The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-29 00:00:00

SLAVERY.

We hare had occasion frequently to allude to the effuct
which the diffusion of liberal sentiments may be calculated
on producing in the minds of the great thernaelves. A
better exemplification could not be given than that 'Warded
by the subjoined article.

VIENNA, Auo. 16.
CIRCULAR or THE GOVERNMENT OF THE. ARCHDUCHY OF
AUSTRIA RESPECTING THE COMMERCE IN SLAVE 4, AND
THE ILL ',SAGE WHICH THEY ARE MADE TO UNDERGO.
Ills Imperial and Royal Majesty, in order to prevent all corn.
merce in slaves, principally on the part of Austrian subjects, and
in Austrian vessels, and to prnt2ct slaves against ill usage, In
conformity with the existing 1- ws ( varticularly the Ifith paragraph
of the Civil Law, which directs that every man, both by right of
nature and the sanction of reason, be considered as an indiridual,
and the 711th paragraph of the Penal Code, which declares any im-
pediment to the enjoyment of individual liberty an act of aline and
public violence, and in cnnsequence of the resolution adopted
nn the 2.5 th of June, 11128,) has decreed ant decrees what follows :
" Art. I. A slave is free the moment he enters the Austrian ter-
or hi tt°ariYnts or
efvreeelln oamn tAustrian ship.
itph.at ihne irs°Cetlei 'lend car rsiltassea, underslave
whatever title, to an Austrian subject.

"2. An Austrian subject who debars a slave whom he has acquired
from tie use of his personal freedom, or again parts with him as *
• lave, titter at home or abroad—every Austrian Captain of s ship
who undertakes to freight one or more slaves, or hinders a slave
wl o has come on board all Aug:lin ship from using his peesonel
freedom, or suffering others to hinder him—shall be guilty or the
crime of public violence, and shall be punished according to the
79th and 79th paragraphs of the First Book of the Penal lode,
with one to five years' close imprisonment. Should the Captain of
an Austrian vessel, or any other subject of his Faithful and Royal
Majesty, carry on a regular commerce in slaves, or any thing con.
neeted with it, the punishment may he extended to ten, and, shall
there be aggravating circumstances, to twenty years' imprisonment.
" 3. As, according to the fourth paragraph of the first book of
the Penal Code, crime exists in the set and will of the offender,
independently of the condition of those on whom it was corn.
mitted, any Austrian subject injuring the corporal freedom of a
slave in any manner considered offensive or criminal by the
' Austrian laws, shall incur the penalties pronounced by the lit
Book of the Penal Code in such case'.

4. Less violent ill usage exercised by an Austrian subject to.
ands s slave shall be visited, conformably to the 173 d paragraph of
he 2d Book of the Penal Code, with a fine of from five to WI
florins, or of three days to one month imprisonment. For a second
~ffence, or should the ill usage be greater, feting or a closer mode
of impesonment may be Jet eraddee.

" & TI ese present divcsitions apply t) the rrisorers of t,a,
who ate trotted as slaves by the Belligerent into whon power tt,e
have fitlen.

" 6. Foreigners who should he guilty of the crime of public
violence, or of the other offences before specified, towarls a slave,
whether on the territory of the Austrian :toes or on board an
Austrian vessel, shall, according to the general principle el•
pressed in the 31st paragraph of he Ist Book of de Penal
Code, be liable to the same penalties as Austrian subjects.
Foreigners who, after haying been guilty of such offences
abroad, should land on the Austrian soil, shall be arrested,
according to the 33d and 34th paragraphs of the lst Book of the
Penal Code, for the purpose of being given up to the Govern-
ment of the country where the offence was committed. Should they
' not be received, they shall be proceeded against according to the
dispositions if t e Austrian Penal Code, and banishment shall at.
ways be added to the penalty inftcted, to commence after the e\pt-
ration of that penalty. Should the laws of the country, where tho
offence was committed, inflict a less punishment than the Austrin
laws, the dispositions of the more indulgent code will be
(Signed) " AUGL'STUS REICHMANN,
" Baron de lIOCIIKIRCIIEN, l'resident of the
Government.
" E. Count de lIOVAS, Counsellor of the Guyer',
ment, and Director of the Chancery.
" Vienna, Aug. 7, MN."