OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE UNITED STATES AND LIBERIA.

Act of March 3, 1819, Relative to the Slave Trade.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized, whenever he shall deem it expedient, to cause any of the armed vessels of the United States, to be employed to cruise 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 ports 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 any other act or acts prohibiting the traffic in slaves, to be proceeded against according to law: And the proceeds of all ships and vessels, their tackle, apparel, 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 shail 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 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 may be 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 hereinafter 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.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized 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 color, 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 color, delivered from on board vessels, seized in the prosecution of the slave trade, by commanders of the United States. armed vessels.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That a bounty of $25.00 be paid to the officers and crew of the commissioned vessels of the United States, or Revenue Cutters for each and every negro, mulatto, or person of color, 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 agents, the aforesaid bounty, for each person delivered as aforesaid.

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That when any citizen, or other person, shall lodge information, to the attorney for the district of any state or territory, as the case may be, that any negro, mulatto, person of color, 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 color, 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 the jury that such negro, negroes, mulatto, mulattoes, person or persons of color, have been brought in, contrary to the true intent and meanings of the acts in such cases made and provided, then the court shall direct the marshal of the said districts to take the said negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, 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 portions of the penalties accruing to him or them by the provisions of the acts in such case made and provided, a bounty of $50.00, for each and every negro, mulatto, or person of color, 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 color, so delivered.

Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That 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 states or territory to which such vessels, so captured, shall belong, if he can ascertain the same; if not, then to be sent into any convenient port of the United States.

Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That 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. 7. And be it further enacted, That a sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars, be, and the same is hereby appropriated to carry this law into effect.

Approved, March 3, 1819.

Message of President Monroe Concerning Settlement of Captured Slaves in Africa- December 17, 1819.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

Some doubt being entertained respecting the true intent and meaning of the act of the last session entitled "An act in addition to the acts pro

hibiting the slave trade," as to the duties of the agents to be appointed on the coast of Africa, I think it proper to state the interpretation which has been given of the act and the measures adopted to carry it into effect, that Congress may, should it be deemed advisable amend the same before further proceeding is had under it.

The obligation to instruct the commanders of all our armed vessels to seize and bring into port all ships or vessels of the United States wheresoever found, having on board any negro, mulatto, or person of color, in violation of former acts for the suppression of the slave trade, being imperative, was executed without delay. No seizures have yet been made, but as they were contemplated by the law, and might be presumed, it seemed proper to make the necessary regulations applicable to such seizures for carrying the several provisions of the act into effect.

It is enjoined on the Executive to cause all negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, who may be taken under the act to be removed to Africa. It is the obvious import of the law that none of the persons thus taken should remain within the United States, and no place other than the coast of Africa being designated, their removal or delivery, whether carried from the United States or landed immediately from the vessels in which they were taken, was supposed to be confmed to that coast. No settlement or station being specified, the whole coast was thought to be left open for the selection of a proper place at which the persons thus taken should be delivered. The Executive is authorized to appoint one or more agents residing there to receive such persons, and $100,000 are appropriated for the general purposes of the law.

On due consideration of the several sections of the act, and of its humane policy, it was supposed to be the intention of Congress that all the persons above described who might be taken under it and landed in Africa should be aided in their return to their former homes, or in their establishment at or near the place where landed. Some shelter and food would be necessary for them there as soon as landed, let their subsequent disposition be what it might. Should they be landed without such provision having been previously made, they might perish.

It was supposed, by the authority given to the Executive to appoint agents residing on that coast, that they should provide such shelter and food, and perform the other beneficent and charitable offices contemplated by the act. The coast of Africa having been little explored, and no persons residing there who possessed the requisite qualifications to entitle them to the trust being known to the Executive, to none such

could it be committed. It was believed that citizens only who would go hence well instructed in the views of their Government and zealous to give them effect would be competent to these duties, and that it was not the intention of the law to preclude their appointment. It was obvious that the longer these persons should be detained in the United States in the hands of the marshals the greater would be the expense, and that for the same term would the main purpose of the law be suspended. It seemed, therefore to be incumbent on me to make the necessary arrangements for carrying this act into effect in Africa in time to meet the delivery of any persons who might be taken by the public vessels and landed there under it.

On this view of the policy and sanctions of the law it has been decided to send a public ship to the coast of Africa with two such agents, who will take with them tools and other implements necessary for the purposes above mentioned. To each of these agents a small salary has been allowed - $1,500 to the principal and $1,200 to the other. All our public agents on the coast of Africa receive salaries for their services, and it was understood that none of our citizens possessing the requisite. qualifications would accept these trusts, by which they would be confined to parts the least frequented and civilized, without a reasonable compensation. Such allowance therefore seemed to be indispensable to the execution of the act. It is intended also to subject a portion of the sum appropriated to the order of the principal agent for the special objects above stated, amounting in the whole, including the salaries of the agents for one year, to rather less than one-third of the appropriation. Special instructions will be given to these agents, defining in precise terms their duties in regard to the persons thus delivered to them, the disbursement of the money by the principal agent, and his accountability for the same. They will, also have power to select the most suitable place on the coast of Africa at which all persons who may be taken under this act shall be delivered to them, with an express injunction to exercise no power founded on the principal of colonization or other power than that of performing the benevolent offices above recited by the permission and sanction of the existing government under which they may establish themselves. Orders will be given to the commander of the public ship in which they will sail to cruise along the coast to give the more complete effect to the principal object of the act.

JAMES MONROE.