which shall hereafter be employed in the Slave Trade, he shall, on conviction thereof, be liable to, and suffer the like forfeitures, pains, disabilities, and penalties, as he would have incurred had such Ship or Vessel been owned or employed, in whole or in part, by any Person or Persons residing within The United States. IV. And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for any of the commissioned Vessels of The United States, to seize and take any Vessel employed in carrying on trade, business, or traffic, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this or the said Act to which this is in addition; and such Vessel, together with her tackle, apparel, and guns, and the goods or effects, other than Slaves, which shall be found on board, shall be forfeited, and may be proceeded against in any of the District or Circuit Courts, and shall be condemned for the use of the Officers and Crew of the Vessel making the seizure, and be divided in the proportion directed in the case of prize: And all Persons interested in such Vessel, or in the enterprise or voyage in which such Vessel shall be employed at the time of such capture, shall be precluded from all right or claim to the Slaves found on board such Vessels as aforesaid, and from all damages or retribution on account thereof and it shall moreover be the duty of the Commanders of such commissioned Vessels, to apprehend and take 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, in some one of the Districts thereof, to be proceeded against in due course of Law. V. And be it further enacted, that the District and Circuit Courts of The United States shall have cognizance of all acts and offences against the prohibitions herein contained. VI. Provided nevertheless, and be it further enacted, that nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to authorize the bringing into either of The United States, any Person or Persons, the importation of whom is, by the existing Laws of such State, prohibited. VII. And be it further enacted, that the forfeitures which shall hereafter be incurred under this, or the said Act to which this is in addition, not otherwise disposed of, shall accrue and be one moiety thereof to the use of the Informer, and the other moiety to the use of The United States, except where the prosecution shall be first instituted on behalf of The United States, in which case the whole shall be to their use. (8.)—ACT of Congress," to prevent the importation of certain Persons into certain States, where, by the Laws thereof, their admission is prohibited."-Approved 28th February, 1803. SECT. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that from and after the 1st day of April next, no Master or Captain of any Ship or Vessel, or any other Person, shall import or bring, or cause to be imported or brought, any Negro, Mulatto, or other Person of colour, 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 colour, 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 1000 dollars for each and every Negro, Mulatto, or other Person of colour 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. II. And be it further enacted, that no Ship or Vessel arriving in any of the said Ports or Places of The United States, and having on board any Negro, Mulatto, or other Person of colour, 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 any such Negro, Mulatto, or other Person of colour, shall 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 net proceeds of the sales on such forfeiture shall inure and be paid over to such Person or Persons on whose information the seizure or such forfeiture shall be made. III. And be it further enacted, that it shall be 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 aforesaid, to notice and be governed by the provisions of the Laws now existing, of the several States prohibiting the admission or importation of any Negro, Mulatto, or other Person of colour, as aforesaid. And they are hereby enjoined vigilantly to carry into effect the said Laws of said States, conformably to the provisions of this Act; any Law of The United States to the contrary notwithstanding. (9.)-- ACT of Congress, "to prohibit the importation of Slaves into any Port or Place within the jurisdiction of The United States, from and after the 1st day of January, in the year of our Lord 1808."-Approved 2d March, 1807. SECT. I*. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that from and after the 1st day of January, 1808, it shall not be lawful to import or bring into The United States, or the Territories thereof, from any Foreign Kingdom, Place, or Country, any Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour, with intent to hold, sell, or dispose of such Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour, as a Slave, or to be held to service or labour. II*. And be it further enacted, that no Citizen or Citizens of The United States, or any other Person, shall, from and after the 1st day of January, in the year of our Lord 1808, for himself or themselves, or any other Person whatsoever, either as Master, Factor, or Owner, build, fit, equip, load, or otherwise prepare any Ship or Vessel, in any Port or Place within the Jurisdiction of The United States, nor shall cause any Ship or Vessel to sail from any Port or Place within the same, for the purpose of procuring any Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour, from any Foreign Kingdom, Place, or Country, to be transported to any Port or Place whatsoever, within the Jurisdiction of The United States, to be held, sold, or disposed of as Slaves, or to be held to service or labour: and if any Ship or Vessel shall be so fitted out for the purpose aforesaid, or shall be caused to sail so as aforesaid, every such Ship or Vessel, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, shall be forfeited to The United States, and shall be liable to be seized, prosecuted, and condemned, in any of the Circuit Courts or District Courts, for the District where the said Ship or Vessel may be found or seized. III*. And be it further enacted, that all and every Person so building, fitting-out, equipping, loading, or otherwise preparing or sending away, any Ship or Vessel, knowing or intending that the same shall be employed in such trade or business, from and after the 1st day of January, 1808, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this Act, or anyways aiding or abetting therein, shall severally forfeit and pay 20,000 dollars; one moiety thereof to the use of 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. IV*. And be it further enacted, if any Citizen or Citizens of The United States, or any Person resident within the Jurisdiction of the same, shall, from and after the 1st day of January, 1808, take on board, receive, or transport from any of the Coasts or Kingdoms of Africa, or from any other Foreign Kingdom, Place, or Country, any Negro, * Repealed by Act of 20th April, 1818. Mulatto, or Person of colour, in any Ship or Vessel, for the purpose of selling them in any Port or Place within the jurisdiction of The United States, as Slaves, or to be held to service or labour, or shall be in any ways aiding or abetting therein, such Citizen or Citizens, or Person, shall severally forfeit and pay 5000 dollars; one moiety thereof to the use of any Person or Persons who shall sue for and prosecute the same to effect. And every such Ship or Vessel in which such Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour, shall have been taken on board, received, or transported, as aforesaid, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, and the goods and effects which shall be found on board the same, shall be forfeited to The United States, and shall be liable to be seized, prosecuted, and condemned, in any of the Circuit Courts or District Courts in the District where the said Ship or Vessel may be found or seized. And neither the Importer, nor any Person or F'ersons claiming from or under him, shall hold any right or title whatsoever to any Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour, nor to the service or labour thereof, who may be imported or brought within The United States, or Territories thereof, in violation of this Law, but the same shall remain subject to any regulations not contravening the provisions of this Act, which the Legislatures of the several States or Territories at any time hereafter may make, for disposing of any such Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour. V*. And be it further enacted, that if any Citizen or Citizens of The United States, or any other Person resident within the jurisdiction of the same, shall, from and after the 1st day of January, 1808, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this Act, take on board any Ship or Vessel from any of the Coasts or Kingdoms of Africa, or from any other Foreign Kingdom, Place, or Country, any Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour, with intent to sell him, her, or them, for a Slave or Slaves, or to be held to service or labour, and shall transport the same to any Port or Place within the jurisdiction of The United States, and there sell such Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour, so transported as aforesaid, for a Slave, or to be held to service or labour, every such Offender shall be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and being thereof convicted before any Court having competent jurisdiction, shall suffer imprisonment for not more than 10 years, nor less than 5 years, and be fined not exceeding 10,000 dollars, nor less than 1000 dollars. VI*. And be it further enacted, that if any Person or Persons whatsoever, shall, from and after the 1st day of January, 1808, purchase or sell any Negro, Mulatto, or Person of colour, for a Slave, or to be held to service or labour, who shall have been imported, or brought 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 *Repealed by Act of 20th April, 1818. |