Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-09-04
Important Revenue Decision.

PEOPLE WHO SELL LIQUORS PUT UP AS PATENT
MEDICINES LIABLE TO TAX AS LIQUOR
DEALERS.
The following letter, written by Commis
sioner Raum to Collector Sturgeon, st. Louis,
Mo-, is OF interest In this section as well as in
the west: 'sYour letter of the 10Th ultimo has
been received, transmitting a letter from
Messrs. Stern & Albert, OF your city. making
inquiries about the goods which they put up
formulas, according to which those articles
are compounded. Ihave also received from
that firm by express samples OF these goods,
letter Messrs Stern s. Albert claim that these
articles are really medicines, put up as such,
intended for use as tOnicS and alternatives
much prevail, and they ask to be informed as
medicines or medicinal preparations subject
50 x e
special tax as liquor dealers? The law (sec-
tfOn lS of the act of February 8, 1851 defines
a1s IN saea au15s as
spirits, wines or malt liquors, and imposes
special tax OF SIS or 800, according as he sells
Fl OF
to the bottles, TASKS, phials OF other enclo--
sures containing distilled spirits or wines, and
holds such spirits and wines out and recon-
mendS them for popular sale and use as ton
les, diuretics, appetizers. or as specifics and
remedies for the cure of various diseases,
does not relieve the dealer in such spirits and
wines from the special tax If they are sold
under the name OF brandy, wine, gin, or
whisky, or are substantially and essentially
in use and effect distilled spirits or wines. A
ing put upon the market under the several
names names Of "Medicated ! French Brandy, MED.
isaed Holland Sim Medicated Bourbon bon
reason. it may be, that there is a popular de-
mand for such spirits. The character, quality,
use and effect of these. liquors are substantial
lxyt thnsn n.f iofil1
slightly. modified in flavor by decoctiOns of
banks, bitter herbs &c. But the law imposes
special tax for selling. distilled spirits or
celled OF evaded by any process of ofmedicatiOn
nor by any. holding out, or recommendations
OF the medicinal virtues and qualities of such
sold under the name OF wine. gin, brandy, or
whisky, Or If they are substantially wines or
distilled spirits, or are used or sold as alcoholic
beverages, Labels, such as have been referred
to, attached to such liquors may subject them
to stamp tax under schedule A, as similar
imported liquors are subjected to it, though
taxed there as SUCH 3. III Tbe iabty TO- fbe
cial tax as liquor dealer attaches for the sale
OF their spirits, such as those above described.
and attaches whether they are sold by the
drink or in the unbrOken packages. All
rulings in conflict with this are are hereby re-
yoked: You You will please communicate to
MesSrs Stern & Albert the decision herein
made OF the question submitted by them.'
TIE DEMAND FOR THE NEwFoUR PER CENT.
BONDS is still greater than the supply that can
be printed by the bureau of engraving and
printing OF the Treasury department. In view
of the rapidity with which this loan is being
subscribed for by the people, in the denomina-
tiOns OF fifty and one hundred dollars, it will
campaign in 1850 upon the issue of deprecia-
ting them or any other of the bonds of the
United States. II the democrats propose to
make campaign on the Thurman key note,
in yyi1Io md hnfp,
let some OF these securities are held, and those
holding them will hardly vote with a party
which proposes to- depreciate them. Hence
some epubllcanS claim that the four per cent.
bonds now being issued by Secretary Sherman
are the best financial campaign documents
which are being circulated; Nearly every day
U. 5. Treasurer and his assistants for infor-
nation. Most of those thus calling have small
earnings laid away in savings banks. and in
nine cases out of ten they withdraw the same
and invest in this popular loan, the success
which has been unprecedented.
SUBSCRIPTIONS to the four per cent loan to.
day amounted to s723.1OO.
INFORMATION has been received at the
Indian Office that the Spotted Tail Indians
have arrived safely at their new location, the
Rosebud agency.
DEATH OF THE PosTM AsTER OF MEMPHIS
Information has been received at the Post
Office department. from Memphis, Tenn, of
the death tn OF MT. A., Il; A: thompson, postmaster
to Mr.. ThOmpsOns sureties to take charge of
the Office until successor can be appointed.
THE MITCHELL DIVORCE CAsE-On Sec.
retary SchurZ's return from Deer Park
last week, Mr.. r. w. c. Mitchell called his at
tention to the charges purporting to come
from Mr.. Mitchelrs former wife, and singing
out the charge that he had, in his own hand
Wrjtinp induce tn
herself to members of Congress, he demanded
an Investigation. Mrs Mitchell, in the
ss4 e hus5sd sas fse wns ad the r%SS %onaa7 IA
and again yesterday the gentlemen instructed
to make the inquiry waited on Mrs. Mitchell.
but she failed to produce the alleged letter or
Mitchell emphatically denies that he ever
made such proposition in any shape, and
challenges the production of proof. The other
proceedings under oath.
THE WORK OF THE REVISION of the con-
federate archives in the custody of the War
department is to be resumed. Secretary Nc
some intelligent officer of the army, and after
they have been carefully edited they wll be
printed by the War department..
AMERICAN SILVER IN HAYTI.-HOn. John
M. LangstOn, American minister to the repub-
lie of Hayti, has furnished the Department of
State with an interesting report as to the use
of American silver in that country. He says
that our silver is used for all purposes by the
government and people. The amount of it
circulating in Hayti Is not far from $500, 900.
In the busy season. when coffee is being ex-
ported, silver Is very abundant in the island
During the dull season, when exports are less
abundant, silver is shipped from Hayti to the
states to meet the demands held by American
dealers against Haytien cOnsignees. Within
the past four months not less than $5OO,OOO of
silver has been shipped in this way from Hayti
to the United States. The steamship on which
the minister recently returned brought $10S 0cO
to New York. Mr.. LangstOn states, further
more, that the only pieces of silver which have
been circulating hitherto In the republic have
been the half-dOllar, the quarter and the 1--WE
and ten-cent pieces The transactions of the
government and the merchants of Hayti are
now frequently so large that the need of a
larger silver coin is especially felt. Mr. Lang
stOn expresses the opinion that the new Amer.
lean silver dollar will be received with great
favor In Hayti, and soon have large circula-
tiOn there.
MUTINY ON BOARD OF BRITISH BARK
I'r0 Lives Lost and Several Wouuded.-The
Department of State is informed by Mr.. Hora.
ito j. Sprague, the American consul at Gibral
ia, under date Of August 18th, that the British
bark Onaway, under the command of Captain
James w. WitmOtt, on voyage from New
York. bound to Trieste. mt into Malta on fb a