sel so by them seized, taken, or brought into port for condemnation, and shall deliver every such negro, mulatto, or person of color, to such person or persons as shall be appointed by the respective states, to receive the same; and if no such person or persons shall be appointed by the respective states, they shall deliver every such negro, mulatto, or person of color, to the overseers of the poor of the port or place where such ship or vessel may be brought or found, and shall immediately transmit to the governor or chief magistrate of the state, an account of their proceedings, together with the number of such negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, and a descriptive list of the same, that he may give directions, respecting such negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color.

transported in ves

tons burthen, to be

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That no captain, Slaves not to be master or commander of any ship or vessel, of less sels under forty burthen than forty tons, shall, from and after the first disposed of, &e. day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, take on board and transport any negro, mulatto, or person of color, to any port or place whatsoever, for the purpose of selling or disposing of the same as a slave, or with intent that the same may be sold or disposed of to be held to service or labor, on penalty of forfeiting for every such negro, mulatto, or person of color, so taken on board and transported, as aforesaid, the sum of eight hundred dollars; one moiety thereof to the use of the United States, and the other moiety to any person, or persons, who shall sue for, aud prosecute the same to effect: Provided however, That noth- Proviso. ing in this section shall extend to prohibit the taking on board or transporting on any river, or inland bay of the sea, within the jurisciction of the United States, any negro, mulatto, or person of color (not imported contrary to the provisions of this act) in any vessel or species of craft whatever.

Vessels of larger

burthen than forty

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the captain,

tons sailing coastmaster, or commander of any ship or vessel of the bur

wise, to have the

names of the

pers, &c.

slaves for sale, in- then of forty tons or more, from and after the first day Bert their prof January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, sailing coastwise, from any port in the United States, to any port or place within the jurisdiction of the same, having on board any negro, mulatto, or person of color, for the purpose of transporting them to be sold or disposed of as slaves, or to be held to service or labor, shall, previous to the departure of such ship or vessel, make out and subscribe duplicate manifest of every such negro, mulatto, or person of color, on board such ship or vessel, therein specifying the name and sex of each person, their age and stature, as near as may be, and the class to which they respectively belong, whether negro, mulatto, or person of color, with the name and place of residence of every owner or shipper of the same, and shall deliver such manifest to the Collector of the port, if there be one, otherwise to the Surveyor, before whom the captain, master, or commander, together with the owner or shipper, shall severally swear or affirm, to the best of their knowledge and belief, that the persons therein specified were not imported or brought into the United States, from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, and that under the laws of the state, they are held to service or labor; whereupon the said Collector or Surveyor shall certify the same on the said manifests, one of which he shall return to the said captain, master, or commander, with a permit, specifying thereon the number, names, and general description of such persons, and authorizing him to proceed to the port of his destination. And if any ship or vessel, being laden and destined as aforesaid, shall depart from the port where she may then be, without the captain, master, or commander having first made out and subscribed duplicate manifests, of every negro, mulatto,

and person of color, on board such ship or vessel, as aforesaid, and without having previously delivered the same to the said Collector or surveyor, and obtained a permit, in manner as herein required, or shall previous to her arrival, at the port of her destination, take on board any negro, mulatto, or person of color, other than those specified in the manifest, as aforesaid, every such ship or vessel, together with her tackle, apparel and furniture, shall be forfeited to the use of the United States, and may be seized, prosecuted, and condemned in any court of the United States, having jurisdiction thereof; and the captain, master, or commander of every such ship or vessel, shall moreover forfeit for every such negro, mulatto, or person of color, so transported, or taken on board, contrary to the provisions of this act, the sum of one thousand dollars, one moiety thereof to the United States, and the other moiety to the use of any person or persons who shall sue for and prosecute the same to effect.

delivered to offi.

toms where such coastwise are

SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That the cap- Manifests to be tain, master, or commander of every ship or vessel, of cers of the cus the burthen of forty tons or more, from and after the slaves carried first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and landed eight, sailing coastwise, and having on board, any negro, mulatto, or person of color, to sell or dispose of as slaves, or to be held to service or labor, and arriv ing in any port within the jurisdiction of the United States, from any other port within the same, shall, previous to the unlading or putting on shore any of the persons aforesaid, or suffering them to go on shore, deliver to the Collector, if there be one, or if not, to the surveyor residing at the port of her arrival, the manifest certified by the Collector or surveyor of the port from whence she sailed, as is herein before directed, to the truth of which, before such officer, he shall swear or affirm, and if the Collector or surveyor shall be satisfied therewith, he shall thereupon grant

a permit for unlading or suffering such negro, mulatto, or person of color, to be put on shore; and if the captain, master, or commander of any such ship or vessel being laden as aforesaid, shall neglect or refuse to deliver the manifest at the time and in the manner herein directed, or shall land or put on shore any negro, mulatto, or person of color, for the purpose aforesaid, before he shall have delivered his manifest as aforesaid, and obtained a permit for that purpose, every such captain, master, or commander, shall forfeit and pay ten thousand dollars, one moiety thereof to the United States, and the other moiety to the use of any person or persons who shall sue for and prosecute the same to effect.

Approved March 2, 1807, 2d ses. 9th Con.

An act to prevent the importation of certain persons into certain states, where, by the laws thereof, their admission is prohibited.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress Prohibited impor assembled, That from and after the first day of April

tation of persons

of color subject to next, no master or captain of any ship or vessel, or

a fine of one thousand dollars.

any other person, shall import, or bring, or cause to be imported or brought, any negro, mulatto, or other person of color, not being a native, a citizen, or registered seaman of the United States, or seamen natives of countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope, into any port or place of the United States, which port or place shall be situated in any state which by law has prohibited or shall prohibit the admission or importation of such negro, mulatto, or other person of color, and if any captain or master aforesaid, or any other person, shall import or bring, or cause to be imported or

brought into any of the ports or places aforesaid, any of the persons whose admission or importation is prohibited, as aforesaid, he shall forfeit and pay the sum of one thousand dollars for each and every negro, mulatto, or other person of color aforesaid, brought or imported as aforesaid, to be sued for and recovered by action of debt, in any court of the United States; one half thereof to the use of the United States, the other half to any person or persons prosecuting for the penalty; and in any action instituted for the recovery of the penalty aforesaid, the person or persons sued may be held to special bail: Provided always, That nothing contained in this act shall be construed to prohibit the admission of Indians.

taining prohibited

admitted to an

forfeited, if any

of color be landed therefrom.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That no ship No vessels con or vessel arriving in any of the said ports or places of persons of color the United States, and having on board any negro, entry. mulatto, or other person of color, not being a native, a citizen, or registered seaman of the United States, or seamen natives of countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope as aforesaid, shall be admitted to an entry. And if Vessel, &c. to be any such negro, mulatto, or other person of color, shall prohibited persons be landed from on board any ship or vessel, in any of the ports or places aforesaid, or on the coast of any state prohibiting the admission or importation, as aforesaid, the said ship or vessel, together with her tackle, apparel, and furniture, shall be forfeited to the United States, and one half of the nett proceeds of the sales on such forfeiture shall inure and be paid over to such person or persons on whose information the seizure on such forfeiture shall be made.

other officers to be

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be Collectors and the duty of the Collectors and other officers of the customs, and all other officers of the revenue of the United

States, in the several ports or places situated as afore

said, to notice and be governed by the provisions of the laws now existing, of the several states prohibit

governed by the

Jaws of the U.

States prohibiting persons of color,