Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-04-25

acted as cabin boy, and NE Old. % 'o'"'
and afterwards as an ordinary seaman before
the mast.
! This vessel is libelled under the 9th sec
ton of the act, prohibiting importation Oh
slaves into any port or place within the Ju-
risdiction of the United States OF America
Claws u. S. new edition, vol 4th' page
97,) without having entered in the manifest
the said two negro slaves; AM the or's
having been fallen in with by the u States
| vessel of war commanded by capt. Lau'
renee Kearney, of the Salt Key Bank to
the entrance OF the Gulph OF Mexico sfie mas
been sent ia here for examination. Inc
J. claimants contend the vessel ana negroes
should be discharged; because, the ev'-
dence will not support forfeiture, unner 'ne
statue; and upon this ground, shall con-
slider the case, as argued by Gadsden, LIS.
trict Attorney for the United States ana
Dunkin for the claimants.
! The object of this act, is to throw all
proper difficulties, in the way OF the slave
Trade; and to close this with other doors OF
slave importation. To that end, the yin
section OF the act provides, that no snip or
vessel of the burthen oj forty tons more
shall carry any Negro, or Mulatto, orperson
of colour, from one port of the y. States TO
another, for the purpose of transporting
them, to be sold or disposed OF as Slaves or
to be held to service or abor; without Inc
captain, Master or Commander, making out
and subscribing duplicate Manifests OF
every such Negro, Mulatto, or person OF
colour, on board such ship or vessel; there
in specifying, the name and sex OF each
person, the age md stature, as near as
may be, AMI the class to which they res
pectlveIy belong, with the name and place
of residence of every owner or shipper OF
the same, one of which Manifests (executed
under the forms prescribed in the act,) to
be retained by the Collector Of the Port OF
Departure, and the other TO be returned to
the Captain, Master, or Commander; with a
permit specifying thereon, the number;
names and general description, IT such per-
sons; and authorizing him to proceed to the
port of his destiDation.-ln failure whereof.
every such ship or vessel, with her tackle,
apparel and furniture, shall be forfeited to
the use of the United States, and may be
,eized, prosecuted and condemned in any
court of the U. States having Jurisdiction
thereof. Besides which, the Captain, Mas
Ter or Commander, of every such ship or
vessel, forfeits, tor every such Negro, Mu-
latto, or person of colour, so transported or
taken on board, contrary to the provisions
of the act, the sum of one tborrand Dollars;
onn moiety thereof to the United States, and
the other moiety TO the use Of any person or
persons, who shall sue for and prosecute the
same 10 effect.
In addition to this act, an act Of Congress
was passed on the Sd March, 1919, Claws
U. S. vol Is page lo2, entitled AN act
! in addition to the acts prohibiting the Slave
Trade" by which the President Of the U.
States, is authorized to employ the armed
vessels of the United States. TO cruize on the
| American Coast. or coast oil Africa, to en-
force the acts of Congress, prohibiting the
Slave Trade; and American vessels employ
ed contrary thereto, in traffic or Transports
/ ton of Slaves, may be seized by such armed
vessels, and brought into any ort Of the
\ ~ o,,l I'D, ,,l,
cation.
! Under these acts, the seizure has been
made by Capt. Kearney, in performance of
his duties: and The cause has been proceeded
in before me. gued with much ability, by
the Counsel who are concerned.
! From the evidence il appears, the two
negroes who were the cause of the seizure.
have Teen acting on board the brig Francis
F. johnson, one as cabin boy, and the other
as cook or ordinary mariner, for months past
in the coastng trade Of the Bay Of Chesa-
peake; and were in that capacity when the
vessel left Alexandria, and was detained by
the Enterprise. 1t also appears, that they
were not entered on the manifest as part Of
the cargo; neither were they rated on the
ships articles or log b, ok, as part of the
crew, by reason of which, no document ap-
pea-ed on board when the vessel was seized,
exempting the two slav es from the provi-
sions of the act; or excusing them, from not
being on the manifest. On behalf Of the
claimants it was commended. they ought not
to have been entered in the manifest; as