Whereas by a proclamation of the President of the United States dated
the 14th day of February, in the year 1884,[5] upon evidence then
appearing satisfactory to him that the Government of Spain had abolished
the discriminating customs duty theretofore imposed upon the products of
and articles proceeding from the United States of America imported into
the islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico, such abolition to take effect on
and after the 1st day of March of said year 1884, and, by virtue of the
authority vested in him by section 4228 of the Revised Statutes of the
United States, the President did thereby declare and proclaim that on
and after the said 1st day of March, 1884, so long as the products of
and articles proceeding from the United States imported into the islands
of Cuba and Puerto Rico should be exempt from discriminating customs
duties, any such duties on the products of and articles proceeding from
Cuba and Puerto Rico under the Spanish flag should be suspended and
discontinued; and
Whereas by Article I of the commercial agreement signed at Madrid the
13th day of February, 1884, it was stipulated and provided that "the
duties of the third column of the customs tariffs of Cuba and Puerto
Rico, which implies the suppression of the differential flag duty,"
should at once be applied to the products of and articles proceeding
from the United States of America; and
Whereas the complete suppression of the differential flag duty in
respect of all vessels of the United States and their cargoes entering
the ports of Cuba and Puerto Rico is by the terms of the said agreement
expressly made the consideration for the exercise of the authority
conferred upon the President in respect of the suspension of the
collection of foreign discriminating duties of tonnage and imposts upon
merchandise brought within the United States from Cuba and Puerto Rico
in Spanish vessels by said section 4228 of the Revised Statutes, which
section reads as follows:
SEC. 4228. Upon satisfactory proof being given to the President by the
government of any foreign nation that no discriminating duties of
tonnage or imposts are imposed or levied in the ports of such nation
upon vessels wholly belonging to citizens of the United States, or upon
the produce, manufactures, or merchandise imported in the same from the
United States or from any foreign country, the President may issue his
proclamation declaring that the foreign discriminating duties of tonnage
and impost within the United States are suspended and discontinued so
far as respects the vessels of such foreign nation, and the produce,
manufactures, or merchandise imported into the United States from such
foreign nation or from any other foreign country; the suspension to take
effect from the time of such notification being given to the President,
and to continue so long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging
to citizens of the United States, and their cargoes, shall be continued,
and no longer.
And whereas proof is given to me that such complete suppression of the
differential flag duty in respect of vessels of the United States and
their cargoes entering the ports of Cuba and Puerto Rico has not in fact
been secured, but that, notwithstanding the said agreement dated at
Madrid, February 13, 1884, and in contravention thereof, as well as of
the provisions of the said section 4228 of the Revised Statutes, higher
and discriminating duties continue to be imposed and levied in said
ports upon certain produce, manufactures, or merchandise imported into
said ports from the United States or from any foreign country in vessels
of the United States than is imposed and levied on the like produce,
manufactures, or merchandise carried to said ports in Spanish vessels:
Now, therefore, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States of
America, in execution of the aforesaid section 4228 of the Revised
Statutes, do hereby revoke the suspension of the discriminating customs
imposed and levied in the ports of the United States on the products of
and articles proceeding under the Spanish flag from Cuba and Puerto
Rico, which is set forth and contained in the aforesaid proclamation
dated the 14th day of February, 1884; this revocation of said
proclamation to take effect on and after the 25th day of October
instant.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
[SEAL.]
Done at the city of Washington, this 13th day of October, A.D. 1886, and
of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and eleventh.