# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/12th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 56

Chap. LVI.—An Act to prohibit the exportation of specie, goods, wares and merchandise, for a limited time.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall not be lawful, ​Exportation of specie and goods of foreign manufacture forbidden. Act of April 4, 1812, ch. 49.during the continuance of the act, entituled “An act laying an embargo on all the ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States, for a limited time,” to export from the United States or the territories thereof, in any manner whatever, any specie, nor any goods, wares or merchandise of foreign or domestic growth or manufacture; and if any person shall, with intent to evade this law, export or attempt to export any specie, goods, wares or merchandise from the United States or the territories thereof, either by land or water, such specie, goods, wares and merchandise, together with the vessel, boat, raft, cart, wagon, sleigh or other carriage in which the same shall have been exported or attempted to be exported, shall, together with the tackle, apparel, horses, mules and oxen, be forfeited, and the owner or owners of such specie, goods, wares or merchandise, and every other person knowingly concerned in such prohibited exportation, on conviction thereof, shall each respectively forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars for every such offence:Proviso. 1812, ch. 49. Provided however, that nothing in this section contained, shall be construed to prevent the departure of vessels, which according to the act last above mentioned, are or may be permitted to depart in the manner and under the restrictions provided by the said act.
Any portion of the land or naval force of the United States may be employed to prevent a violation of the embargo.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, or such other person as he shall have empowered for that purpose, to employ any part of the land or naval forces, or militia of the United States or of the territories thereof, as may be judged necessary, for the purpose of preventing the illegal departure of any ship or vessel, or the illegal exportation of any specie, or of any goods, wares or merchandise, contrary to the provisions of this, or the last above mentioned act, and for the purpose of detaining, taking possession of, and keeping in custody, any such ship or vessel, specie, goods, wares or merchandise.
Penalties, &c. &c. how to be recovered. 1812, ch. 49.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all penalties and forfeitures, incurred by virtue of this act, shall and may be prosecuted, sued for, recovered and distributed, and may be mitigated and remitted in the manner provided by the act, entituled “An act laying an embargo on all the ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States for a limited time,” and also, that the penalties and forfeitures incurred by virtue of this act may be recovered subsequently to the expiration thereof, in the same manner as if this act had continued in full force and virtue.
Approved, April 14, 1812.