The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 33, July 1929 - April, 1930 Page: 197
344 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Consular Service of the Republic of Texsas
speculate on our revenue. They are very plausible and sinister in
coming to these things and in endeavoring to remove obstacles
through their friends and others. But my acquaintance in the
city and other considerations give me easy opportunity of detect-
ing them and keeping our trade steady and productive provided
I am aided by strict and explicit statutes and instructions. The
trade will take its fashion and set from this port and the other
ports within my consulship; and it is my fixed determination as
far as I am concerned to place our Republic on a parallel with the
first commercial countries. Because I know by this course it will
soon rival them and command their respect and then when the
ports essentially shift to the southward which will in time be the
case and our operations directed mainly to Europe our character
will be fixed and by distinguishing us from the ports south of us
will give to our trade many exclusive advantages. The fees of
these port checks which must be kept up to preserve our nation-
ality and prevent offence to other foreign officials and which are
no kind of object at present are mere specks compared with the
cargo and the owners do not mind them. They urge them merely
to get rid of the acts required. I mention these small points that
you may be apprised of them.
I have offered the Vice-Consulship to Mr. Williams of Balti-
more and Mr. Conde Raguet of Philadelphia, but both these gen-
tlemen declined for reasons which they assigned in a manner most
respectful towards our Republic. I shall defer making other ap-
pointments until we have something definite from England. Then
I think greater inducements will be held out to the acceptance of
such a trust by competent citizens. At present the office would
be a considerable expense to them and we can hardly expect them
to make the sacrifice. A sacrifice at this time can only be expected
from those specially attached to the Republic. A law I think
should be passed requiring exactly what is required of the United
States Government and that of England, that the consul should
certify every invoice special and general under the forms observed
by those countries as well as what I mentioned before as adopted
by England and the United States, to wit, the Manifest Clearance
List of Crew, report of passengers, bill of health and such other
papers as are adopted in the trade of England or the United States
and such further acts or papers as the Consul General should from
time to time consider best adapted to the statutes, etc. for the trade
of Texas. A clause should be inserted raising a penalty of $500
for non-compliance and the same penalty upon any boarding officer
or collector for neglecting to report and prosecute any case of omis-
sion which may come within his knowledge. Making it the duty
of the collector to prosecute the vessels as well as the commander
or owner and giving him the power to graduate the penalty to a
sum not less than $100. according to circumstances of ignorance197
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 33, July 1929 - April, 1930, periodical, 1930; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101090/m1/217/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.