Treasury Department,
Washington,
D. C., February 28,
1884.
The attention of collectors of customs and other officers concerned in
the collection of the revenue from customs is invited to the provisions
of the following proclamation by the President, whereby goods, wares,
and merchandise imported into the United States in Spanish vessels from
the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico are relieved from the discriminating
duty of 10 per cent, ad valorem heretofore collected under section 2502
Revised Statutes. The collection of such discriminating duties is
therefore suspended until otherwise ordered.
By the President of the United States of
America:
a proclamation.
Whereas by a memorandum of an agreement executed at Madrid on the
13th day of February, A. D. 1884, by and between the duly authorized
agents and representatives of the Government of the United States of
America and of the Government of His Majesty the King of Spain,
satisfactory evidence has been given to me that the Government of
that country has abolished the discriminating customs duty
heretofore imposed upon the products of, and articles proceeding
from, the United States of America imported into the islands of Cuba
and Porto Rico, said abolition to take effect on and after the 1st
day of March next:
Now, therefore, I, Chester A. Arthur, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 4228
of the Revised Statutes, do hereby declare and proclaim that, on and
after the said 1st day of March next, so long as the products of,
and articles proceeding from, the United States, imported into the
islands of Cuba and Porto Rico shall be exempt from discriminating
customs duties, any such duties on the products of, and articles
proceeding from, Cuba and Porto Rico under the Spanish flag shall be
suspended and discontinued.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of
Washington
this 14th day of
February, in the year of our Lord 1884 and of the
Independence of the United States the one hundred and
eighth.
[
seal.]
CHESTER A.
ARTHUR.
By the President:
Fred’k T.
Frelinghuysen,
Secretary of
State.