Year: 1861

sippi


The Congress Of the Confederate States Of Amer
lea have passed an "Act to declare and establish the
free navigation Of the Mississippi river" 1t reads
as follows:


"SEcrroN |. The Conge. Of Me Confederate
States Of America do enact That the peaceable nav
igation of the Mississippi river is hereby declared


free to the citizens ofany fthe States upon its bor
ders or upon the borders Of its navigabe tributa-
res; and all ships, boats, or RATS or vessels may
navigate the same under such regulations as may
be established by authority Of law, under such
police regulations as may be established by the
States within their several jurisdictions.


''SEc. 2. Be IL further enacted All ships boats
vessels which may enter the waters OF the said riv
er, within the limits of this Confederacy from any
port place beyond the said limits may freely pass
with their cagoes TO any other port place beyond
the limits Of this Confederacy, without any duty or
hindrance except light money, pilotage and other
like charges but it shall not be lawful for any such
ship, boat or vessel to SELL deliver or in any way
dispose Of any part Of her cargo, or land any por-
ton thereof, for the purpose Of sale and delivery
within the limits of this Confedcracy; and in case
any portion of such cargo shall be sold delivered
or landed for that purpose in violation OF the pro-
visions of this act the shall be forfeited, and
shall be seized and condemned by proceeding in
admiralty before the court having jurisdiction Of
the same in the district in which the same may be
snip, DOdL Ut FSoScl cuuii iuui
times the amount Of the value of the duties charge
able on said goods, wares or merchandise, so landed,
sold disposed Of in violation Of the provisions OF
this act, to be recovered by proper proceeding in
admiralty before the said court in the district where
such ship boat or vessel may be found, one-haf for
the use of the collector Of the district who shall in
stitute and conduct such proceeding, and the other
half for the use of the Government Of the Confed-
crate States, provided, that if any such ship boat
or vessel shall be stranded or from any cause be
unable to proceed on its voyage, the cargo thereof
may be landed, and the same may be entered at
the nearest port of entry, in the same manner MS
goods wares .and merchandise regularly consigned
to said port, and the person so entering the same
shall be entitled to the benefit of drawback Of du
ties, or Of warehousng said goods, wares and mer-
chandise, as provided by law in other cases.


"SEc. g. BE il further enacted, If any person
having the charge Of or being concerned in the
transportation of any goods, wares or merchandise
upon the said river SHALL with intent to defraud the
revenue, break open unpack, within the limits OF
the Confederate 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 or deface any seal or fastening
placed thereon by any officer of the revenue; or if
any person shall deface alter or forge any certificate
granted for the protection of merchandise transport
ed aforesaid, each and every person so offending
shall forfeit and pay five hundred dollars, aud
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 ii further enacted, In case any ship,
boat or vessel shall enter the waters of the said rv
err within the limits of the Confederate States hay
ing on board any goods, wares and merchandise,
subject to the payment of duties, and the master,
consignee or owner shall desire 70 land the same for
sale or otherwise, it shall be lawful to euer the said
goods wares and merchandise at any port of entry,
or to forward them under bond seal, according to
the regulations customary in such cases, when con-
signed TO any port place beyond the limits OF this
Confederacy, in the same manner as goods, wares
or merchandise regularly consigned to the said port
and on payment OF the duties on said goods 70 OBJ
tain license from the Collector to land the same at
any point on the river, and when goods, wares and
merchandise shall be entered as aforesaid the owner
importer or consignee shall be entitled to the bene
fit of draw back duties OF warehousing the said goods
wares and merchandise is provided by law, upon
complying with all the laws and regulations which
apply cases of entry for drawback or warehensing
respectively.


''SEc 5. Be IL further enacted When any such
ship boat or vessel, having on board goods, wares
or merchandise subject to the payment of duties as
set forth in the fourth section, shall arrive at the
first port OF entry of thu Confederate States, the
master or person in command of such ship, boat or
vessel SHALL before he pass the said por, and imme
dately after his arrival deposit with the Collector
manifest of the cargo on board subject to the
payment of duties and the said Collector shall, after
registering the same transmit it 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 necessary for the security of the reye-
nue., put an Inspector Of the Customs on board any
such ship, boat or vessel, to accompany the same
until her arrival at the first port OF entry to which
her cargo may be consigned, and If the master or
person in command shall omit to deposit manifest
as aforesaid or refuse to receive such Inspector on
board, lie shall forfeit and pay $500 with costs OF
suit, one-half to the use of the officer with whom
the manifest has been deposited and the other half
TO the use of the Collector of the district to which
the vessel was bound: Provided, however, that un-
til ports of entry shall be established above the city
of Vcksburg, on the Mississippi river the penalties
of this act shall not extend 10 the delivery of goods
above that port by vessels or boats descending that
river"