This revocation, proclaimed on the 13th instant, is to take effect on the
25th instant, thus giving reasonable notice to all interested.
Our minister at Madrid has been instructed to inform his Excellency the
Spanish minister of foreign affairs of the issuing of the said
proclamation, and to express the great regret of this Government that
the action of that of Spain should have compelled the President most
reluctantly to this unavoidable decision.
I take leave to express the earnest hope that a prompt adjustment of
trade regulations between the Spanish West Indies and the United States
may remove these discriminations against commerce and navigation, which
are assuredly against the interests of friendly countries, whose close
contiguity creates especial reasons for unobstructed intercourse.
I have the honor to inclose six copies of the President’s
proclamation.
Renewing an expression of my hopes that the late agreement of February,
1884, may be yet mutually executed for the obvious advantage of the
Governments we respectively serve,
[Inclosure in note of October
14.]
by the president of the united states of
america.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas, by a proclamation of the President of the United States,
dated the fourteenth day of February, in the year eighteen hundred
and eighty-four, upon evidence then appearing satisfactory to him
that the Government of Spain had abolished the discriminating
customs duty theretofore imposed upon the products of, and articles
proceeding from, the United States of America, imported into the
Islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, such abolition to take effect on and
after the first day of March of said year eighteen hundred and
eighty-four, and by virtue of the authority vested in him by section
four thousand two hundred and twenty-eight of the Revised Statutes
of the United States, the President did thereby declare and proclaim
that on and after the said first day of March, eighteen hundred and
eighty-four, so long as the products of, and articles proceeding
from, the United States, imported into the Islands of Cuba and Porto
Rico, should 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 should be suspended and
discontinued;
And whereas, by Article I of the Commercial Agreement signed at
Madrid the thirteenth day of February, eighteen hundred and
eighty-four, it was stipulated and provided that “the duties of the
third column of the customs tariffs of Cuba and Porto Rico, which
implies the suppression of the differential flag duty,” should at
once be applied to the products of, and articles proceeding from,
the United States of America;
And whereas the complete suppression of the differential flag duty in
respect of all vessels of the United States and their cargoes
entering the ports of Cuba and Porto Rico is, by the terms of the
said agreement, expressly made the consideration for the exercise of
the authority conferred upon the President in respect of the
suspension of the collection of foreign discriminating duties of
tonnage and imposts upon merchandise brought within the United
States from Cuba and Porto Rico in Spanish vessels, by said section
four thousand two hundred and twenty-eight of the Revised Statutes,
which section reads as follows:
Sec. 4228. Upon satisfactory proof being
given to the President, by the government of any foreign nation,
that no discriminating duties of tonnage or imposts are imposed or
levied in the ports of such nation upon vessels wholly belonging to
citizens of the United States, or upon the produce, manufactures, or
merchandise imported in the same from the United States or from any
foreign country, the President may issue his proclamation, declaring
that the foreign discriminating duties of tonnage and impost within
the United States are suspended and discontinued, so far as respects
the vessels of such foreign nation, and the produce, manufacturers,
or merchandise imported into, the United States from such foreign
nation, or from any other foreign country; the suspension to take
effect from the time of such notification being given
[Page 836]
to the President, and to
continue so long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels, belonging
to citizens of the United States, and their cargoes, shall be
continued, and no longer.
And, whereas proof is given to me that such complete suppression of
the differential flag duty in respect of vessels of the United
States and their cargoes entering the ports of Cuba and Porto Rico
has not” in fact been secured, but that, notwithstanding the said
agreement dated at Madrid, February 13, 1884, and in contravention
thereof as well as of the provisions of the said section 4,228 of
the Revised Statutes, higher and discriminating duties continue to
be imposed and levied in said ports upon certain produce,
manufactures, or merchandise imported into said ports from the
United States, or from any foreign country in vessels of the United
States, than is imposed and levied on the like produce,
manufactures, or merchandise carried ports in Spanish vessels:
Now, therefore, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States
of America, in execution of the aforesaid section 4,228, of the
Revised Statutes, do hereby revoke the suspension of the
discriminating customs imposed and levied in the ports of the United
States on the products of and articles proceeding under the Spanish
flag from Cuba and Port Rico, which is set forth and contained in
the aforesaid proclamation dated the fourteenth day of February,
eighteen hundred and eighty-four, this revocation of said
proclamation to take effect on and after the twenty-fifth day of
October instant.
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 thirteenth day
of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-six, and of the Independence of the
United States the one hundred and
eleventh.
[
l. s.]
GROVER
CLEVELAND.
By the President:
T. F.
Bayard,
Secretary of
State,
