Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-12-23

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bill making partial appropriation tor the
Military service OF the United States for the
year 1890 which bills were twice read ana
! committed.
Mr.. Williams, CT n. G. made an unfayora'
| Bile report on the petition Of Asa Faller, and
| OF Charles Townsend and Jonas Williams,
] which were read, and severally concurred
in.
Mr.. Sergeant, from the committee on the
! judiciary, 10 whom was referred an enquiry
into the expediency OF increasing the pay OF
Jurors in The Circuit and District Courts OF
the United States, made a report, stating that
the pay at present allowed, is one dollar and
twenty five cents day, for each attendance,
aid FIVE cents mile in travelling TO ana
! from court that the committed are not a
! ware of any good reason for increasing this
compensation and requesting to be dis
charged from the further consideration Oh The
subject. The report was read and agreed
! to.
| Mr.. Sergeant from the select committee ap-
pointed on the memorial Of the surviving OIL
hcers of the revolutionary army, made re-
port thereon, favorable to the prayer OF the
petitioners, accompanied by a bill for their
relief; which bill was twice read and COM
mitted.
: The following message was received from
the president of the United States, ny the
hands of MIR. J. J. Monroe, his secretary.
To The Senate and the House of Representa-
tiUes Of The United States.
, Some doubt being entertained respecting
the true intent and meaning of the act OF the
last session, entitled Gan act in addition to
the acts prohibiting the slave trade, as to
the duties of the agents TO be appointed, on
the coast OF Africa, think il proper to state
the Interpretation which has been given OF
the act. and the measures adopted to carry It
into effect, that congress may, should it be
deemed advisable, amend the same, before
further proceeding is had under it.
The obligation 10 instruct the commanders
of our armed vessels to seize and bring IN
TO port all ships or vessels Of the L. States,
wheresoeyer found, having On board any me-
gro, mula,to, or person of color, in violation
Of former acts for the suppression OF the slave
trade. being imperative, Was executed with
out delay. No seizures have yet been made,
hut as they were contemplated by the law,
and might be presumed, il seemed proper to
, make tne necessary regulations applicable TO
such seizures, tor carrying the several provi-
sions of the act into effect.
/ 1t is enjoined on the executive to cause all
negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, who
may be taken under the act - he removed
! 70 Africa II is The Obvious import of the
law, that RoRe of The persons thus taken
should remain within the United States and
no other place than the coast OF Africa being
designated, their removal or delivery. whe-
Their carried from the United States orlanded
! immediately from the vessels in which they
were taken. was supposed TO be confined 10
+ that coast No settlement or station being
specified, The whole coast was thought to
be left open for the selection of a proper
place, at which the persons thus taken should
be delivered The executive is authorised
/ to appoint one or more agents, residing there,
TO receive such persons, and one hundred
thousand dollars are appropriated tor Tue Sc
neral purposes of the law.
| On due consideration of the several Sec
; tions of the act, and of its humane policy, it
was supposed 20 be the intention Of congress,
that all the persons above described, who
might be taken under il anu landed IN Air.
ca, .houd lie aided ~ ;heir re turn to their
former homes, or in their establishment al or
near the place where landed. Some shelter
and food would be necessary fer them there,
as soon as landed let ibeir suhrquent dispo-
! siIon oe what il uTght. Should ttiey be
landed without such provision having been
/ previously made, they must PERISH. II was
supposed by The authority given TO The exc
cutlve to appoint agents residing on that
coast, that they Should provide such shelter
! and food. and perform the other beneLcent
and charitable otlt 5, contemplated by the
act. The coast of Africa having been little
explored, and no persons residing there, who
possessed the requisite qualifications to ent'-
lie them To the trust, being known 10 the ex-
eCutivc, 10 none such could II be committed
TWAS believed that citizens only who would