Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/161

 , or other person lawfully authorized in manner as herein before is required; in which case he shall deliver the manifest certified as aforesaid, together with such documents as are usually furnished in the port from whence they came, and shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation, before the collector or other proper officer, which oath or affirmation, he or they are authorized and required to administer, and shall be in the words following, to wit: “I,, do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that this is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, a just and true manifest of all the goods, wares and merchandise, on board the , at the port from which she last sailed, at the time of her sailing, or at any time since, and of which vessel I am at present master.” And

if the master or other person having charge or command of any such ship or vessel, shall refuse or neglect to make entry, or deliver his manifests and documents, pursuant to the directions of this act, or to take the oath or affirmation herein prescribed, he shall forfeit and pay five hundred dollars for each refusal or neglect.

.And be it further enacted, That no goods, wares or merchandise, shall be unladen or delivered, from any ship or vessel, but in open day, or without a permit from the collector for that purpose; and if the master or commander of any ship or vessel shall suffer or permit the same, such master and commander, and every other person who shall be aiding or assisting in landing, removing, housing, or otherwise securing the same, shall forfeit and pay the sum of four hundred dollars for every offence; shall moreover be disabled from holding any office of trust or profit under the United States, for a term not exceeding seven years; and it shall be the duty of the collector of the district, to advertise the names of all such persons in the public gazette of the State in which he resides, within twenty days after each respective conviction.

And all goods, wares and merchandise, so landed or discharged, shall become forfeited, and may be seized by any officer of the customs; and where the value thereof shall amount to four hundred dollars, the vessel, tackle, apparel and furniture, shall be subject to like forfeiture and seizure: Provided always,

That if any ship or vessel compelled by distress of weather, or other sufficient cause, shall put into any port or place of the United States, other than that to which she was actually destined, the master or other person having command, shall within forty-eight hours next after his arrival, make report and deliver a true manifest of his cargo to the collector of the port or district; and moreover shall within twenty-four hours, make protest in the usual form before a notary public or justice of the peace, of the cause and circumstances of such distress;

and if it shall appear to the collector, that there is a necessity for unloading such ship or vessel, he shall grant permission, and appoint a proper officer to attend the unloading thereof; and all goods, wares and merchandise so unladen, shall be stored under the direction, and subject to the safe keeping of such collector; but if any part thereof shall be of a perishable nature, or it may be necessary to make sale of any part thereof to defray the expenses of such vessel or cargo, the said collector shall grant a license to the master, commander or owner, to dispose of so much thereof as are perishable, or shall be necessary to defray such expenses: Provided,

That the duties thereon be first paid or secured: And provided also, That such necessity be made appear by the wardens of the port, or other persons legally authorized to certify the same, and where there are no such persons, by the affidavit of two reputable citizens of the neighbourhood, best acquainted with matters of that kind.

.And be it further enacted, That every person having goods, wares or merchandise, in any ship or vessel, which shall arrive at any port of entry, or of delivery only, shall make entry with the collector of