Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1806-02-06

States of America, in Congrefs ale M
bled, That from and after the
day OF next, any perfon or
perfons, who fhall imprefs any fes-
men on board any vefel bearing the
flag of the United States, upon the
high feas, or in any river, haven, ba-
fon or bay, under pretext or color of
a commiflion from any foreign power,
fhall for every fuch offence be adjudg-
ed pirate and felon; and on convic-
ton lhall fuffer death. And the trial
in any futh cafe may be had where
the offender is apprehended, or may
be frlt brought.
Sec. 2. And be it further enact.
ed, That it fhall be lawful for any A.
merican feamen, falling under the flag
of the United States, on any perfon
attempting to imprefs him by force,
from on board any veael of the Unit
ed States, upon the high feas or in a.
ny river, haven, baton, or bay, to re-
pei fuch force by ihooting, or other
wife killing and deltroying the perfon
or perfons 70 attempting to imprefs
him, and fhall, as an encouragement
to refilt, be entitled to bounty of two
hundred dollars, to be paid to him or
his order, or legal representatives, out
of any money in the treafury not 9TH
erwife appropriated.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted,
That on information being given to
the Pre6dent of the United States,
proving satisfactorily to him, that any
citizen of the United States, who
ihall have been imprefed or forced by
violence or threats, to enter OH board
any foreign vefel, fhall fufer death,
or any other corporal puni!hment by
the authority of fuch foreign power;
it fhall be lawful for the PreGdent of
the United States, to caufe the mott
rigorous and exact retaliation on any
fubjeds of that government, whom
he is hereby authorized to feize and
take for that purpofe.
Sec. a.. And be it further enacted, \
That every American feamen hereto.
fore or hereafter imprefled and COM
PEELED to fcrve on board any foreign
ihip or yefel, fhall be entitled to re-
ceive as an indemni6cation for his fla
very and hardihips on board the lhip
in which he has been, or fhall be com.
PEELED to ferve, from the day of his
impeachment, the fun of fixty dollars
per month, for every month he has,
or ihall ferve, on board faid fhip or
fhips and that the faid feaman, his
heirs, executors administrators, or az
figns, ihal be entitled to recover the
fame in the diftrid court of the fate
in which the port lies, from which the
veGel cleared, for the voyage in which
he was taken, by attachment of any
private debt, due from any citizen
of the United States, TO any fubjeet
of that government, by whole fubjeds
he had been imprefed and that any
fums of money 70 attached out of the
hands of any debtor, fhall be a pay
ment offo much of faid debt, and may
be pleaded in payment or difcount to
the amount of the faid fun 70 attached,
and all the COTS of faid attachment,
which fhall be allowed as a payment
OF that amount in any fuit for faid
debt. And that 70 much of the trea-
ty of London, of nineteenth Novem-
Der, one thoufand feven hundred and
ninety.four, as fecures the inviolabili-
ty of fuch debts, as will be infringed
by the attachment or recoveries, here
by authorized, fhall not (fo far as is
necefIary in the execution of this act
only) be regarded as obligatory on the
citizens of the United States.