The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-02
slavery in the District Of Columbia.

/
The following bill has been reported In the House
Of Representatives by Mr.. Edwards, from the Com
nlttee for the District Of Coumbia and ordered to
be printed,
bill to prohibit the Introduction of slaves into the
District of Columbia as merchandise or for sale or
hire.
| he il enacted by tie Senate aud House Of Repre-
sentatiees If he United States Of IDfrica IN Con-
gress assembled, That the business of introducing
or importing slaves into the District of Columbia as
merchandise, or for sale or hire, be- and the same IL
hereby, prohibited.
See. 2. Aud be Il further enacted, Ii any person
shall hereafter bring or import any slave slaves
into the District aforesaid as merchandise or for the
purpose Of selling or hiring such slave or slaves
shal be accessory thereto the person or persons
offending shall be deemed guilty Of msdeineanor,
anu on conviction thereof shall be fined IN the sum
OF tiye hundred dollars, and be imprisoned term not
less than one nor more thun six months at the dis
Greon Of the court for each and every slave by him
Drought into me District aforesaid as merchandise,
See. 3, aud Be enacted That all contracts or
bargains nade or entered into, and all agreements
whether verbal or In writing, when the considera-
ton or amy port thereof hus been for slave or slaves
Introduced imported Into the District aforesaid
merchandise or for sale hire, shall be absolutely
null and void.
| SEC. !. iaabe ufurther enacted Whenever any
citizen Of the District aforesaid or other person. shall
bring any slave OF slaves into the District aforesaid
he she, or they shall within forty-cgh hours next
after his or their entry into the District go before
The clerk OF the circuit of the county OF Wash
ington, In the District of Columbia, and take al,
oath that said slave or slaves have not been brought
into this District merchandise or for sac or hire
but that they were brought for his on their prop
er use, and for no other purpose whatever ; and Il
shall be the duty Of the Clerk OF said Conn TO give
the person making oath certificate under his off
cia seal that said oath has been taken and duly re-
corded In his office; and II s hereby made the duty
ty Of said clerk TO administer saiI ods ssd keep
tre and perfect record thereof In his office, and
any person falling 10 take such oath and certificate
Their Of and snail be found to have eniercd this Dis.
rict with slave or slaves. or to have received such
slave slaves from any other person who has enter.
ed with them, shall be arrested by the Marshal d
the District, or any OF his Deputies, or any consa
bic in said District, 10 whom a knowledge Of the
| facts may come, and the person so arrested shall
be Immediately taken before some judge or justice
OF the District, whose duty ii shall be to recognise
| said person for his appearance at the next regular
term Of the criminal court of the county Of Wash.
| ington IN the District Of Columbia, in the sum Of
five hundred dollars for each slave so found In his
possession and ton failure of such person to enter
into such recognizance, II shall be the duty OF such
Judge or justice to commit him TO jail unless he IL
then willing to take the oath above prescribed, In
which case i shall be administered according to ths
provisions Of this act Prortdea alinays, That moth
ing in this section shall apply to any person per
sons visiting or passing through this District with
his, her or their carriage drivers walters or other
body servants, mnle or females Provided, further
That nothing in this act shall be 80 construed as tc
4
Dis,rictfrom bringing with them their slave or slaves
And Propided, further, That nothing in this net be
construed as TO prevent persons residing in this
District from introducing any slave slaves obtain
ed by marriage, bequesi, or other circumstance
And proridea, also, That nothing In this act shall
prevent bringing slaves into the District, as now
authorized for hire for term not exceeding twelve
months.
| SEC. 5. and he Il further enacted, That any per
son or persona bringing within this District under
any of the provisions OF this any slave or slaves
shall within thirty days of their Introduction, file in
the clerks office Of the county Of Washington re.
an omission to do SO shall be construed into an nten
lion 10 have introduced such slave slaves for sale
| SEC 6 And be Il further enacted, That II shall
be the duty Of the Secretary of State of the United
States Immediately after the passage Of this act, te
cause its publication in at least four newspapers ID
each slave State Of the Union, and in at least three
of the newspapers of this District for successive
months and this shall not take effect until the frs
| day of August, 1949