The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-24
HE CUSTOMS IiIBReaEES.


Commissioner sargent and State Harbor
Fees Official Correspondence - Caaractep
and Amount of Alleged uie~ai Feee.
The following communication from the Commits.
sioner OF Customs at Washington to Captain O. F.
Barnes agent OF the Shipowners' Association.
throws some additional light upon the condition of
the mixed question OF the legality OF certain State
fees collected rom commerce in various parts of the
United States:--
TREASURY DEPARTMENT !
OFFICE or COMMISSION or CUSTOMS.
SiR--The subject presented to the department IN
your several letters, and upon which / addressed
the collector at New York, Is under consideration bv
tue Secretary. Whatever may be his decision you
Will be advised thereof see that the papers state
that have decided that all State fees or taxes upon
commerce are illegal and must not be collected. I
have really decided nothing. It has been my duty
stnpy to inform collectors what the Supreme Court
OF the United states and the supreme Court OF THIS
that was necessary. Very respectfully,
N SARGENT, Commissioner.
Captain C. +. BARNES, New York.
Some time ago the HERALD published listJof the
various State taxes upon vessels pronounced to be
illegal, together with voumnous correspondence
between the agent OF the Shpowners' Association
and government officials on the subject; but at the
time 1t was Impossible to give synopsis OF the sew
era fees referred TO- in consequence or beng differ
ent in their character the several ports The nar-
Dor tonnage consists OF tax OF one aud half cents
ton on foreign vessels, and Is collected IN number
OF the Atlantic ports me pllotage objected to con-
sists OF charges IN New York Of half pllotage and
IN Baltimore Chesapeake Bay aud the Potomac
OF ten cents per ton where vessels decline pilots.
Port warden fees are five dollars, and the hartor
master lees one dollar on each vessel ut Now
Orleans, and dollar In each case at Philadelphia
The oyster tonnage tax was Virginia institution,
and has already been done away with by the new
state government. state head money fees consist
OF two dollars per head on cmigrants The state
hospital tax varies &C different ports and the mas
tens OF vessels complain that although taxed for the
maintenance OF those institutions, their seanen
never derive any benefit from theYn Heat tees arc
SIX dollars on each vessel, aud are collected as
quarantine me tax Of one per cent gross
the war, but was successfully resisted and removed
by the shipowners. All these charges are
In addition 10 ihose'levct by the United States gov
efnment on vessels and are IN direct violation or
the constitution, which expressly PROHIBITS States
from taxing commerce. The case or the ship ResO.
ried by tue Shipowners' Association, shows how
vessels are compelled TO pay taxes contrary 10 the
condition under which they enter the United States
merchant marine out OF Sl01 66 fees demanded
OF her upon entering the port OF New York,
but s24 % was collected In accordance
with United States laws the remainder being I'M
posed by the State Ia violation OF the expressed law
or the land. shpowncrs have hitherto silently PAID
these tees in Of lack OF organization to
cfectlng at ieast an Important modification OF the
oppressive harbor regulations involving IN this porS
the sum Of sS000,00J per year. The following no.
tce, just issued, will probably bring matters to q
focus at au early dato;--
OFFICE or THE sHirowNERs' ASSOCIATION
OF rnf STATE OF NEW YORK,
As onerous ices have been up 70 this time collected foY
g. 8. unss ss laws which s.s
Ia const Wit, the constitution q The United states THE
acted BY The qua anne authorities and hsrSor msssr %
paid under compulsory potage law, shall after notics
the recovery OF such have heretofore been %
Fay chacied under such unconstitutional laws with vis
we f iiiSS 81 si5s q Sssssss