fically: on ale, beer, and porter, in bottles, fifteen cents per gallon; on ale, beer and porter, imported otherwise than in bottles, ten cents per gallon; on alum, one dollar per hundred weight; on almonds, three cents per pound; on black glass quart bottles, one hundred and forty four cents per groce; on boots, one dollar and fifty cents per pair; on bristles, three cents per pound; on playing cards, thirty cents per pack; on tarred cables and cordage, three cents per pound; on untarred cordage, yarns, twines, pack thread, and seines, four cents per pound; on tallow candles, three cents per pound; on wax and spermaceti candles, six cents per tieth day of June one thousand eight hundred and nineteen, and after that day twenty per centum on the said articles; and on cotton manufactures of all descriptions, or of which cotton is the material of chief value, and on cotton twist, yarn or thread, as follows, viz: for three years next ensuing the thirtieth day of June next, a duty of twenty-five per centum ad valorem; and after the expiration of the three years aforesaid, a duty of twenty per centum ad valorem: Provided, That all cotton cloths, or cloths of which cotton is the material of chief value, (excepting nankeens imported directly from China) the original cost of, which at the place whence imported, with the addition of twenty per cen-pound; on Chinese cassia, six cents per pound; on tum if imported from the Cape of Good Hope, cinnamon, twenty-five cents per pound; on cloves, or from places beyond it, and of ten per cent. if im-twenty-five cents per pound; on cheese, nine cents ported from any other place, shall be less than per pound; on chocolate, three cents per pound; twenty-five cents per square yard, shall, with such on cocoa, two cents per pound; on coal, five cents addition, be taken and deemed to have cost twenty-per heaped bushel; on copperas, one dollar per five cents per square yard, and shall be charged hundred weight; on copper rods, bolts, spikes, or with duty accordingly: Provided also, that all un-nails, and composition rods, bolts, spikes or nails, bleached and uncoloured cotton twist, yarn or four cents per pound; on coffee five cents per thread, the original cost of which shall be less than pound; on cotton, three cents per pound; on cursixty cents per pound, shall be deemed and taken rants, three cents per pound; on figs, three cents to have cost sixty cents per pound, and shall be per pound; on foreign caught fish, one dollar per charged with duty accordingly; and all bleached quintal; on mackeral, one dollar and fifty cents or coloured yarn, the original cost of which shall per barrel; on salmon, two dollars per barrel; and have been less than seventy-five cents per pound, on all other pickled fish one dollar per barrel; on shall be taken and deemed to have cost seventy- || window glass, not above eight inches by ten inches five cents per pound, and shall be charged within size, two dollars and fifty cents per hundred duty accordingly: And provided further, that cotton square feet; on the same, not above ten inches by piece goods, imported in ships or vessels of thetwelve inches in size, two dollars and seventy-five United States, which shall have sailed from the cents per hundred square feet; on the same, if United States before the passage of this act, and above ten inches by twelve inches in size, three and shall arrive therein between the thirtieth day dollars and twenty-five cents per hundred square of June, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, feet; on glue, five cents per pound; on gunpowder, and the first day of June, one thousand eight hun-eight cents per pound; on hemp, one dollar and dred and seventeen, the original cost of which cot-fifty cents per hundred weight; on iron or steel ton piece goods, at the place whence imported, wire, not exceeding number eighteen, five cents shall have been less than twenty-five cents per per pound, and over number eighteen, nine cents square yard, shall be admitted to entry, subject per pound; on iron in bars and bolts, excepting only to a duty of thirty-three and a third per cen- iron manufactured by rolling, forty-five cents per tum, on the cost of the said cotton piece goods in hundred weight; on iron in sheets, rods, and hoops, India, and on the usual addition of twenty per centwo dollars and fifty cents per hundred weight; tum on that cost. and in bars, or bolts, when manufactured by rolFifth. A duty of thirty per centum ad valorem, ling, and on anchors, one dollar and fifty cents on umbrellas, parasols of whatever materials made, per hundred weight; on indigo, fifteen cents per and sticks or frames for umbrellas or parasols; bon-pound; on lead, in pigs, bars or sheets, one cent nets and caps for women, fans, feathers, ornaments per pound; on shot manufactured of lead, two for head dresses, artificial flowers, milinery of all cents per pound; on read and white lead, dry or sorts; hats orcaps of wool, fur, leather, chip, straw, ground in oil, three cents per pound; on mace, one or silk; cosmetics, washes, balsams, perfumes; dollar per pound; on molasses, five cents per galpainted floor cloths, mats of grass or flags: sallad on, ns, three cents per pouna; 'on nutoil, pickles, capers, olives, mustard, comfits, or megs, sixty cents per pound; on pepper, eight sweetmeats preserved in sugar or brandy; wafers, cents per pound; on pimento, six cents per cabinet wares, and all manufactures of wood; car-pound; on plums, and prunes, three cents per riages of all descriptions, and parts thereof; leather, pound; on muscatel raisins, and raisins in jars, and all manufactures of leather, or of which leather and boxes, three cents per pound; on all other the material of chief value; saddles, bridles, har-raisins, two cents per pound; on salt, twenty cents ness; paper of every description, paste board, paper per bushei of fifty-six pounds; on ochre, dry, one hangings, blank books, parchment, vellum; brush- cent per pound, in oil, one and a half cents per es, canes, walking sticks, whips; and clothing rea- pound; on steel, one dollar per hundred weight; dy made. And in all cases where an ad valorem on cigars, two dollars and fifty cents per thousand; duty shall be charged, it shall be calculated on the on spirits, from grain, of first proof, forty-two nett cost of the article, at the place whence import- cents per gallon; of second proof, forty-five ed (exclusive of packages, commissions and all cents per gallon; of third proof, forty-eight cents charges) with the usual addition, established by per gallon; of fourth proof, fifty-two cents per law of twenty per centum on all merchandise, im-gallon; of fifth proof, sixty cents per gallon; ported from places beyond the Cape of Good Hope, above fifth proof, seventy-five cents per gallon; and of ten per centum on articles imported from on spirits from other materials than grain, of first all other places. and second proof, thirty-eight cents per gallon; of third proof, forty-two cents per gallon; of fourth Sixth. The following duties, severally and speci Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That an addition of ten per centum shall be made to the several rates of duties above specified and imposed, in respect to all goods, wares, and merchandise, on the importation of which in American or foreign vessels a specific discrimination has not been herein already made, which, after the said proof, forty-eight cents per gallon; of fifth proof, tured; animals imported for breed; burr stones, fifty-seven cents per gallon; above fifth proof, unwrought; gold coin, silver coin, and bullion; seventy cents per gallon; on shoes and slippers || clay, unwrought; copper, imported in any shape of silk, thirty cents per pair; on shoes and slip-for the use of the mint; copper and brass, in pers of leather, twenty-five cents per pair; on pigs, bars, or plates, suited to the sheathing of shoes and slippers for children, fifteen cents per ships, old copper and brass, and old pewter, fit, pair; on spikes, two cents per pound; on soap, only to be remanufactured; tin, in pigs or bars; three cents per pound; on brown sugar, three furs, undressed, of all kinds; raw hides and cents per pound; on white clayed or powdered skins; lapis calaminaris; plaster of paris; rags sugar, four cents per pound; on lump sugar, ten of any kind of cloth; sulphur or brimstone; bacents per pound; on loaf sugar, and on sugar can- rilla; Brazil wood, barziletto, red wood, camdy, twelve cents per pound; on snuff, twelve cents wood, fustic, logwood, nicaragua, and other die per pound; on tallow, one cent per pound; on woods; wood, unmanufactured, of any kind, zinc, tea, from China, in ships or vessels of the United teutenage or spelter. States, as follows, viz. bohea, twelve cents per pound; souchong, and other black, twenty-five cents per pound; imperial, gunpowder, and gomee, fifty cents per pound; hyson, and young byson, forty cents per pound; hyson skin, and other green, twenty-eight cents per pound; on teas from any other place, or in any other than ships or vessels of the U. States, as follows, viz. bohea, four-thirtieth day of June, one thousand eight hundred teen cents per pound; souchong, and other black, and sixteen, shall be imported, in ships or vesthirty-four cents per pound; imperial, gunpowder, sels not of the United States: Provided, That and gomee, sixty-eight cents per pound; hyson, this additional duty shall not apply to goods, and young byson, fifty-six cents per pound; hyson wares and merchandise imported in ships or vesskin, and other green, thirty-eight cents per sels not of the United States, entitled by treaty, pound; on manufactured tobacco, other than snuff, or by any act or acts of Congress, to be entered and segars, ten cents per pound; on whiting, and in the ports of the United States, on the payment paris white, one cent pe: pound; on wine, as fol- of the same duties as are paid on goods, wares, iows, viz. on Madeira, Burgundy, Champaign, and merchandise, imported in ships or vessels of Rhenish, and Tokay, one dollar per galion; on the United States. Sherry, and St. Lucar, sixty cents per gallon; on other wines, not enumerated when imported in bottles or cases, seventy cents per gallon; on Lis-this bon, Oporto, and other wines of Purtugal, and on those of Sicily, fifty cents per gallon; on Teneriffe, Fayal, and other wines of the western Islands, forty cents per gallon; on all other wines, when imported otherwise than in cases, and bottles, twenty-five cents per gallon; on Russia duck, (not exceeding fifty-two archeens each piece,) two dollars; on Ravens duck, (not exceeding fifty-two archeens each piece,) one dollar and twenty-five cents; on Holland duck, (not exceeding fifty-two archeens each piece,) two dollars and fifty cents; on Spermaceti oil of foreign fishing, twenty-five cents per gallon; on whale, or other fish oil of foreign fishing, fifteen cents per gallon; and on olive oil, in casks, at twenty-five cents per gallon. Sen 2 And be it further enacted. That the following articles shall be imported into the United States free of duties; that is to say, all articles imported for the use of the United States; philosophical apparatus, instruments, books, maps, charts, statues, busts, casts, paintings, drawings, engravings, specimens of sculpture, cabinets of coins, gems, medals, and all other collections of antiquities, statuary, modelling, painting, drawing, etching, or engraving, specially imported by order and for the use of any society incorporated for philosophical or literary purposes, or for the encouragement of the fine arts, or by order and for the use of any seminary of learning; specimens in natural history, mineralogy, botany, and anatomical preparations, models of machinery and other inventions; plants and trees; wearing apparel and other personal baggage in actual use, and the implements or tools of trade of persons arriving in the United States; regulus of antimony; bark of the cork tree, unmanufac- Il Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That there shall be allowed a drawback of the duties, by act imposed, on goods, wares and merchandise imported into the United States, upon the exportation thereof within the time, and in the manner prescribed by the existing laws, subject to the following provisions, that is to say; That there shall not be an allowance of the drawback of duties in the case of goods imported in foreign vessels from any of the dominions, colonies, or possessions of any foreign power, to and with which the vessels of the United States are not permitted to go and trade; that there shall not be an allowance of the drawback of duties for the amount of the additional duties by this act imposed on goods imported in vessels not of the United States; that there shall not be an allowance of the drawback in case of foreign dried and pickled fish, and other salted provisions, fish oil, or playing cards; that there shall be deducted and retained from the amount of the duties on goods exported with the benefit of drawback, (other than spirits) two and a half per centum; and that there shall be retained, in the case of spirits exported with the benefit of drawback, two cents per gallon upon the quantity of spirits, and also three per centum on the amount of duties payable on the importation thereof.But, nevertheless, the provisions of this act shall not be deemed in any wise to impair any rights and privileges, which have been, or may be acquired by any foreign nation, under the laws and treaties of the United States, upon the subject of exporting goods from the United States, with the benefit of a drawback of the duties payable upon the importation thereof. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That after the thirtieth day of June next, in all cases of entry of merchandise for the benefit of drawback, the time of twenty days shall be allowed from the date of the entry, for giving the exportation teers, may be located, agreeably to the said act, bonds for the same: Provided, That the exporter at the land offices at Vincennes, or Jeffersonville, shall, in every other particular, comply with the in the Indiana territory, on the first Monday in regulations and formalities, heretofore established June next, with the registers of the said land offor entries of exportation for the benefit of draw-fices; that the warrantees may, in person, or by back. their attornies, or other legal representatives, in Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the duty the presence of the register and receiver of the on the tonnage of vessels, and the bounties, advan- || said land districts, draw lots for the priority of ces and drawbacks in the case of exporting pickled ||location, and that, should any of the warrants not fish, of the fisheries of the United States, in the case appear for location on that day, they may be locatof American vessels employed in the fisheries,ed afterwards, according to their priority of preand in the case of exporting sugar refined withinsentation: the locations in the district of Vincenthe United States, shall be and continue the same nes to be made at Vincennes, and the locations as the existing law provides. Provided always, in the district of Jeffersonville, to be made at JefThat this provision shall not be deemed in any fersonville. wise to impair any rights and privileges, which have been, or may be acquired by any foreign nation, under the laws and treaties of the United States, relative to the duty of tonnage on vessels. Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the existing laws shall extend to, and be in force for the collection of the duties imposed by this act on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States; and for the recovery, collection, distribution and remission of all fines, penalties and forforfeitures; and for the allowance of the drawbacks and bounties by this act authorised, as fully and effectually as if every regulation, restriction, penalty, forfeiture provision, clause, matter and thing, in the existing laws contained, had been inserted in, and re-enacted by this act. And that all acts, and parts of acts, which are contrary to this act, and no more, shall be and the same are hereby repealed. That they have used their utmost endeavours Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the act to ascertain every fact that appeared to be matepassed on the third day of March, one thousand rial to a full understanding of the conduct of the eight hundred and fifteen, entitled "An act to re- officers of that department. As the enquiry origi peal so much of the several acts imposingnated in a request of the Post Master General, duties on the tonnage of ships and vessels, and on goods, wares and merchandise, imported into the United States, as imposes a discriminating duty on tonnage between foreign vessels and vessels of the United States, and between goods imported into the United States, in foreign vessels and vessels of the United States," shall apply and be inswer, that the application was induced by a rufull force as to the discriminating duties established by this act on the tonnage of foreign vessels, and the goods, wares and merchandise therein imported. the committee in the first place addressed to him a letter, (No. 1.) requesting to be informed of the reasons of his application to congress, and also that he would give them such information as appeared to be calculated to facilitate the investigation. The Post Master General stated, in his an mor that some person or persons of the department, had sold drafts for money due to the General || Post-Office, for premiums, which had been converted to their private use, (see letter No. 2.), Approved, April 27, 1816, The committee therefore proceeded to enquire into the truth of the rumour by the examination of every person who seemed likely to have any knowledge of the fact; but, in the examination of some of the clerks in the General Post Office, various suggestions were made of improper trans actions in the department, other than those to which their attention had been drawn by the Post Master General. JAMES MADISON. PUBLIC DOCUMENTS, A PROCLAMATION. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. WHEREAS by the act entitled," an act granting bounties in land and extra pay to certain Canadian volunteers," passed the fifth of March, 1816, it was enacted that the locations of the land warrants of the said volunteers, should "be subject to such regulations, as to priority of choice, and the manner of location, as the President of the United States shall direct:" Given under my hand, the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen. By the President, JAMES MADISON. JOSIAH MEIGS, Com'r, of the Gen. Land Office. GENERAL POST-OFFICE. House of Representatives of the United States, The committee appointed to investigate the conduct of the General Post-Office Department, made Report The investigation has therefore assumed a very extensive scope, and has consequently occupied more time than could have been anticipated at its commencement. This delay has also been increased by circumstances arising out of the nature of the inquiry: as no person appeared to make any specific charges, the committee had no alternative but to abandon their undertaking, or listen to rumors and the heresays of some of the witnesses, and send for other witnesses, to prove the facts; they made choice of the latter course, and have examined every person who was either sug Wherefore, I, JAMES MADISON, President of the United States, in conformity with the provisions of the act before recited, do hereby make known,gested to them or appeared as likely to possess that the land warrants of the said Canadian volun-any information on the subjects of their inquiry The charges arising out of the suggestions of the witnesses, and which, from the various communications they made to the committee, it ap peared to be the desire of some of them most especially to establish, are as follows, viz. 1st. That certain persons in the General Post Office, and particularly Abraham Bradley, junior, assistant Post Master General, had sold Post Of-|| fice drafts and checks, and applied the premium to their private use. 2d. That an erasure had been made in the cash book of the General Post Office, and an erroneous entry found thereon. 3d. That private accounts were improperly kept with individuals, on the books of the Post Office. || 4th. That Phineas Bradley, had been concerned in a contract for carrying the mail, that was improperly obtained. 5th. That P. Bradley, had received corrupting presents from mail contractors. 6th. That P. Bradley, and Abraham Bradley, junior, had made use of Post-Office money, in purchasing depreciated bank notes, for which they received a premium, and applied it to their private use. 7th. That bank notes which were better than the paper ofthe District of Columbia, and a treasury note, had been returned to post-masters, by order of Abraham Bradley, junior. 8th. That the Washington and Union Banks, and certain individuals had profited by the sale of Post-Office drafts. 9th. That a contract for carrying the mail from Washington to Fredericksburg, had been superceded by order of the Post-master General, before it expired, and about double the amount given for the same service. An examination of the subjoined testimony and documents, will enable the House to determine, how far the charges or either of them have been sustained; the committee have however no hesitation în expressing their opinion on them severally. sure. Riggs, is charged in the cash book of the general post-office, as sold to the Union Bank, the words Union Bank, being apparently written on an eraBut from an examination of the books of the Union Bank, the committee ascertained that the general post-office had credit for this draft thereon, (see also the testimony of Elisha Riggs,) and therefore, the draft having been actually sold to, and negociated by the Union Bank, and not Elisha Riggs, they do not perceive any impropriety in the entry, and still less have they been able to discover any improper purpose to be ef fected by the alterations on the cash book. 3d. It appears to have been the practice of the assistant post-master general, Abraham Bradley, jun. to open an account with certain individuals, partly of a public and partly of a private nature; there were cases in which members of congress have, by means of the agency of Abraham Bradley, jun. transferred funds from one part of the United States to another part, or have received money for some of their constituents, who were contractors for carrying the mail, by which their names became entered on the books: no advantages accrued to any person by the transaction other than that of the accommodation in transferring an inconsiderable fund from one place to another. It may be observed that the post-office offered peculiar facilities in this particular, and has frequently been resorted to by members of congress and others for this purpose, but their names do not appear in an open account on the books, except when the drafts exchanged did not exactly balance at the time of exchange. The only account of this nature which is ascertained to remain open on the books was made in December, 1800, where there is a balance in favour of the general post-office of 320 dollars, due from Gen. H. Lee, of Virginia. || 4th. It appears that Phineas Bradley, a clerk in the general post-office, has been concerned in carrying the mail, and that he owned somewhat more than one cighteenth of a line of stages which carried the mail from Baltimore to Georgetown and Alexandria, for 2,800 dollars a year. "Whatever may be the opinion of the committee as to the strict propriety of the mode in which a compromise was effected in this case between rival contractors, (see testimony of John Davis) it is but proper to add, that Mr. Bradley had no legal agency in influencing the decision upon the contract nor could he have had any other agency in it, unless a corrupt disposition is presumed on the part of the then post-master general, who was consulted before the contract took effect as to the propriety of his being concerned in it: but there is no circumstance in the case to authorise such a presumption. 1st. With respect to the first charge, in relation to Abraham Bradley, jun. there no evidence whatever, to induce a suspicion, that he has sold post-office drafts or checks for a premium, nor does it appear that any other person in the general post-office has sold post-office drafts or checks for a premium, other than drafts obtained for their own salaries, except in the case of H. H. Edwards, who bought a post-office draft on Boston, for District of Columbia paper, and disposed of it by an agent in N. York, (as "he presumes,") for a premium. 5th. There is no evidence which in the opinion of the committee, can justify the imputations in this charge. See testimony of J. Eddington. 6th. It appears that bank notes to a small The committee have not relied upon negative || testimony, to disprove this charge, but have attentively examined the books of the Union Bank containing the accounts with the general post-office, as well as the private accounts of Abraham Bradley, jun. and Phineas Bradley, with that bank and have satisfactorily ascertained, that no cred-amount have been sold by Abraham Bradley, jun. its have been given to them, or any other person and R. Bradley, previous to the general depreciin the general post-office, for premium on drafts ation of bank paper, for which they received a or checks; they have also ascertained, that the premium. The evidence does not prove that they premiums for post-office drafts and checks sold made use of public money for this purpose; but by the bank, have been entered in the profit and so far as a fact of this kind could be ascertained loss account thereof. It therefore conclusively from circumstances, it proves the transaction to follows, that these premiums have accrued to the have been a private one. bank, and to none other. 2d. It appears that a draft in favour of Elisha || 7th. It appears that a treasury note of one hundred dollars, and bank notes to a small amount, | which were supposed to be better than the money quired by the post-master general, is a subject || Resolved, That the committee appointed to in 8th. The committee have ascertained that drafts to the amount of $121,348 40 have been disposed of to the Union Bank; and to the amount of 4,000vestigate the conduct of the general post-office department, be discharged from the further con||sideration of the subject referred to them. [Accompanying this report is an abstract of the to the Washington Bank, and the amount of 15, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 19th March, 1816. 1st. "Is it practicable or expedient, at present 2d. "If this be not practicable or expedient, at present, when ought an act directing the dues of government to be so paid, to go into effect, and what ought to be the provisions of such an act?" 3d. Would it be expedient, after the 1st of November next, or at any other time, to increase the duties on stamps on the notes of such banks as do not pay in specie ?" 4th. "Are there any other measures that it would be expedient to resort to for that pur NATIONAL CURRENCY. Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury to the It cannot, however, be of any importance, (if the drafts were essentially more valuable than the District of Columbia paper) whether they were employed in the payment of debts, sold for specie or for bank notes of this District, with a premium for the difference of value; the principle is the same in either case, and whatever may be the amount of advantage to the individuals or the banks in this transaction, resulting from the difference of exchange, the same will be the amount of disadvantage to the government. It does not however appear that any change has taken place in the practice of the general post-pose?" office department, in this respect, for a series of As a brief consideration of the general subject years; and as the operation complained of is evi- of your letter will afford the best foundation for dently the effect of an existing arrangement un-specific answers to the questions which have der a change of the circumstances of the circula- been proposed, I pray the indulgence of the comting medium, it is not to be presumed that a prac-mittee in the adoption of that course. tice has arisen out of a design to promote private When the banks, during the summer of 1814, interests, or to prejudice the interests of the gov-suspended the payment of their notes in coin, the ernment. The committee are however decidedly treasury notes which had been issued, were maof opinion, that the advantage arising from the nifestly incompetent, both in amount and credit, difference of exchange as to all the monies that to constitute a substitute for the metalic currenare due to the treasury, ought to accrue exclu- cy. A declaration, therefore, at that time, that sively to the government, but as the post-master the government would only accept, in payment general has expressed a willingness to pay over of the revenue, gold and silver, treasury notes or these balances in any way that may best accom- bank notes payable on demand in coin, would modate the treasury department, the evil admits have been equivalent to a denial of the means for of a very simple remedy. paying the duties and taxes at the very crisis that admit-rendered indispensable a strict enforcement of the obligation to pay them. Nor could such a declaration have been properly applied to the loans which the necessities of the treasury requir ed. A subscription in coin was not to be expected; a subscription in treasury notes could not yield any 9th. The facts stated in this charge are ted to be correct, and the letter of the post-master general, (No. 9.) contains a satisfactory explanation of the reasons for altering the terms of the contract in question; whether too much was eventually given for the service under the changes re |
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