Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-09-13
AN ACT.

granted5y the authority OF the government |
OF the United k,ngdsm Of Great Britain |
and Ireland.
BH enacted by the Senate and House
~ hefTesenfaHves Of the United States Of
america, IN Congress assembled, That any
citisen or inhabitaht OF the United States,
or the territories thereof, who shall obtain
or use either directly or indirectly, a license,
pass, or other instrument granted BY the 90
Sernment OF the United Kingdom of Great
britain and Ireland, or by any officer or a.
gent thereof, Tor the protection of any ship,
vessel or merchandise, on the high seas or
elsewhere, or Tor the admission of any ship,
vessel, or merchandise, into anv port or
place whatever; aud any citizen or inhab;>
tant as aforesaid, who shah be either direct
~ or indirectly concerned or assisting in OBJ.
tanning, using, grating, OF selling any such
Incense, pass, OF instrument, shall upon con-
'icuon, tor every suck offence, forfeit a sum
eqaai 10 twice the value of any such ship,
Vessel and merchandise, and shall moreover
De adudsed guilty OF a misdemcanor, and
snail be hned III a sum not exceeding Ave
thousand nor ,ess than one thousand dollars
and any ship, vessel, or merchandise, own.
ca Iii Whole or In part by any citizen or in
haDiiahto the United States, or of the ter
ritorIes thereof, which shall five days after
tue PRONUNCIATION OF this act in the nearest
port, be found in the waters or within the
Jurisdiction OF the United States having or
usinS license, pass, or other instrument as
aforesaid, shall be forfeited, the one half to
the use OF the United States, and the other
NAH To any person or persons who shall give
Information thereof, and produce or procure
evidence oil the fact; the duties, if any,
~nich may be payable on the importation of
suoh merchandise, being previously paid or
oeoucted from the proceeds of such forfei.
ure: Provided ho7veuer, That the claim of
ny such person or persons, as derived from,
TINS act, shall not be admitted TO bar, defeat
or affect any forfeiture accrued to the Uni
.,o o'ases, or to any other person, which
snail nave been incurred b, reason of an in
traction OF any other law of the United
States.
Sec. 2. find be il further enacted, That
ANY snip orressel Of the United States sail
ihs under, or found on the high seas using
hoense, pass, or instrument, as described in
the preceding section OF this act shall be
Cehsiuered and held as sailing under the flag
OF he eoNernment of the United Kingdom OF
oieat Britain and Ireland; and it Shall be
lawful Tor the commanders Of the public and
private armed ships and vessels OF the Uni
ted States and the territories thereof, to stop
and examine any ship or vessel of the Uni
'eo States or their territories, on the high
seas or elsewhere, which there may be rea-
sonaDie ground to suspect is sailing under
the protecticnt of, or using any such license,
pass or other Instrument as aforesaid and if
upon examination it shall appear that such
ship or VESSELS sailing under the protection
si, or using any such license, pass, oi+other
instrument, it shall be the duty of such com
handefs, and, CT each of them, To seize evefx
Such snip or vessel. and send the same toe
arv port In the United States or the terrific
rles thereof; and every such ship or vessel,
so found sailing under the protection of, or
using any such license, pass or other instru-
mehr us aforesaid, shall, upon due proof
thereof, before any court of ting United States
or the territories thereof, having competent
jurisdiction. be condemned, together with the
cargo and be forfeited to the sole use of the
officers and crew Of such public or private
armed ship or vessel; and all forieitures
which shall accrue aud be recovered in pur-
snance of this section, shall be distributed
according to the rules prescribed by the ex-
listing laws, in cases of prizes made from the
enemy: PToyided, That nothing contained
al this act, shall be so construed as to pre-.
vent the acceptance or use OF passport OF
any other paper authorised by the govern.
men, of rhe United States, or the acceptance
or use ola passport granted by the comman
der Of any ship OF war of the enemy to any
ship or vessel of the United States, which
may have been captured and given up for
the purpose Of carry ing persons captured by
the enemy 70 the United States.
Sec 5 Ind be IL further enacfsd, THAI e.
very ship or vessel belonging wholly, or in
par, to citizen or citizens, inhabitant or
Inhabitants ut The United States. which shall
depart ol clear out from any port or place
within the Jurisdction OF the United States
after the prOTu'galion Of thu ads at such
port or place, shall be sabject to tie opera
ton nf the same; and thai every ship or YES
SCI owned as aforesaid It the same be in any
part of Europe, Of the Mediterranean, or the
western coast of Africa, or between tine same
and the United States at he passage of this
act after the first day Of Move nOer next /;
and 1t At any port or place TO the east OF tn
Cape Of Good Hone, or between the same
aud he United States, after the first day of
January Mex, and if in either case such yes
sells arrive in the United States previous TO
the SAID periods respectively, then after her
arrival shall in like manler be subject to the
operation Of this act: Provided, 4 hat any
such ship or vessel be, in either of the fore
gong cases, delayed by a stress Of weather
brother unavoidable accident from returning
60 the United States within the periods
bove stated the same shall not be subject to
the operation Of thI5 act, until a suduient
time shall have elapsed after a knowledge
thereof, for her return to the Unted States
H1d PrOuided aLsO, That nothing herein con
tanned shall be SO Construed as to arrest or