Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

(ACT of April 20th, 1818.)

14. SEC. VI. If any person or persons whatsoever shall, from and after the passing of this act, bring within the jurisdiction of the United States, in any manner whatsoever, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, from any foreign kingdom, place or country, or from sea, or shall hold, sell, or otherwise dispose of any such negro, mulatto, or person of colour, so brought in as a slave, or to be held to service or labour, or be in any wise aiding or abetting therein, every person so offending shall, on conviction thereof by due course of law, forfeit and pay for every such offence, a sum not exceeding ten, nor less than one thousand dollars, one moiety to the use of the United States, and the other to the use of the person or persons who shall sue for such forfeiture, and prosecute the same to effect; and moreover shall suffer imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years, nor less than three years.

15. SEC. VII. If any person or persons whatsoever, shall hold, purchase, sell, or otherwise dispose of any negro, mulatto or person of color for a slave, or to be held to service or labour, who shall have been imported or brought in any way from any foreign kingdom, place, or country, or from the dominions of any foreign state immediately adjoining to the United States, into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, from and after the passing of this act, every person so offending, and every person aiding or abetting therein, shall severally forfeit and pay for every negro, mulatto, or person of color so held, purchased, sold or disposed of, one thousand dollars, one moiety to the use of the United States, and the other to the use of the person or persons who may sue for such forfeiture, and prosecute the same to effect, and to stand committed until the said forfeiture be paid: Provided, That the aforesaid forfeiture shall not extend to the seller or purchaser of any negro, mulatto, or person of color, who may be sold or disposed of in virtue of any regulations which have heretofore or shall hereafter be lawfully made by any legislature of any state or territory in pursuance of this act, and the constitution of the United States.

16. SEC. VIII. In all prosecutions under this act, the defendant or defendants shall be holden to prove that the negro, mulatto, or person of color, which he or they shall be charged with having brought into the United States, or with purchasing, holding, selling, or otherwise disposing of, and which, according to the evidence in such case, the said defendant or defendants shall have brought in aforesaid, or otherwise disposed of, was brought into the United States at least five years previous to the commencement of such prosecution, or was not brought in, holden, purchased, or otherwise disposed of, contrary to the provisions of this act; and in failure thereof, the said defendant or defendants shall be adjudged guilty of the offence of which he or they may stand accused.

be

17. SEC. IX. Any prosecution, information, or action, may sustained for any offence under this act, at any time within five

(ACT of March 3d, 1819.)

years after such offence shall have been committed, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

18. SEC. x. The first six sections of this act to which this is in addition, shall be and the same are hereby repealed: Provided, That all offences committed under the said sections of the act aforesaid, before the passing of this act, shall be prosecuted and punished, and any forfeitures which have been incurred under the same shall be recovered and distributed, as if this act had not been passed.

ACT of March 3, 1819. Pamphlet edit. 102.

An act in addition to the acts prohibiting the slave trade.

19. SEC. 1. The president of the United States is hereby authorised, whenever he shall deem it expedient, to cause any of the armed vessels of the United States to be employed to cruize on any of the coasts of the United States, or territories thereof, or of the coast of Africa, or elsewhere, where he may judge attempts may be made to carry on the slave trade by citizens or residents of the United States, in contravention of the acts of congress prohibiting the same, and to instruct and direct the commanders of all armed vessels of the United States, to seize, take, and bring into any port of the United States, all ships or vessels of the United States, wheresoever found, which may have taken on board, or which may be intended for the purpose of taking on board, or of transporting, or may have transported, any negro, mulatto, or person of color, in violation of any of the provisions of the act, entitled "An act in addition to an act to prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, from and after the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight, and to repeal certain parts of the same," or of any other act or acts prohibiting the traffick in slaves, to be proceeded against according to law: And the proceeds of all ships and vessels, their tackle, apparel, and furniture, and the goods and effects on board of them, which shall be so seized, prosecuted, and condemned, shall be divided equally between the United States and the officers and men who shall seize, take, or bring, the same into port for condemnation, whether such seizure be made by an armed vessel of the United States or revenue cutter thereof: And the same shall be distributed in like manner as is provided by law for the distribution of prizes taken from an enemy: Provided, That the officers and men, to be entitled to one half of the proceeds aforesaid, shall safe keep every negro, mulatto, or person of color, found on board of any ship or vessel so seized, taken, or brought into port, for condemnation, and shall deliver every such negro, mulatto, or person of color, to the marshal of the district into which they are brought, if into a port of the United States, or, if elsewhere, to such person or persons as shall be lawfully appointed by the president of the United States, in the manner herein

(ACT of March 3d, 1819.)

after directed, transmitting to the president of the United States, as soon as may be after such delivery, a descriptive list of such negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, that he may give directions for the disposal of them: And provided further, That the commanders of such commissioned vessels, do cause to be apprehended, and taken into custody, every person found on board of such vessel, so seized and taken, being of the officers or crew thereof, and him or them convey, as soon as conveniently may be, to the civil authority of the United States, to be proceeded against, in due course of law, in some of the districts thereof.

20. SEC. 11. The president of the United States is hereby authorised, to make such regulations and arrangements, as he may deem expedient, for the safe keeping, support, and removal beyond the limits of the United States, of all such negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, as may be, so delivered and brought within their jurisdiction: And to appoint a proper person or persons, residing upon the coast of Africa, as agent or agents for receiving the negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, delivered from on board vessels, seized in the prosecution of the slave trade, by commanders of the United States' armed vessels.

21. SEC. I. A bounty of twenty-five dollars shall be paid to the officers and crews of the commissioned vessels of the United States, or revenue cutters, for each and every negro, mulatto, or person of colour, who shall have been, as hereinbefore provided, delivered to the marshal or agent duly appointed to receive them: And the secretary of the treasury is hereby authorized and required to pay, or cause to be paid, to such officers and crews, or their agent, the aforesaid bounty, for each person delivered as aforesaid.

22. SEC. IV. When any citizen, or other person, shall lodge information, with the attorney for the district of any state or territory, as the case may be, that any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, has been imported therein, contrary to the provisions of the acts in such case made and provided, it shall be the duty of the said attorney forthwith to commence a prosecution, by information; and process shall issue against the person charged with holding such negro, negroes, mulatto, mulattoes, person or persons of colour, so alleged to be imported contrary to the provisions of the acts aforesaid: And if, upon the return of the process executed, it shall be ascertained, by the verdict of a jury, that such negro, negroes, mulatto, mulattoes, person or persons of colour, have been brought in, contrary to the true intent and meaning of the acts in such cases made and provided, then the court shall direct the marshal of the said district to take the said negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, into his custody, for safe keeping, subject to the orders of the president of the United States; and the informer or informers, who shall have lodged the information, shall be entitled to receive, over and above the portion of the penalties accruing to him or them by the provisions

(ACT of July 27th, 1789.)

of the acts in such case made and provided, a bounty of fifty dollars, for each and every negro, mulatto, or person of colour, who shall have been delivered into the custody of the marshal; and the secretary of the treasury is hereby authorized and required to pay, or cause to be paid, the aforesaid bounty, upon the certificate of the clerk of the court for the district where the prosecution may have been had, with the seal of office thereto annexed, stating the number of negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, so delivered.

23. SEC. v. It shall be the duty of the commander of any armed vessel of the United States, whenever he shall make any capture under the provisions of this act, to bring the vessel and her cargo, for adjudication, into some of the ports of the state or territory to which such vessel, so captured, shall belong, if he can ascertain the same; if not, then to be sent into any convenient port of the United States.

24. SEC. VI. All such acts, or parts of acts, as may be repugnant to the provisions of this act, shall be, and the same are hereby, repealed.

SEC. VII. A sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars, is hereby, appropriated to carry this law into effect.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

An act for establishing an Executive Department, to be denominated the Department of Foreign Affairs.

1. SEC. 1. There shall be an executive department, to be denominated the department of foreign affairs, and there shall be a principal officer therein, to be called the secretary for the department of foreign affairs, who shall perform and execute such duties as shall, from time to time, be enjoined on or intrusted to him by the president of the United States, agreeable to the constitution, relative to correspondences, commissions, or instructions, to or with public ministers or consuls, from the United States, or to negociations with public ministers with foreign states or princes, or to memorials or other applications from foreign public ministers, or other foreigners, or to such other matters respecting foreign affairs as the president of the United States shall assign to the said department; And furthermore, the said principal officer shall conduct the business of the said department in such manner as the

(ACT of September 15th, 1789.)

president of the United States shall, from time to time, order or

instruct.

2. SEC. 11. There shall be in the said department an inferior officer, to be appointed by the said principal officer, and to be employed therein as he shall deem proper, and to be called the chief clerk in the department of foreign affairs; and who, whenever the said principal officer shall be removed from office by the president of the United States, or in any other case of vacancy, shall, during such vacancy, have the charge and custody of all records, books, and papers, appertaining to the said department.

3. SEC. in. The said principal officer, and every other person to be appointed or employed, in the said department, shall, before he enters on the execution of his office or employment, take an oath or affirmation, well and faithfully to execute the trust committed to him.

4. SEC. IV. The secretary for the department of foreign affairs, to be appointed in consequence of this act, shall, forthwith after his appointment, be entitled to have the custody and charge of all records, books, and papers, in the office of secretary for the department of foreign affairs, heretofore established by the United States in congress assembled.

ACT of September 15, 1789. 2 Bioren, 51.

An act to provide for the safe keeping of the acts, records, and seal of the United States, and for other purposes.

5. SEC. 1. The executive department, denominated the department of foreign affairs, shall hereafter be denominated the department of state, and the principal officer therein shall hereafter be called the secretary of state.

SEC. 1. [Supplied by act of May 11, 1820. See title Publication of the Laws 18.]

6. SEC. III. The seal heretofore used by the United States in congress assembled, shall be, and hereby is declared to be, the seal of the United States.

SEC. IV. The said secretary shall keep the said seal, and shall make out and record, and shall affix the said seal to all civil commissions to officers of the United States, to be appointed by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, or by the president alone. Provided, That the said seal shall not be affixed to any commission, before the same shall have been signed by the president of the United States, nor to any other instrument or act, without the special warrant of the president therefor.

7. SEC. v. The said secretary shall cause a seal of office to be made for the said department, of such device as the president of the United States shall approve, and all copies of records, and papers, in the said office, authenticated under the said seal, shall be evidence equally as the original record, or paper.

8. SEC. vi. There shall be paid to the secretary, for the use of the United States, the following fees of office, by the persons requir

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »