Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-06-15
CONVENTION WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
(Concluded.)

IN SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
MAY 81, 1924.
Tread, and printed in confidence for the use of the
Members.
To the Senate Of The United States:
experimenting, from the delay il, the decision,
that some difficulty exists with the Senate, rcs,ect-
ing the ratification nf the Convention lately conclu-
ded with the British Government for the suppression
OF the slave trade, by making il pratical, deem it
proper 10 communicate, for your consider ton such
Views as appear To me to merit attention. chang
ed, as the executive is, and as have long been
with maintaining the political relations between the
United States and other nations, consider il my
duty, in submitting for your advice and consent, as
10 the ratiication any treaty or convention which
mas been agrccd on with aTsnthar power. 10 explaia,
when the occasion rcunos it, all the which
induced the measure.
Ii is by such full and frank explanation, only, that
the Senate can be enabled TO discha &c the high
trust rePnscd in them with advantage To their con-
try. Having the instrument before them, with the
views which guided the Executive in forming it, the
Senate will possess all the light necessary SOUND
decision.
BY an act of Congress, of 10th Nav, 1920 the
slave trade, as described by that act, made oi-
ratical, and all such of citzcus us NIGH, be
found engaged i'll that trade, were subjected On con-
victiou thereof. by the Circuit Courts of the United
States, 20 capital punishment. To communicate
distinctly the import of that act refer to is
fourth and fifth sections, which III the following
words
"SEc. 4. And be H. further enacted That if any
citizen of the United States, being of the crew or
ships company OF any foreign ship OF vessel, en-
gagged in the slave trade. any person Whatever
being Of the ships company Of any shin or
vessel owned III the whole part. navi gated for,
III behalf of any citizen citizens of tic nj
Ied States, shall! land rom any such ship or vessel,
a..d any foreign shore seize any negro OF ,nulat-
70, not held TO service labor by the laws OF either
oil the states territories Of the uniic States with
intcnt To MAZE such negro inulatto Il slave. OF
shall decoy or tnrcihly bring carry, o. shall re-
&eive such negro rnnlatto on board any such shin
vessel, with iHtenl aforesaid such citizen OF
person shall be adJtdgcd pirate, and, on conyic-
rion thereof, before lie Circuit Court OF the Chiie
States, for the district wherein he may &c brought CT
iouns shall! SITTER death"
See. .. .4nib: IL furiItcr snactcf That l any
citizen or the United States, being n! The crew or
ships company CT any foreign ship or vessel ensar-
ell in The slave trade, or any person whatcvcr being
OF the ships company OF any ship c. vessel,
owned wholly or in part vsated FOR, or in be-
half OF, any citizen citizens OF the Uucd States
shall forcibiy confne detan, or aid and abet in
forciby continng or OBTAINING, on board such shin
vessel, any negro or mulatto held &c service
by the laws OF either Of the or territories c
the United States, with the intent make s.Ich ne
geo or muatto slave, shall, on board any such
ship vessel ofcs or attempt TO sell, as slave a
nv negro or inua;to held service as alyrcsnid
or SHALL the high seas, any where on tide wa
transfer deliver over other
any negro muEtio, not h.li t. service as afoTc-
said. with inter. 10 make such negro or mulatto n
slave, shall TANG. or deliver shore, from Oh,
board any such SNIP vessel, any such negro or mu-
RATIO with intent make sale Of, having prcvi-
o;isiy sold such negro mulntto as slave, such
citizen o. orrsou sliIu be adjudgcd pirate; and
on nI,,ticn ihcreol before the Circuit Ccur, OF
the United States, ior the dstric, wherein lie ma
lie brought OF found, shall suffer DEATH
And on the 29tn OF February, 1928, the House of
Representatives, by majority of 131 to O. passed
u resell luton TO the following effect:
Resoiced, That tue President of the U. States
DC requested to enter upon, and prosecute, from time
10 time, such negotiations with the several maritime
u,,weTs OF Europe and America as lac may deem ex-
usdient for the cifcCtual abolition OF the African
Save trade and its ultimate denuucaion as piracy.
under the law Of pationS, by the OF the civ-
Lied world"
Ia 3 the act Of Congress above referred 10, whereby
che most cfcc uai means that could be devised were
adopted, for the cxtirpaton of the slave trade, the
wish OF the United States explicitly declared
that all nations might Il similar policy. Ii
could only be by such concurrence, that the great
object could be accomplished and il was by nego-
tiation and treaty alone, that such concurrence
could bc obtained, commencing with one power aud
,.-tcuArc IL TO others. The course, therefore which
the Execu;ive, whO had concurred III tic act, had to
pursue WAS distinctly marked out for it, Had there
however been any doubt respecting it, the resolution
of the HouJc OF Representatives, the branch Which,
rot fail 70 have removed 10.
81 the tenth Article of the treaty of peace be-
tween I've United STATES and Great Britain conclu-
Led AZ Client, it was stipulated that beth parties
Should Use tncif best cnle1ror5 accomplish the
5oltion of tire African slave trade. This object has
bcen, accordingly, pursued by both governments,
with great earncstGe,5, 5y separate Of lcgsla-
t,n and by negotiation, almost uninterrupted, with
i've purpose of establishing concert between them
il, ,ouic measure, which might secure its accomplish
Inent.
Great Britaiuin her negotiations with other pow
ets had concluded trcaties with Spain, Portugal.
and the Netherlands, IN which, without constituting
the crime piracy, OF CHASING it with crimes oi
that denominations the p1iics had conceded to- the
naval officers of each other, the right of searc! and
capturc of the vessels Of either, that might be Gu.
gnged in the slave trade aud had Instituted courts
Consisting of Judges subjects of both paies for tho
f-;aI of the vessels captured.
In the negotiations with the United States, Great
Rritain had earnestly and repeatedly pressed OH
rb.rr the adoption of similar provisions. They had
hecn resisted by the Executive two grounds ONO,
mat the construction of mixed tribunals was iDcom-
ratibIe with their constitution; and the other that
tbe concession Of the right of search, in time Of
sbce for an offence not pifaiicaI, would be repug-
,ont 20 The t.ei n S Of the pation, ana Of danger