'* 20th Cowgrbss, [Rep. No. 83.1 Ho. of Reís. Ist Session. ------------- MARINE HOSPITAL—CHARLESTON, S. C. Janüart 16, 1828. Mr. Cambreling, from the Committee on Commcrce, to which the subject liad been referred, made the following REPORT: The Committee on Commeree, to which ivas referred the memorial of the City Council of Charleston, 8. C, report : On the 29th June, 1802, Mr. Gallatin, then Secretary of the Treasury, proposed to the City Council of Charleston, S. C. through the Collector, to take charge of the sick and disabled seamen at tliat port, for which they were to receive the hospital dues collected there, and 15,000 dollars out of the general Hospital Fund, for constructing a Ma- rine Hospital. This proposal was renewed through the Collector on the24th March, 1803. On the 2d November, 1804, the City Coun- cil accept the proposal, consenting «é to defray every expense attend- ing the Marine Hospital," and relying on their Legislatura to pass, and on Congress to give their consent to, an act authorizing them to levy a dnty on tonnage of vessels, to supply any deficiency which might «• ac- crue in building and supporting the Marine Hospital.? The Collec- tor announced this decisión of !he City Council to the Secretary of the Treasury on the 2lst November, 1804, and askcd to be furnished with the g 15,000, or to be informed whether he might pay it «< out of moneys arising from the revenue." The contract was fylfilled ,óñ- the part of the City Council, who took charge of, andcommenced their expenditures for sick and disabled seamen, on the 19th Apríl, 1805. On the 28th April, 1806, Congress gave its assent to an act of the Legislature of South Carolina, imposing a tonnage duty of six cents on vessels entering Charleston from any foreign port, which was af- terwards increased to ten cents., TÍie Secretary of the Treasury, on the lOth August, 1806, authorized the purchase of a site for a Marine Hospital for 5,500 dollars, in pursuance of this contract. The Collector paid the amount; the purchase was made, and the lot was afterwards conveyed to the United States. The City Council pray that the contract may be fulnlled, and thatthey may be indemni- fied for the darnages they have sustained in consequenceof not paying them the 15,000 dollars in 1805. They have furnished with their me- morial an account of receipts and expenditures for the support of ^J sick and disabled seamen from the 19th April, 1805, to the 3lst Au- gust, 1827, by which itappears tliattheir expenditures have éxceeded the sunis irevived for hospital and tonnage dues g 55,972 44 cents. *//**« 2 [Rep. No. 83.] The Committee are of opinión that the g 15,000 ouejht to have been provided as early as the lst of January, 1806, the City Council hav- ing, un their part, commenced the execution of the contract on the I9th April preceding. Had that payment been made, the Hospital would have been built, and, probably, a large portion of the sum expended by the City Council, would have been saved. The Government is iiot bound to indemnify the Council for this large expendí ture ; they assumed the payment of any sum which might be required, and a ton- nage duty was authorized to meet any deficieney. The g 15,000 was however, due the City Council as early as the lst January, 1806. Assuming it to have been due about that time, and estimating the in- terest on the same in lieu of damages, and deducting therefrom the g 5,500 paid in 1826, with interest, tliere would remain due on this contract more than g 25,000. Considering that some allowance should be made for our non-compliance with the contract j that the Hospital cannot be built for the sum originally contemplated ; and that the publie interest would be consulted by our complying with the agreement entered into in 1804, the Committee, (referringfor further information tothe documents annexed,) recommend an appropriation of g 25,000 for buildjng a Marine Hospital at Charleston, S. C, and in lieu of all claims of the City Council under the contract in question. DOCUMENTS In relaiion to the Marine Mospital at Charleston, South Carolina. Treasury Department, June 29, 1802. Sir: Your letter, of the 9tli instant, was duly received, and the plan contjajned iñ the enclosed copy of a letter tothe Intendant, on the sub- ject of a Marine Hospital, has received the President's approbation. íf that pronosition has not been misunderstood, it amounts to this : that all the hospital tnoneys collected in Charleston, after the 30th instant, either from American or foreign seamen, shall be paid o ver to the Corporation of that city : who will, after the same day, defray every expense attending the Marine Hospital, whether the same shall exceed or fall below the sums collected in the inanner aforesaid. On that condition, the Presidcnt consents to apply, out of the general fund, a sum not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars, ñor vvhat will be expend- ed in Massachusetts for the same object, to tlie crection of a Marine Hospital in the vicinity of Charleston. and in sucli spot as shall have been procured by the Corporation for that purpose. You will, in a lew days, receive a circular, as agent, written on a supposition that you may continué to act as such. íts coutents will befóme inapplicable, if the abovementioned plan shall have been car- riel! into effect. I am, &c. James Simón s, Esq. Colieclur. Charleston, S. C. [Rep. No. 83.1 3 Treasury Department, March 24, 1803, Sm: Your letter of the 8th instant, is received this day. You are authorized to act in relation to the Marine Hospital, in conformity to the instructions and powers given in my letter of the 29th June, 1802. I am, ¿ce. James Simóns, Esq. Collector of Charleston. Report of the Committee accepting the offer of Mr. Gallatint Qd JVo- vember, 1804. " Council took into consideration the report of the Committee ap- pointed by Council, to take into consideration the éxpedieney of ac- cepting of fifteen thousand dollars from the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, to be appropriated to the building of a Marine Hospital, which was agreed to, viz : *» That they are unanimousíy of opinión, it will contribute to the interest of the city to accept the same, and that Council do rely on the Legislature of this State to pass an act or ordinance, and on Congress to give their consent to the same, for authorizing the City Council to raise and levy a duty on tonnage of ships and vessels, to supply any deficieney which may accrue, in building and supporting the saiü Marine Hospital." Custom House, Charleston, November 21, 1804. Sir : I am very happy to beable to inform you that a steady adber- cnce to law and your instructions has (without any late application from me) induced the City Council to come to the following determinación, which has been communicated to me, officially, by the Intendant: «To accept the proffered sum of fifteen thousand dollars, and the hospital money, for erecting and supporting a Marine Hospital; and to rely on the Legislature of this State to pass an act or ordinance, and on Congress to give their consent to the same, for authorizing the City Council to raise and levy a duty on the tonnage of ships and vessels, to supply any deficiencies that may arise in building and supporting said Hospital." I will, therefore, be obliged to you, to furnish me with the amount, or to inform me whether I may pay it out of moneys arising from the revenue. I propose to give up the Hospital at tlie elose of the present quarter, and cióse the accounts up to the 3lst December, as usual. From and after that period, I shall sjrant per- 4 [Rep.lSo. 83.] mits of admission into the Hospital, as at present; leave tothe Coun- cil to peí mit others to enter the Hopita!, as they may choose to arrange; and pay all moneys received from that fund, regularly, quarterly, to the Intendant or Treasurerof the Council, as shall be determined. Infinito, perplexing. and embarrassing. were my duties, as Agent of that institution, before I removed the Hospital to Fort Pinckney : many were the instances of men vvho liad no right to enter the Hos- pital, being put in drays, and carried, in the agonies of death, and thrown down at the Hospital door. The Council, on establishing the Hospital at Charleston, will counteract such acts of inhumanity, by a special urdinance. Removing the Hospital to Fort Pinckney, without the most remóte misunderstanding between myself and the Council, has had the effect of filling the city Poor House with persona wbo were furmerly furced on me. I calcúlate on this to produce the de« sired efFect. 1 take the liberty to refer you to your letters to me, dated June 29, 1802, and 24th March, 1803, should you deem it proper to give me any additional instructions previous to the surrender of the Hospital. I do assure you, sir, I am truly glad that the Marine Hospital is in future to be under the control of the City Council; because they possess a power (I do not) to prevent impositions being hereafter prac- tised upon that institution, as well as much trouble it occasioned te me, at all times, not only to permit persons not entitlcd to enter the Hospital, but to procure coffins for the dead, which I would not con- sent to. índeed, when Mr. D----was lateíy Intendant, he declared to me that his feelings were so distressed by repeated applica- tions, that no consideration would induce him to serve again, whilethe Hospital remained at Fort Pinckney; and I will be candid to arknow- ledge, I never had any hesitation in sending all applicants, not enti- tlcd to enter the Hospital, to the Intendant. I have the honor to be, sir, Your faithful, humble servant, Hon. AMBbt Girn™. JAMES SIM0NS' «««*■• P. S. See also your letter to me, of the I4th June, 1802. Treasury Department, lOthAugust, 1816. Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26thjnstant, and a resolution of the City Council of Charleston, recommending the purchase of Mrs. Drayton's lot of ground, at the price of g5,500, as a site for a Marine Hospital. The Collector of the Port of Charleston will, accordingly, be directed to malee the payment of the price, as soon as the eonveyance shall he completed. As it is desirable that suitable buildings may be erected, with as little delay as possible, under the superintendence of the City Coun- cil, I pray you to favor me with a plan, and an estimate of the expense [Rcp. No. 83.] 5 of executing it, that the subject may be submitted to the President for his sanction. Economy will, of course, be observed, as far as is consistent with the objects of the establishment. I have the honor to be, Vcry respectfully, Sir, Your most ob't servant, A. J. DALLAS. Elias Horry, Esq. Intendant, Charleston. S. C. Extract of the Secretary of the Treasury's letter to the Collector, rt- specting Mrs. Drayton's lot, in Hampstead, as a site for u Marine Hospital, dated I0t>i August, 1816. " In pursuance of the contract made unon that subject, in 1804, bctween the Treasury Department and the City Council, you will be pleased to take immcdiate mcasures, in concert with the Intendant, to complete the purchase of Mrs. Drayton's lot, in Hampstead, for g 5,500. You will request the District Attorney to examine the title, and to prepare a convevance in due form of law ; upon the delivery and recording of v*hich, you will pay to the grantor the consideration of g 5,500, and charge the same in your accounts, as heretofore au- thorized.*' £