To Alexander Hamilton from John Berrien, 24 June 1791
From John Berrien1
District of Savannah June 24th. 1791
Sir
I observe in the Excise Law, that all Casks & other Vessels containing spirituous liquors imported into the United States &c. are to be mark’d with the Number, Quantity, proof, name of the Vessel in wh. it is imported, & Port of Entry.2 I will thank you to direct me whether the idea extends to each Jug of Ginn wh: contains only one quart, or every basket of Annisseed wh. contains only one Gallon. The law does not except them in the clause wh. directs that all spirits shall be marked & yet I conceive that it cannot be the intention to include them. I shall be much oblig’d by your direction on the subject, & am Sir very Obediently Your Most hume Servt.
John Berrien
I. R.
Alexr. Hamilton Esqr.
ALS, RG 58, General Records, 1791–1803, National Archives.
1. Berrien was inspector of the revenue for Savannah.
2. For Section 12 of “An Act repealing, after the last day of June next, the duties heretofore laid upon Distilled Spirits imported from abroad, and laying others in their stead; and also upon Spirits distilled within the United States, and for appropriating the same” ( 202 [March 3, 1791]), see “Treasury Department Circular to the Collectors of the Customs,” May 26, 1791.