Legation of
the United States,
Port au Prince,
Hayti, December 6,
1877.
No. 14.][Inclosure in No. 14.]
Mr. Langston to Mr.
Carrié.
Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, Hayti, December 6, 1877.
Sir: I have the honor to address you with
regard to the imposition and collection of a tax of one per centum on
the value of all consignments of merchandise shipped from the United
States to Hayti, under a law passed by the Corps Legislatif, August 23
[Page 416]
last, and which took
effect and became operative on the 1st day of October last. It is very
difficult to comprehend how this charge can be exacted as consular fees
for certifying invoices. The amount of the charge is so great as to
preclude such idea. And besides, the law itself provides that 15 per
centum of the charges collected under it shall be used as such fees; the
language of Article II being, “On these charges for authentications and
certificates the consuls shall have a right to reserve (for themselves)
15 per centum.”
Such charge cannot be regarded by the Government of the United States in
any other light than as an indirect levying of a discriminating import
duty imposed by Hayti on the commerce of the United States; and, as
such, being in direct contravention of the spirit and letter of the
treaty of November, 1864, between the Government of the United States
aud that of Hayti.
It evinces, moreover, on the part of Hayti, an absence of that feeling of
reciprocity in the commercial relations between the two countries which
it has been the special desire of the Government of the United States to
cultivate and encourage as alike advantageous to both nations, and
especially calculated to illustrate the spirit of friendship which
should characterize the relations of two neighboring republics.
I embrace this opportunity to bring this subject to your attention, and
to express the hope indulged by the Government of the United States,
that the necessary orders will be issued by the Government of the
Republic of Hayti for the discontinuance of this exaction, and provision
made for refunding such amounts as may have been wrongfully
collected.
Asking reply hereto, at your earliest convenience, I beg to present
assurances of my highest esteem.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
