§ LORD J. MANNERSbegged to inquire of the right hon. President of the Board of Trade if the Government had received any despatch from Washington containing the decision of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States respecting the first clause of the measure that had just passed Congress, for regulating the appraisement of foreign-imported merchandise?
§ MR. LABOUCHEREreplied, that the most recent information on this subject from Sir Henry Bulwer was contained in a despatch of the 28th of February. Sir Henry Bulwer stated that there existed a very faulty, and fraudulent mode of fixing the ad valorem duty, which had given great dissatisfaction; and that advantage was taken of that circumstance to bring in a Bill to alter the tariff. But that Bill had not passed into law, although a Bill had passed into law to remedy the evils complained of. That was all the information on the subject the Government had received from our Minister at Washington. With respect to any decision supposed to be given by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, there was no information from Sir Henry Bulwer.
§ LORD J. MANNERStrusted that if such a despatch containing the decision of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States on the disputed point should be received, the right hon. Gentleman would communicate it to the House.