The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-02-04
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.

Read the first aud second time and commi,ted to
committee of the whole House on Wednesday
next.
For the regulation 81 sean,en or board the pu6-
lc vessels and in the merchant service Of the u
States.
BE it enccfed by tie Senate and House of Re
Presenfdfives IT the United States Of .ineyica IN
Con;ress .issehsbed. That from and after the ter.
nination, by treaty OF peace of the war M which
the United States are now engaged With Great
Britain, II shall uot be lawful employ rs seamen
or otherwise on board OF any public vessel of the u
States, or OF any vessel owned by citizens OF the
United Ststes, sailing under their fi,g any per
son or persons, except natural born citizens ct the
United States, or citizens Of the United States at
the time of such treaty being made aud conci uded
or persons who beng resident within the United
States ut the time OF such treaty, and having previ
ousy declared, asreeably to existing laws their IN
teuhon to become citizens OF the United States,
shall be admitted such within five years thereaf.
ter, In the manner prescribed by law.
Sec g. Ind De it further enacted, That from and
after the time Aforesaid, when this act shall take
elect, Il shall not be lawful to employ as seamen ar
otherwise as aforesaid, except shy this sc ex.
cepteu. any person persons natural born eiti
zens OF the United States, unless such person sr
persons shall produce the eommander OF the pub.
Inc vessel or to the collector of the customs of the
district to which the private vessel belongs the GER.
tihcate OF his or their having been nsturaiized--
~ he President Of the United States is hereby auth
orised, from time to time tn make such other reyu-i
iauons, and to give such other directions to the Sc
vera commanders of public vessels, and to the &C.
veral collectors may he proper and necessary
respecting the requisite proofs of nativity or oit-
zenshp to be exhibited to the comm spders or col.
lectors aforesaid. And no person shall be admitted
Oh employed as seanen' otherwise, Ms aforesaid
on board OF any vessel owned by citizens OF the Uni
ted States, or sailing snder 'ihsir Gag, unless his
name shall have been entered, lin list of the crew
approved and certified by ,the, collector for the dis
trct to which the vessel belongs.
Sec. 8. .4i.! be 81 fuyfheyeracfed That from T.
alter the time as aforesaid, when this shall take
ehect, no seaman or other seafarisg man, not he
'pg citizen OF the United States, shall be admitted
or received as passenger on board any public
vessel OF the United States of any private vessel
owned by citizens OF the United States, or sailing
under their flag, without passport from the proper
Officers OF the country of which such sea-
farIng man may be subject citizen.
See. 4. And be IL further enacted, That from g.
after the time as aforesaid, when this act shall
take effect, the consuls commercial SCENTS any
naon at peace with the United States shall be all
united under such regulations as may be prcscri-
bed by the President OF the United Staes) TO state
their objections to the proper commander or coec-
tor as aforesaid against the empoymen OF any sea-
man or seafaI1ng man on board OF any public
private vessel OF the United Statss on account of
his being native subject citizen of such nation
and not embraced within the description of per-
sons who may thus be lawfully employed, according
20 the provisions OF this act and the said oonsus
commercial agents shall also be admitted under the
SAID regulations to be present at the time when the
proofs OF the nativity or citizenship of the per-
sons against whom such objections may have
been mace, shall be investigated by such comman-
der or collector '.
:. Sec. ). .qni be ii further enacted That if any
commander of public vessel otthe Uuited States,
shaii employ or permit to be employed, or shall
aunt or receive, or permit to be admitted re-
eeived on board his vessel, any person who6e en-
pioyment or admission is prohibit ed b. the proyis.
IONS of this act, he shall conviction thereof for
felt and pay the sum of Thousand dollars for
each person thus uBlaw fully empio ed or admitted
on board such vessel.
Sec. 8. .2Hd be II further enacted, That if any
person shall, contrary 10 the provisions Of this act
ne employed as q seaman or other wise, or be re.
ceived as passenger on hoard Of any vessel owned
by citizens Of the United States, or sailing under
their flag, the master commander, and the own
er or owners of such vessel shall each respectively
forfeit and pay i've hundred dollars for each person
thus uniawfuly employed in any one VOYAGE ::
which sum sums shall be recovered, even atbo'
such seaman person might have been admitted
and entered in the certified list OF the afore-
sasd, by the collector for the district 10 which the
vessel may belong and all penalties and forfeitures
arising under incurred BY virtue OF .hs act, may
be sued for, prosecuted and recovered, with costs
ct suits by action of debt, in the Of the United
States, or by Indictment information in any
court, having compete nt Jurisdiction to wy the same
and shall accrue and be moiety thereof
TO the use of the informer, and the other moiety
thereof to the Of the United States, except
where the prosecution shall he hiyt instituted on
shall be TO- their use, and may be examined miti-
gated or RENTED in like manner and under the Xix e
conditions, regulations and restrictions rs are Dre.
ssrbed, authorised and directed by the act entitled
&c An act 20 provide for mitigating or renting the
torfetures, penalties, and disabilities, accruing in
certain cases therein mentioned" passed the third
DAY OF March, thousand seven hundred and
ninety seven, and made perpetual by act passed
Inc eleventh. day OF February. ono thousand eight
hundred.
See. Z. Ind be ii further enacted, That nothing
this act contained shall be construed to forbid A.
nv commander Or master Of public or private YES
sci Of the United States, whilst in foreign port or
place, from supplying any deficiency of sesmsn on
hoard such vessel by employing subjects Of sneh TO-
reign country, with the permission Of the govern
EscDt thereof
Sec. 8. find be IL further enacted, That the pro-
visions of this act, shall have no effect or operation
Nth respect to the employment as seamen Of the
slejeets or citizens or any foreign nation, which
shall not have forbidden on board her pubic and
private vessels the employ as seamen or other
rsr Of native citizens of the United States; or who
Shall Ps'mn The commanders of her public vessels
IL impress or take away from on board any vessel
sailing under the flag Of the United States apy sea-
nan or any other person, not being a soldier or
Otherwise m the employment of an enemy of such
nation. ~~S
See. 9. find be IL further enacted, That nothing
III r'is act contained, shall be construed rs to
T-~.-:.- :::y hesse t..r limited c.a4as
and any foreign nation, which may take place Nm
der any treaty or convention, made and ratified in
f'ie manner prescribed by the constitution or the
United States, and Ivy which the reciprocal employ
ment nc seamen, Of citizens subjects Of the two
countries, may, 10 the instances aud manner prev.
sed by such t'eaty or convention, he permitted.
See. 10. IND BE IL further enacted, That no per
son, who shall arrive in the u. States from aud after
abe time when this act shall take effect, shall be adj.