The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America Part 44

~1817, Feb. 11. Congress (House): Proposed Joint Resolution.~

"Joint Resolution for abolis.h.i.+ng the traffick in Slaves, and the Colinization [_sic_] of the Free People of Colour of the United States."

"_Resolved_, ... That the President be, and he is hereby authorized to consult and negotiate with all the governments where ministers of the United States are, or shall be accredited, on the means of effecting an entire and immediate abolition of the traffick in slaves. And, also, to enter into a convention with the government of Great Britain, for receiving into the colony of Sierra Leone, such of the free people of colour of the United States as, with their own consent, shall be carried thither....

"_Resolved_, That adequate provision shall hereafter be made to defray any necessary expenses which may be incurred in carrying the preceding resolution into effect." Reported on pet.i.tion of the Colonization Society by the committee on the President's Message. No further record.

_House Journal_, 14 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 25-7, 380; _House Doc._, 14 Cong.

2 sess. No. 77.

~1817, July 28. [Great Britain and Portugal: First Concession of Right of Search.~

"By this treaty, s.h.i.+ps of war of each of the nations might visit merchant vessels of both, if suspected of having slaves on board, acquired by illicit traffic." This "related only to the trade north of the equator; for the slave-trade of Portugal within the regions of western Africa, to the south of the equator, continued long after this to be carried on with great vigor." Woolsey, _International Law_ (1874), -- 197, pp. 331-2; _British and Foreign State Papers_, 1816-17, pp. 85-118.]

~1817, Sept. 23. [Great Britain and Spain: Abolition of Trade North of Equator.~

"By the treaty of Madrid, ... Great Britain obtained from Spain, for the sum of four hundred thousand pounds, the immediate abolition of the trade north of the equator, its entire abolition after 1820, and the concession of the same mutual right of search, which the treaty with Portugal had just established." Woolsey, _International Law_ (1874), -- 197, p. 332; _British and Foreign State Papers_, 1816-17, pp. 33-74.]

~1817, Dec. 2. President Monroe's Message on Amelia Island, etc.~

"A just regard for the rights and interests of the United States required that they [i.e., the Amelia Island and Galveston pirates]

should be suppressed, and orders have been accordingly issued to that effect. The imperious considerations which produced this measure will be explained to the parties whom it may, in any degree, concern." _House Journal_, 15 Cong. 1 sess. p. 11.

~1817, Dec. 19. Georgia: Act to Dispose of Illegally Imported Slaves.~

"An Act for disposing of any such negro, mulatto, or person of color, who has been or may hereafter be imported or brought into this State in violation of an act of the United States, ent.i.tled an act to prohibit the importation of slaves," etc.

-- 1. The governor by agent shall receive such Negroes, and,

-- 2. sell them, or,

-- 3. give them to the Colonization Society to be transported, on condition that the Society reimburse the State for all expense, and transport them at their own cost. Prince, _Digest_, p. 793.

~1818, Jan. 10. Congress (House): Bill to Supplement Act of 1807.~

Mr. Middleton, from the committee on so much of the President's Message as related to the illicit introduction of slaves into the United States from Amelia Island, reported a bill in addition to former acts prohibiting the introduction of slaves into the United States. This was read twice and committed; April 1 it was considered in Committee of the Whole; Mr. Middleton offered a subst.i.tute, which was ordered to be laid on table and to be printed; it became the Act of 1819. See below, March 3, 1819. _House Journal_, 15 Cong. 1 sess. pp. 131, 410.

~1818, Jan. 13. President Monroe's Special Message.~

"I have the satisfaction to inform Congress, that the establishment at Amelia Island has been suppressed, and without the effusion of blood.

The papers which explain this transaction, I now lay before Congress,"

etc. _Ibid._, pp. 137-9.

~1818, Feb. 9. Congress (Senate): Bill to Register (?) Slaves.~

"A bill respecting the transportation of persons of color, for sale, or to be held to labor." Pa.s.sed Senate, dropped in House; similar bill Dec.

9, 1818, also dropped in House. _Senate Journal_, 15 Cong. 1 sess. pp.

147, 152, 157, 165, 170, 188, 201, 203, 232, 237; 15 Cong. 2 sess. pp.

63, 74, 77, 202, 207, 285, 291, 297; _House Journal_, 15 Cong. 1 sess.

p. 332; 15 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 303, 305, 316.

~1818, April 4. Congress (House): Proposition to Amend Const.i.tution.~

Mr. Livermore's resolution:--

"No person shall be held to service or labour as a slave, nor shall slavery be tolerated in any state hereafter admitted into the Union, or made one of the United States of America." Read, and on the question, "Will the House consider the same?" it was determined in the negative.

_House Journal_, 15 Cong. 1 sess. pp. 420-1; _Annals of Cong._, 15 Cong.

1 sess. pp. 1675-6.

~1818, April 20. United States Statute: Act in Addition to Act of 1807.~

"An Act in addition to 'An act to prohibit the introduction [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." _Statutes at Large_, III. 450. For proceedings in Congress, see _Senate Journal_, 15 Cong. 1 sess. pp. 243, 304, 315, 333, 338, 340, 348, 377, 386, 388, 391, 403, 406; _House Journal_, 15 Cong. 1 sess. pp. 450, 452, 456, 468, 479, 484, 492,505.

~1818, May 4. [Great Britain and Netherlands: Treaty.~

Right of Search granted for the suppression of the slave-trade. _British and Foreign State Papers_, 1817-18, pp. 125-43.]

~1818, Dec. 19. Georgia: Act of 1817 Reinforced.~

No t.i.tle found. "_Whereas_ numbers of African slaves have been illegally introduced into the State, in direct violation of the laws of the United States and of this State, _Be it therefore enacted_," etc. Informers are to receive one-tenth of the net proceeds from the sale of illegally imported Africans, "_Provided_, nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to extend farther back than the year 1817." Prince, _Digest_, p. 798.

~1819, Feb. 8. Congress (Senate): Bill in Addition to Former Acts.~

"A bill supplementary to an act, pa.s.sed the 2d day of March, 1807, ent.i.tled," etc. Postponed. _Senate Journal_, 15 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 234, 244, 311-2, 347.

~1819, March 3. United States Statute: Cruisers Authorized, etc.~

"An Act in addition to the Acts prohibiting the slave trade." _Statutes at Large_, III. 532. For proceedings in Congress, see _Senate Journal_, 15 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 338, 339, 343, 345, 350, 362; _House Journal_, 15 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 9-19, 42-3, 150, 179, 330, 334, 341, 343, 352.

~1819, Dec. 7. President Monroe's Message.~

"Due attention has likewise been paid to the suppression of the slave trade, in compliance with a law of the last session. Orders have been given to the commanders of all our public s.h.i.+ps to seize all vessels navigated under our flag, engaged in that trade, and to bring them in, to be proceeded against, in the manner prescribed by that law. It is hoped that these vigorous measures, supported by like acts by other nations, will soon terminate a commerce so disgraceful to the civilized world." _House Journal_, 16 Cong, 1 sess. p. 18.

~1820, Jan. 19. Congress (House): Proposed Registry of Slaves.~