Soon after crashing of Polish November Uprising of 1830/1831, on the “Polish”- Russian border ”ccurred” extremely negative consequences for the administration of Kingdom of Poland as far as collection of customs duties (customs tariff obligations) was concerned. These difficulties were especially associated with granting by substancial number of Russian military commanders permits for entering the Kingdom with various goods, intended primarly for use by members if Russsian occupational 1st Active Army, without having to pay any duties/taxes. Such permits were generally granted since early autumn of 1831.
As could be observed, there have been significant abuses during taking these unexpected steps, as it was -for example – with the case of Russian general Pinebel, who allowed to cross the border (from Brest - locality on Russian territory taken from Poland in third partition of 1795 - to “Vienna Congress” Polish Kingdom) without paying ant taxes for for 24 oxen, formally "/.../destined for military men /.. / and later sold at a public market in Warsaw”.
Hence, established by Russian inviding power, so-called Interim Government of the Kingdom (under the leadership of Russian - Fedor Engel) considered on 4th November of 1831 to be "decent" or “right” to deliver for consideration of commander of occupying Russian army Field Marshal Ivan Pasikevich complaints on lawlessness activities of Russian military men, avoiding to pay Polish customs tariff taxes. Members of Interim Government asked Field Marshal for issuing to Ist Active Army military commanders general recommendation absolutely prohibiting them importing to Poland vodka or any other consumer goods without Polish customs authorities .authorizations.
As the formal basis of posted request, Interim Government pointed out former Polish customs tariff articles and provisions, in force in Kingdom before the outbreak of Uprising of 29th of November 1830, under which customs tariff taxes were also collected from all goods imported into the Kingdom for the military as a whole.
Finally, on 8th of November 1831 Interim Government issued a rescript, restoring these old laws introducing customs duties on goods destined for the “active army” as well for for military hospitals and sick-bays
However, despite issuing of relevant laws, problems with Russian army officials smuggling goods to Poland still remained.
On 31st of January 1832, the Iterim Government (informed officlially on the same day by ministry - Government Commision of Revenue and Treasury -KRPiS), investigated and eveluated situation when Russian military "/.../going with the transport" did not allow Polish customs investigation.
Since Warsaw’s Government Commision of Revenue and Treasury did not possess any adequate resources to enforce on Russian military applying to customs regulations in force in Kingdom;, members of fiscal administration decided once again to turn back to Paskevich to intervene in this matter.
It was proposed this time to put on the buildings of eleven “customs chambers” established on Polish-Russian border “/.../open letters, submitted according to “”design”” provided by KRPiS, which - as exposed to public view- would warn all persons entering Poland about the necessity of customs examination”.
Some members of Interim Government additionally suggested introduction of new law specifying “automatic penalties” provided for any insubordination in this regard. It was therefore proposed that Government Commision of Revenue and Treasury would eventually provide (if possible) a full list of “Russian military customs violators”, in order to bring them to their proper punishment.
According to newly proposed solutions, border customs chambers employees were to inform immediately the higher Polish customs authorities of any possible resistance from the side of Russian military men, denying the right of customs border (personal) examination. However ultimately Paskievich allowed Russian officers to bring to Polish Kingdom certain personal items duty free, treating them as "basic necessities".
Another customs problem associated with the inflow into the Kingdom of Poland Russian military men was bringing by persons winning tenders for supplies (so-called “liverants”) "foreign" spirits, destined for use by members of occupcying force of 1-st Active Army. Therefore Government Commision of Internal Affairs and of Police applied on this base to the Iterim Government, proposing on 17th of February 1832 to introduce an immediate ban on importing into the Kingdom of any vodka, destined for the consumption by Russian military.
This request was motivated by Warsaw’s ministry by expressed need to defend many Polish landowners whom "/.../one can not cutt off from benefits of producing vodka /.../", saying that that would be equal to striking on them he last and fundamental blow of economic kind. Thus, despite the fact that at firs tsarist Russian military commissariat planned to bring to Poland significant amounts of vodka produced in Russia for the military of 1-st Active Army,("/.../ because of the extraordinary[low] price /.../"; finally they abandoned this idea.
The problems with payin customs duties by Russian military stationed in Kingdom of Poland after 1831 continued for long. As an example one can admit that between the goods contracted by Russian Army in Free City of Cracow (at the order of general Rudiger) and brought into the Kingdom by “customs chamber” in Wiczkowice were found 467 "gallons of vodka.", shipped “without any charge” . In this case, however, main Polish government body - Administrative Council in April of 1832 "/.../authorized the cancellation of customs duty payment/.../", putting in reality the Russian military men “above the customs law”.
Finally Field Marszal Ivan Paskievich intervened in the whole matter of paying (or not) customs duties by Russian military staying in Kingdom of Poland. Paskievich ,"/.../ paying loving attention to the welfare of the Public Treasury /.../", commanded the chief of staff of so-called main Russian army to re-release printing of regulations that would:
a) prohibit for Russian military staff of any rank to import into the Kingdom of Poland of any goods covered by the import ban itself,
b) force Russian military men to pay normal customs duties and tariffs,
c) introduce specific personal responsibility of any members of Russian military staff abusing Polish customs laws in force, leading to any losses incurred as a result of violations of these laws, and the Kingdom’s Treasury especially.
@copyright Marek Rutkowski
