Treasury Department Circular to the Collectors of the Customs
9/14/1789
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Three days after being appointed Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton sent out the first circular to the Collector of Customs at the different ports to get a general sense of how much revenue had been been raised by the federal government through import tariffs.
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Treasury Office
New York Septemr. 14th 1789.
Sir
The exigencies of Government require that I should without delay be informed of the amount of the Duties which have accrued in the several States, and of the Monies which have been already received in payment of them, and the periods at which the remainder will fall due. In this absolute precision is not expected, but a General Statement accurate enough in the main to be relied on. I request your answer as speedily as possible and am, Sir, Your Obedt. servant
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Customs Service.
Full Citation: Treasury Department Circular to the Collectors of the Customs; 9/14/1789; Letters Received from the Departments of State and Treasury, 1789 - 1882; Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36; National Archives at Boston, Waltham, MA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/treasury-department-circular-to-the-collectors-of-the-customs, May 12, 2024]