[Translation]
Mr. Mercier to Mr. Seward.
Legation of France to the United
States,
Washington,
May 16, 1862.
Sir: When the last tariff was adopted I had the
honor to engage your attention upon the injurious consequences which
would necessarily result to French industrial pursuits and the
commercial relations between the two countries. My
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anticipations are only too seriously
realized, and our manufacturers of silks, especially affected in their
interests, have recently addressed the imperial government, through
their organ, the Chamber of Commerce of Lyons, soliciting its
intervention with that of the United States, in order to obtain some
modifications of a state of things which, if prolonged, would end in the
exclusion from the American market of one of our most important branches
of export trades.
These complaints are specifically stated in a report of which I have the
honor to send you a copy herewith, and are founded not only on the
excessive increase of duties weighing upon silks, but on the
consideration which certainly had not entered into the purview of the
legislator, that French silks, being in general of superior quality,
find themselves ranged side by side with similar productions of
Switzerland and Germany under conditions which do not allow them to meet
the competition. In effect, by reason of their quality, they are
subjected to a duty of 40 per cent, ad valorem, while the Swiss and
German silks are subject only to a duty of 30 per cent., also ad
valorem. I now request you, sir, in conformity with orders from my
government, to have the kindness to transmit this document to the
Secretary of the Treasury, commending it to his favorable consideration.
I am confident that the facts therein set forth will suffice to engage
Mr. Chase until experience has demonstrated the necessity for a reform
in custom duties, which French commerce calls for with all its wishes to
bring about the modification of some of the provisions of the existing
tariff, in such manner that our manufacturers may at least no longer
suffer from a treatment exceptionally unfavorable.
I seize on this occasion, sir, to renew to you the assurances of my very
high consideration.
Hon. Wm. H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.,
The Chamber of Commerce of Lyons to his
excellency the minister for agriculture, trade, and public
works.
Mr. Minister: We have the honor to transmit
to you a petition which the importers of silks in America have sent
to us, and which responds to one of the most engrossing anxieties of
our city.
We wish to speak of the American tariff actually in force, according
to which silk stuffs below one dollar per square yard in value are
struck with a duty of thirty per cent. ad valorem, and those above
such measure with a duty of forty per cent. This tariff of
character, truly prohibitive, completes the impossibility of any
business relations with America at a moment, above all, when the
consumption of that country can only seek merchandise of low prices;
but, besides, it takes away from our fabrics all hope of benefiting
by a reaction, if there should be one. If peace should be concluded
to-morrow between the north and south, not a single current of
business would be re-established; the present tariff would
prevent.
We come, then, Mr. Minister, to call your excellency’s especial
attention to this side of the American question, which interests us
in such very high degree, and would remark that the tariff is
particularly hurtful to us, because the Swiss and German factories
produce the greater part of the articles which come under the
category of thirty per cent. of duty, whilst the Lyonnese factories
produce those especially which fall under the blow of the
application of the duty of forty per cent. It results from this that
the situation made for our place is worse than that made for every
other place. This, however, could not have been the intention of the
government of the United States, which must wish to conciliate
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the sympathies of France,
and which, by consequence, did not desire to make her (the nation)
the least favored under the tariff. This is the reason why we come
to ask your excellency to take under favorable consideration this
abnormal condition of things, to counsel the means for obtaining
from the cabinet of Washington, in the first place, the suppression
of the two-fold list which the present tariff contains, and in the
second place, if possible, a reduction of the tariff.
It would be superfluous to demonstrate that so high a tariff only
tends to stimulate smuggling, and that, if it be kept up it is
certain an active smuggling business would be established. Already
the rumor circulating that great purchases of silks, made during the
month of February by English commission houses, were intended for
importations to America by way of Canada. We do not believe the
truth of this rumor, for the reason that the market of New York is
in a state of prostration, too well proven to leave a chance to sell
the goods there, even exonerated from a portion of the customs
duties. But these rumors demonstrate that speculation has her eyes
open as to this eventual expedient, and that in case of a reaction
she would hasten to have recourse to it. There is another species of
fraud which is practiced the more as duties are the more increased;
it is that which consists in making false invoices as to the price
of the goods.
We venture to hope, Mr. Minister, that the petition of our commission
merchants will find from your excellency a favorable reception, and
that the interest you take in our industrial branch, as well as the
sympathy you have for the vexatious situation in which it is still
placed, will dispose you to discover means to give it all the aid it
deserves.
We are, &c., &c.,
The President, BROSSET VINI.
The Secretary, H. Jame.
True copy:
The Director of Foreign Commerce, OZENNE.
