Mr. SHERMAN. I shall on y dotain the Senate for a moment, merely to refer to the law as Infind it in, the statutes on this point. I thirrfk, under the act of 1857, the warehousing privilege was extended to 3 years, so that the importer of goods had the right to deposit his goods in. bonded warehouse, retain them there for 3 years; and then put them in market. Ira1861, by the act passed in August of that year, at the beginning of the war, the duration of time allowed to importers to with draw goods from bonded warehouse was reduced to 3 months, and pretty stringent rules and severe penlaties were enacted, intended to compel t ie importer to withdrawthe goods within 3ment 3. so that within that time they should contribute to the revenue of the country. In 1862, by the act of July 14, the time was extwided to one year, leaving the old penalty under the law of 1861 in force, so that if an importer brought goods into this country and deposited them in warehouse, he might at any time within one year enter them for consumption; and if he did not within one year enter them for consumption, he paid a penalty or additional duty of 25%. if he withdrew them in 2 years; or if he kept them 3 ears in bonded ware house, they were sold, a though he was allowed after the 3 years to export them from the country upon aying a duty of 1%. Now, the biIi that is reported from the ComCommerce extends the one year to 3 years, within which, by paying 10%. additional duty, the importer may With draw the goods. I have nothing to say with regard to this branch of the bill, because it is purely a question of commerce, and would take the opinion of the ComCommerce on such a matter as readily as I would that of any other committee of the body. But the 1st clause of this bill does present a question of finance, and a very important one, to which I wish to call the attention of the honorable Senfrom Maine. Under the present law, to all the goods imported one year ago now remaining in the bonded warehouses, there is attached an additional duty of 25%. The amount of goods in store I have no means of stating. Peraps gentlemen connected with the mer cantile business can state the amount. All goods in bond for more than a year are liable to an additional duty.