[Footnote 15: Relating to claims for spoliations under the French treaty
of 1831.]
WASHINGTON, _February 29, 1836_.
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:
I transmit a report of the Secretary of State, communicating an
application from the chargé d'affaires of Portugal for the passage by
Congress of a special act abolishing discriminating duties upon the
cargoes of Portuguese vessels imported into the United States from those
parts of the dominions of Portugal in which no discriminating duties
are charged upon the vessels of the United States or their cargoes, and
providing for a return of the discriminating duties which have been
exacted upon the cargoes of Portuguese vessels thus circumstanced since
the 18th of April, 1834. I also transmit a copy of the correspondence
which has taken place upon the subject between the Department of State
and the chargé d'affaires of Portugal.
The whole matter is submitted to the discretion of Congress, with this
suggestion, that if an act should be passed placing the cargoes of
Portuguese vessels coming from certain parts of the territories of
Portugal on the footing of those imported in vessels of the United
States, in deciding upon the propriety of restoring the duties
heretofore levied and the time to which they should be restored regard
should be had to the fact that the decree of the 18th April, 1834, which
is made the basis of the present application, took effect in the islands
of Madeira and the Azores many months after its promulgation, and to the
more important fact that until the 1st of February instant an indirect
advantage was allowed in Portugal to importations from Great Britain
over those from other countries, including the United States.