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f | 4 (4) ', " and merchandise, on which the: 'duties shall not have been paid, 'or secured to be -* paid, shall be forfeited." A judicious and prompt performance of the duties enjoined upon the several officers of the customs, by the laws above cited or referred to, will, it is hoped, effectually check or detect any attempt at illicit traffic. In addition to the penalties and forfeitures provided for in'previous laws, the act of 30th August, 1842, enacts, in section 19, "'That if any person shall knowingly "and wilfully, with intent to defraud the revenue of the United States, smuggle, or. " clandestmely introduce, into the United States any goods, wares, or merchandise, " subj ect to "duty by law, and which should have been capris without paying or ""Aecounting for the duty, or shall make out, or pass, or Attempt to pass through ¢ e- i i Be '| ig if ; a a cg et ha ee a a ae tre ee em *e " custom-house, any false, forged, or fraudulent invoice, every such person, his, her, i " or their aiders and'abettors, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and; on con- " viction the reof, shall be fined in any sum not exceeding five thousand dollars, or \ "imprisoned for any term of time not exceeding two years, or both, at the discre- «. * tion of the court." - You will make this new provision of law as endrally known within your district and neighborhood as practicable; and in all instances of violation of any of the Tevenue laws falling within your control, you will, without delay, cause the proper tig proceedings to be instituted, reporting the cases forthwith to this Department. Should you discover any new or extraordinary devices to smuggle goods, you are requested to communicate them promptly to this Department, with such sugges: , tions as occur to you to detect them, or prevent their success. And you are requested to communicate, freely and fully, any information you y obtain i in relation to any projects for smuggling in other districts, or in relation to ce other subject_connected with the collection of the revenue; and if any practical. __. defects. exist in the laws for that purpose, you will oblige sbiy pointing them out. __ Respectfully, your obedient servant, 3 JOHN C. SPENCER, | i? Secretary of the Treasury. 4 f The Collector of the Customs f i aaa : fhe Kap om | | ' : i. P s i ia AYR LO eLRNtreS Ne _ SSAA N ROR Le ea Nea RYO Pa as . CIRCULAR TO COLLECTORS OF THE CUSTOMS OF THE NORTHEASTERN, NORTHERN, NORTH- WESTERN, AND WESTERN FRONTIERS. QRAASUBRY DEPART, March 31, 1843. Since the passage of the récent Tariff act, levying increased rates of duty on imports, information has been laid before the Department, leading to the suspicion that extensive combinations will be, or already have been, entered into, for the illicit introduction of foreign merchandise into the United States, from the adjacent British possessions. You will perceive, therefore, the necessity of active and untiring vigilance on your part, and on that of the officers under your immediate direction, in protecting' the interests of Government, by the prevention or detection of frauds or evasions of the revenue laws. The responsible duties enjomed upon you, and the powers vested in you, can only become sufficiently known to you by a careful examination of the several acts of Congress having relation to the revenue. 'These ought to be familiar to you in their fullest extent; but, in view of the immediate subject of this letter, your parti- cular attention is directed to the act of 18th February, 1793, " For enrolling and licensing ships.or vessels to be employed in the coasting trade," sections 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22,23, 24, 27, 31; the act of 2d March, 1799, "'To regulate the collection _ of, duties on imports and atari ;" the act of, 22d February, 1805, supplementary to the above, section 2; the act of 3d March, 1817, "To continue in force,;in part, the act of 3d March, 1815," sections 3, 4,7; the, act of 2d March, 1819, supplementary to the acts concerning the coasting trade; the act of 2d March, 1821, * Further to regulate the entry of A ede imported into the United States cared any adjacent. territory ;" the act of Ist March, 1823," Regulating the commercial intercourse be- tween the United States and certain British colonial ports;" the act of 3d March, 1823, "To amend the act, entitled ' An act further to regulate the entry of merchandise im- ported into the United States from any adjacent territory ;'" the act of 24th May, 1828, entitled " An act to repeal a part of the act, entitled.' An act supplementary to, and to amend, an act entitled ' An-act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage," passed 2d March, 1799; the act of 28th May, 1830, " For the more: eis Rat eo © ia Senos Fn OER Lt ie Tp en Be eS) PAS suns wal ans = er a > = omar ae Ris enserearnes Stes