Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 4.djvu/863



Whereas, by an, it is provided, that, whenever the President of the United States shall receive satisfactory evidence that the government of Great Britain will open the ports in its colonial possessions in the West Indies, on the continent of South America, the Bahama Islands, the Caicos, and the Bermuda or Somer Islands, to the vessels of the United States, for an indefinite or for a limited term; that the vessels of the United States may import into the said colonial possessions, from the United States, any article or articles which could be imported in a British vessel into the said possessions from the United States; and that the vessels of the United States may export from the British colonies aforementioned, to any country whatever other than the dominions or possessions of Great Britain, any article or articles that can be exported therefrom in a British vessel, to any country other than the British dominions of possessions aforesaid, leaving the commercial intercourse of the United States with all other parts of the British dominions or possessions on a footing not less favorable to the United States than it now is, That then, and in such case, the President of the United States shall be authorized, at any time before the next session of Congress, to issue his proclamation, declaring the he has received such evidence, and that thereupon, and from the date of such proclamation, the ports of the United States shall be opened indefinitely, or for a term fixed, as the case may be, to British vessels coming from the said British colonial possessions, and their cargoes, subject to no other or higher duty of tonnage or impost, or charge of any description whatever, than would be levied on the vessels of the United States or their cargoes, arriving from the said British possessions; and that it shall be lawful for the said British vessels to import into the United States, and to export therefrom, any article or articles which may be imported or exported in vessels of the United States; and that the act, entitled “,” passed on the eighteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen,, and an act, “,” passed on the first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, shall, in such case, be suspended, or absolutely repealed, as the case may require.

And whereas, by the said act, it is further provided, that, whenever the ports of the United States shall have been opened under the authority thereby given, British vessels and their cargoes shall be admitted to an entry in the ports of the United States from the islands, provinces, or colonies of Great Britain, on or near the North American continent, and north or east of the United States.

And whereas satisfactory evidence has been received by the President of the United States, that, whenever he shall give effect to the provisions of the act aforesaid, the government of Great Britain will open, for an indefinite period, the ports in its colonial possessions in the West Indies, on the continent of South America, the Bahama Islands, the Caicos, and the Bermuda or Somer Islands, to the vessels of the United States and their cargoes, upon the terms and according to the requisitions of the aforesaid act of Congress.

Now, therefore, I, Andrew Jackson, President of the United States of America, do hereby declare and proclaim that such evidence has been received by me; and that by the operation of the act of Congress, passed on the twenty-ninth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and thirty, the ports of the United States are, from the date of his proclamation, open to British vessels coming from the said British possessions, and their cargoes, upon the terms set forth in the said act; the act, entitled “,” passed on the eighteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, the, and the act, entitled “,” passed the first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three,