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The ports of the United States to be open to British vessels directly from such ports.

The President

may, by proclamation, declare no higher duty to be levied upon British vessels and goods from these ports than upon United States vessels, on certain conditions.

SEC. 2. That, from and after the said third day of March next, the ports of the United States shall be open to any British vessel coming directly from any of the British colonial ports above enumerated: and it shall be lawful to import in the said vessels, being navigated by a master and three fourths, at least, of the mariners, British subjects, any articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of any of the said British colonies, the importation of the like articles to which, from elsewhere, is not, nor shall not be, prohibited by law, and which may be exported from any of the said enumerated British ports to the United States, on equal terms, in vessels belonging to the said States.

SEC. 3. That, on proof being given to the President of the United States, satisfactory to him, that, upon the vessels of the United States admitted into the above-enumerated British colonial ports, and upon any goods, wares, or merchandise, imported therein, in the said vessels, no other or higher duties of tonnage or impost, and no other charges of any kind, are levied or exacted than upon British vessels, or upon the like goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the said colonial ports from elsewhere, it shall and may be lawful for the President of the United States to issue his proclamation, declaring that no other or higher duty of impost or tonnage and no other or higher duty or charge of any kind, upon any goods, wares or merchandise, imported from the above-enumerated British colonial ports, in British vessels, shall be levied or exacted in any of the ports of the United States, (excepting the ports in the Territory of Florida,) than upon the vessels of the United States, and upon the like goods, wares, or merchandise, imported into the ports of the United States in the same: Provided always, That until such proof shall be given, British vessels coming from the said British colonial ports, and the goods, wares, and merchandise, imported in the same into the United States, shall continue to pay the foreign tonnage duty, and the additional duties upon goods, wares, and merchandise, imported in foreign vessels prescribed April 27, 1816, by the "Act to regulate the duties on imports and tonnage," approved the twenty-seventh of April, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen.

Proviso.

ch. 107.

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SEC. 4. That no articles whatsoever, specie and bullion excepted, other than articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of the British colonies to which the said enumerated ports belong, shall be imported into the United States, in British vessels, coming from any of the said enumerated ports; and that no articles whatsoever, being of the growth, produce or manufacture, of the British colonies, to which the said enumerated ports belong, shall be imported into the United States, in any British vessel, other than a vessel coming directly from one of the said enumerated ports, on pain of forfeiting all such articles, together with the ship or vessel in which the same shall have been imported, and her guns, tackle, apparel, and furniture.

SEC. 5. That it shall be lawful to export from the United States, directly to any of the above-enumerated British colonial ports, in any vessel of the United States, or in any British vessel, navigated as by the second section of this act is prescribed, and having come directly from any of the above-enumerated British colonial ports, any article of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of the United States, or any other article legally imported therein, the exportation of which, elsewhere, shall not be prohibited by law; Provided, That when exported in any such British vessel, before the shipment of any such articles, security, by bond, shall be given to the United States, in a penalty equal to half the value of the said articles such bond to be taken of the owner, consignee, or agent, by the collector of the port at which the said British vessel shall have entered, for the due landing of the said articles, at the port or ports, being of the British colonial ports herein above enumerated, for which the said vessel shall clear out, and for producing a certificate thereof, within twelve months from the date of said bond, under the hand and seal of the

consul, or commercial agent of the United States, resident at the port where the said articles shall have been landed; or if there shall be no consul or commercial agent of the United States residing there, such certificate to be under the hand and seal of the chief officer of the customs at such port, or under the hand and seal of two known and reputable merchants residing at such port; but such bond may be discharged, by proof, on oath, by credible persons, that the said articles were taken by enemies, or perished in the seas. And it shall not be lawful to export, from the United States, any article whatsoever, to any of the aboveenumerated British colonial ports, in any British vessel, other than such as shall have come directly from one of the said ports to the United States; nor shall it be lawful to export from the United States any article whatsoever, in any British vessel, having come from any of the said enumerated ports, to any other port or place, whatsoever, than directly to one of the said ports. And in case any such articles shall be shipped or waterborne, for the purpose of being exported contrary to this act, the same shall be forfeited, and shall and may be seized and prosecuted, in like manner as for any other violation of the revenue laws of the United States.

This act to

the United

SEC. 6. That this act, unless repealed, altered, or amended, by Congress, shall be and continue in force so long as the above-enumerated continue in force so long as the British colonial ports shall be open to the admission of vessels of the said ports are United States, conformably to the provisions of the British act of Parlia- open to vessels of ment of the 24th of June last, being the forty-fourth chapter of the acts States. of the third year of George the Fourth. But if at any time the trade and intercourse between the United States and all or any of the aboveenumerated British colonial ports, authorized by the said act of Parliament, should be prohibited by a British order in council, or by act of Parliament, then, from the day of the date of such order in council, or act of Parliament, or from the time that the same shall commence to be in force, proclamation to that effect having been made by the President of the United States, each and every provision of this act, so far as the same shall apply to the intercourse between the United States and the aboveenumerated British colonial ports, in British vessels, shall cease to operate in their favor; and each and every provision of the "Act concerning navigation," approved on the eighteenth of April, one thousand eight hun- 18, 1818, ch. 70. dred and eighteen; and of the act supplementary thereto, approved on the fifteenth of May, one thousand eight hundred and twenty; shall revive and be in full force.

Act of April

Act of May 15, 1820, ch. 122. Any other

SEC. 7. That if any British colonial port in the American hemisphere, other than those herein above enumerated, should, by virtue of a British British colonial port being open order in Council, be opened to vessels of the United States, conformably to vessels of the to the provisions of the said act of Parliament of the twenty-fourth of United States, June last, each and every provision of this act shall extend to the same, benefit of this from the time when it shall be so opened to the vessels of the United act. States.

shall have the

SEC. 8. That the form of the bond aforesaid shall be prescribed by the Bond to be Secretary of the Treasury; and all penalties and forfeitures, incurred prescribed by the Secretary of under this act, shall be sued for, recovered, distributed, and accounted for, the Treasury. and the same may be mitigated or remitted, in the manner and according to the provisions of the revenue laws of the United States,

No. 140.- MARCH 3, 1823,

CHAP. XXV. - An Act for carrying into Effect the Convention of Navigation and Commerce between the United States and France, concluded at Washington, on the twenty-fourth day of June, eighteen hundred and twenty-two.

Mitigation and remission of forfeitures, &c.

Stat. at Large, Vol. III. p. 747.

Act of May 15, 1820, eh. 126, re

Be it enacted, &c. That the act to impose a new tonnage duty on French ships and vessels, approved on the fifteenth day of May, one specting tonnage thousand eight hundred and twenty, be, and the same is hereby, repealed. duty on French

28

vessels, repealed.

From and after

Sept. 30, 1822, French goods imported in French vessels to pay an additional duty of $3.75 per

ton.

Proviso.

At the expiration of two years, extra du

ties to be diminished one fourth

of the whole amount, and so from year to year.

Tonnage duty, light-money, &c. for French vessels not to

exceed 94 cents per ton of the vessel's French passport.

Upon ratification of second

separate article of the convention, the extra duties to be levied only on the excess of

value of imports over that of ex

ports.

Acts incom

SEC. 2. That, for the term of two years, from and after the thirtieth day of September last, articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of France, imported into the United States, in French vessels, shall pay an additional duty of three dollars and seventy-five cents per ton of merchandise, according to the tenor of the convention of navigation and commerce between the United States and France, concluded on the twentyfourth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, over and above the duties collected upon the like articles, also of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of France, when imported in vessels of the United States: Provided always, That no discriminating duty shall be levied upon the productions of the soil or industry of France, imported in French bottoms, into the ports of the United States, for transit or re-exportation. SEC. 3. That, from and after the expiration of two years from the said thirtieth day of September last, in case of the continuance in force of the said convention, and so long as the same shall continue in force, the extra duties, specified in the second section of this act, shall, from and after the said thirtieth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twentyfour, be diminished by one fourth of their whole amount; and, afterwards, by one fourth of said amount, from year to year, so long as neither of the parties to the said convention shall have declared the intention of renouncing the same, in the manner therein provided, and until the whole of such discriminating and extra duty shall have been done away.

SEC. 4. That, during the continuance in force of the said convention, the duties of tonnage, light-money, pilotage, port charges, brockerage, [brokerage,] and all other duties, upon foreign shipping, over and above those paid by vessels of the United States, other than those specified in the second section of this act, shall not exceed, for French vessels, in the ports of the United States, ninety-four cents per ton of the vessel's French passport.*

SEC. 6. That, if the second separate article of the said convention, concluded on the twenty-fourth of June last, should be ratified by both the contracting parties thereto, and the ratifications thereof should be exchanged, on or before the twenty-third day of June next, then, from and after the expiration of two months, subsequent to the said exchange of ratifications, and during the continuance in force of the said separate article, the extra duties specified in the second section of this act shall be levied only upon the excess of value of the merchandise imported into the United States in any French vessel, over the value of the merchandise exported from the United States in the same vessel, upon the same voyage; so that, if the value of the articles exported shall equal or exceed that of the articles imported in the same vessel, (not including articles imported for transit or re-exportation,) no such extra duties shall be levied; and if the articles exported are less in value than those imported, the extra duties shall be levied only upon the amount of difference of their value.

SEC. 7. That all acts, or parts of acts, of Congress, incompatible with patible with the the execution of each and every article of the said convention, concluded on the twenty-fourth of June last, and of its ratified separate article, be, pealed. and the same are hereby, repealed.

convention re

No. 141.. - MARCH 3, 1823.

Stat. at Large, CHAP. XXVIII. - An Act to amend "An Act for the Establishment of a Territorial Vol. III. p. 750.

Revenue laws

of the United States to have

Government in Florida," and for other Purposes.

SEC. 11. That the laws of the United States relating to the revenue and its collection, subject to the modification stipulated by the fifteenth article of the treaty of the twenty-second of February, one thousand eight

* Discriminating tonnage duty suspended conditionally by Proclamation of the President, January 1,

hundred and nineteen, in favor of Spanish vessels and their cargoes, and effect in the Terall other public acts of the United States, not inconsistent or repugnant ritory. to the provisions of this act, now in force, or which may hereafter be in force, shall extend to, and have full force and effect in, the Territory aforesaid.

SEC. 14. That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to im- No slave to be port, or bring into the said Territory, from any port or place without the imported from places out of the limits of the United States, or cause or procure to be so imported or United States, brought, or knowingly to aid or assist in so importing or bringing, any under a penalty of 300 dollars, slave or slaves; and any person so offending, and being thereof con- and the freedom victed, before any court within the said Territory, having competent juris- of the slave. diction, shall forfeit and pay, for each and every slave, so imported or brought, the sum of three hundred dollars; one moiety for the use of the United States, and the other moiety for the use of the person or persons who shall sue for the same; and every slave, so imported or brought, shall, thereupon, become entitled to, and receive, his or her freedom.

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CHAP. XXXVII. An Act in addition to the Act, entitled "An Act for the prompt Settlement of Public Accounts," and for the Punishment of the Crime of Perjury. SEC. 3. That if any person shall swear or affirm falsely, touching the expenditure of public money, or in support of any claim against the United States, he or she shall, upon conviction thereof, suffer as for wilful and corrupt perjury.

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Stat. at Large, Vol. III. p. 770.

Any person swearing falsely, wilful and corrupt perjury.

shall suffer as for

Stat. at Large, Vol. III. p. 781.

Penalty of the act of March 2, 1821, ch. 14, for regulating the

CHAP. LVIII. - An Act to amend an Act, entitled "And An] Act further to regulate the Entry of Merchandise imported into the United States from any Adjacent Territory." Be it enacted, &c. That, from and after the passage of this act, every master or other person having charge of a vessel, boat, canoe, or raft, or the conductor or driver of any carriage, or sleigh, or other person bringing merchandise, from any foreign territory adjacent to the United States, who entry of mershall neglect or refuse to deliver a manifest, as is required in and by the chandise from act, entitled "An act further to regulate the entry of merchandise im- any foreign terriported into the United States from any adjacent territory," passed the second day of March, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one, shall be subject to pay, instead of the penalty of four hundred dollars imposed by the first section of said act, four times the value of the merchandise so imported.

tory, altered.

SEC 2. That if any person or persons shall receive, conceal, or buy, Persons receivany goods, wares, or merchandise, knowing them to have been illegally ing, &c. goods illegally importimported into the United States, and liable to seizure by virtue of any act ed and liable to in relation to the revenue, such person or persons shall, on conviction seizure, to forfeit thereof, forfeit and pay a sum double the amount or value of the goods, wares, or merchandise, so received, concealed, or purchased.

double the
amount.

Persons forci

&c. an officer of

SEC. 3. That if any person shall forcibly resist, prevent, or impede, any officer of the customs or their deputies, or any person assisting them in bly resisting, the execution of their duty, such person, so offending, shall, for every such the customs, to offence, be fined a sum not exceeding four hundred dollars.

be fined.

Provisions of "the 46th section

SEC. 4. That the provisions of the forty-sixth section of the act, entitled "An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage,' of the act of passed the second day of March, anno Domini one thousand seven hun- March 2, 1799, dred and ninety-nine, be, and they are hereby, extended to the case of ch. 22, goods, wares and merchandise, imported into the United States from an adjacent territory.

tended.

46, ex

SEC. 5. That all penalties and forfeitures, incurred by force of this act, shall be sued for, recovered, distributed, and accounted for, in the manner sued for, &c.

Penalties to be

Act of March 2, 1799, ch. 22,

§ 89.

prescribed by an act, entitled "An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage," passed on the second day of March, anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine.

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Stat. at Large, Vol. IV. p. 2.

The several acts imposing discriminating duties of tonnage

on foreign vessels, to be suspended as re

spects the kingdom of the Netherlands, &c.

Discriminat

ing duties of impost on foreign

vessels to be suspended, as respects the produce, &c.

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CHAP. IV. — An Act concerning discriminating Duties of Tonnage and Impost.

Be it enacted, &c. That, from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, during the continuance of this act, and under the limitations hereinafter mentioned, so much of the several acts imposing duties on the tonnage of vessels in the ports of the United States, as imposes a discriminating duty between foreign vessels and vessels of the United States, is.hereby suspended, so far as respects vessels truly and wholly belonging to subjects or citizens of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; of Prussia; of the Imperial Hanseatic cities of Hamburg, Lubec, and Bremen; of the Dukedom of Oldenburg; of the Kingdom of Norway; of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and of the Empire of Russia.

SEC. 2. That so much of the several acts imposing duties on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States, as imposes a discriminating duty between goods imported into the United States in foreign vessels, and in vessels of the United States, be, and the same is hereby, suspended, so far as the same respects the produce or manufacof the territories tures of the territories in Europe, of any of the above-mentioned nations, in Europe, of any or such produce and manufactures as can only be, or most usually are, first shipped from a port or place in the said territories in Europe, of either of them, respectively, the same being imported in vessels truly and wholly belonging to the subjects or citizens of each of the said nations, respectively, the vessels of each nation importing its own produce and manufactures as aforesaid.

of the mentioned nations.

This suspen

sion to continue so long as the vessels of the United States and their cargoes shall be exempt from

their ports.

SEC. 3. That the suspension of the discriminating duties of tonnage and impost, in the two preceding sections of this act prescribed, shall continue, in behalf of each of the above-mentioned nations, on condition that, and so long as, the vessels of the United States, and truly wholly belonging to the citizens thereof, and all goods and merchandise, of the produce or manufacture of the United States, laden therein, and imported into any like discriminat- of the ports of the said nations in Europe, respectively, shall be exempted ing duties in from all and every discriminating duty of impost or tonnage, direct or indirect, whatsoever, other or higher than is levied upon the vessels and merchandise therein imported, belonging to the subjects or citizens of each of the said nations, respectively. But if, in any of the territories in Europe, of either of the said nations, any such discriminating duty shall, at any time, be imposed or levied on vessels wholly belonging to citizens of the United States, or on the merchandise imported as aforesaid in them, then, and from that time, the said suspension herein prescribed shall cease, and determine, so far as respects the vessels, and merchandise imported into the United States in them, of such nations: and all the provisions of the acts imposing discriminating foreign tonnage and impost duties in the United States, shall revive and be in full force, with regard to the said nation.

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Stat. at Large, CHAP. CLVIII. — An Act to allow a salary to the Collectors of the Districts of NanVol. IV. p. 43. tucket and Pensacola, and to abolish the Office of Surveyor of the District of Pensacola.

Salaries of the collectors for Nantucket and Pensacola.

Be it enacted, &c. That, from and after the passage of this act, the following annual salaries be, and the same are hereby, allowed, to wit: To the collector of the port of entry for the district of Nantucket, in the

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