Of fees by the United States customs
ohcers for the harbor- master, health officer,
and State hospital no longer prevail. Fees of
snIs KIND demanded at other ports have been
cislon. On the 10th Of July, 1sG6, q bill OF fifty
cents was presented to e. q. Barnes, master
and owner Of the sioop "Nautilus.'' for port
Tonnage, by the harbor- master Of Washington
CITY, the payment Of which being refused, suit
was brought, which was finally decided by
the Supreme Court Of the District Of Columbia,
Washington levying harbor tax upon vessels
to be Unconstitutional and void.
A case involving the same question came be.
fore the Supreme Court Of the United States
upon writ Of error to the Supreme Court of
Louisiana, and was decided at the December
tel m, 1867, of the former court. The suit arose
on an act OF the legislature Of Louisiana, au-
thoriziIg the port warden Of New Orleans to
demand five dollars OF every vessel arriving
at that port. Payment was refused, and a
suit the result. The judgment of the Supreme
legislature, was reversed by the Supreme
Court Of the United States. In delivering the
opinion Of the Court, Chief Justice Chase said:
eve tninkit quite clear. therefore. flor reasons
given) that the regulations Of commerce made
by the act before us comes within none of the
limitations or exceptions to the general rule of
the ConstitutiOn-tnat the regulation of com.
merce among the States Is in Congress- \
"On the whole, we are clearly o. the opinion
that the act Of the Legislature Of Louisiana is
Tepugnant to the Constitution, and that the
lun sment OF the Supreme Court of the State
must be reversed" (Sec. 8, wallace Reports,
3i.)
Under these decisions the fees objected to by
Mr.. Barnes are wholly illegal, and 1t will
no instance hereafter be collected. Very re.
.ps sMsiulIy; n. SARGENT. Commissioners.
10 Moses h. Grinnell. Esq, Collector Of Gus.
toms, New York City.
Suits ha va been insfitnted in tba ,orr, 49,
against the Corporation Of Washington, for the
recovery OF amounts paid by certain vessels
from 1863 till October, 1867. when the collec-
non here ceased. And as the amounts so col
lected by the harbor master exceed $50 600,
much interest IL manifested In the result. In
GEORGETOWN the amount that would have to
De Refunded II suits were brought and decisions
given against the corporation Is $4,000, while
IN Alexandria it exceeds S6O,OOO
THl RED MEN.-The picnic of the I. o. K.
yesterday, was a pleasant affair to all who
participated Ia it, and shooting, DO wi ing, and
dancing were INDUCED III till late hour last
n n, frof. Roses band. of Baltimore, and
weber Germania band, of this city, discsursed
curing the evening some Of their choicest seIec-
IONS OF music, and cotillIon band afforded
music 1or Inc lovers OF dancing. The follow
Ing prizes were awarded for the best shooting
during the day: First prize, one parIor stove
M. Escher; I'd, silver butter dish, Mr.. Reh; Sd,
po1 OF wine, J. Sachse; ith, gold Iocket, MIR.
- c'Al NhohuocI scL L. assert, 6tQ, box OF
cigars, j. Sachse; 7th, wax fruit basket, nj.
fscher sth, two bottles of wine, John wahI:
9th, l. y. X. nj. breast.pIn, L. Gassert 10TH one
oox, NJ. fischer; 18th, one pound cake, ID.
keiieri 18TH; one fan, A Forsingsr; 18th, one
silver castor, f. Gassert; 1ith, one portemon.
maze, y. New; 18th, one cigar stand, X. Zetler
ODe gold medallion was won by Mr. Fischer.
Il Washington, of the Winnebago Tribe. No. o.
a prize in the competition TOR which all of the
1. o. r. M. participated
Inc ioilowinG prizes were awarded for
Iownng;-L. Ernest. first prize. $40 in gold:
jacob wagner, second prize, SIS in gold:
Christian Muller, third prize, $40 In gold and
MI. Albers, fourth prize, IS In gold
The attractions of the occasion were also
greatly increased by the fine singing of the dis
tinguished musical associations Of Washing top.
The Arlon. O. w. Bergman leader, rendered
most beautifully, "The Modest Prayer" The
Forest" Farewell" and "The Forest Song
The Sangerbund, Charles Richter leader, sang
fome OF their choicest songs including Faust"
"Sleep Well, Sweet Angel" ssEaudeamus
ldltul," and "Rose in the Forest"
Inc FESTIVAL will continue after the council
to-day, and this evening the Washin gron tribes
Will give the visitors q grand bang net at Left
iers garden. The hall ON q street has been
handsomely decorated with evergreens, mot
toes, &C., and some Of the residences Of our
German citizens were decorated IN honor of the