§ MR. WYLDsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If Her Majesty's Government have received any communication from the President of the United States, or from the British Ambassador at Washington, that it is the intention of the Government of the United States to station vessels off the Ports of the Southern States of America, to collect and levy Duties upon Foreign Merchandize?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTON—Sir, the Federal Congress have passed a Bill into a law empowering the President, if he should think fit, to do what my hon. Friend says; namely, to station vessels off certain ports in the Southern States for the purpose of their collecting Customs Duties upon goods coming in. My hon. Friend will be aware that this proceeding, if it should be adopted, would be practically a supercession of the blockade, because you cannot blockade a port to prevent ships from entering, and at the same time levy Customs Duties on the assumption that the port is open. "We have not yet been informed what are the intentions of the President with regard to the matter, or which of the two modes he will pursue.