Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-07-07
SENAIOR NLANTON,S Bid.
FOR THE MORE ErrrCTuAL SUPPRESSION OF TIL

FOR THE MORE ErFrCTuAL SUPPRESSION OF TIKI
SLAvE-rE.pE ~ AMERICiS-BuILT NtS'ki''
BE il enacted, &C., That whenever any American
registered ship or vessel shall i'll whole or IN part Ne
sold or transferred Il" II citizen ar citizens Oi the 1 ME.
States 1T any foreign port or place in Norm or S"uth
Amcrira ar in any Of the West India Islands, or III
The Cape dc Verde Islands, or ANY islands on 81 ht"!
the c"nst OF Africa, the instrument Of writing III nv
nature "i II bill at sale, rccitiEg nj length hr ct'''"L
cute ni registry, III pursuance ni the lin Sr'''"au W.
the net of Congress of the 3lst OF December, l''-'
concerning the registering and recording 81 sLlis OF
vessels shall be utterly void unless il shall be rNccu-
ted in prIscnce OF Il Minister or Consul "t the iltcI
States there residing, and shall contain az cypress
condition that such instrument Ill the nature "i Il Oh!
Of sale, nnd the title ot the purchaser claiming under
il, shall not be valid if the said ship or vessel shai!
make, or attempt To- make, Il voyage I" the coast oi
Africa, before returning u the United States iE Il
new register. And if any citizen "t the tnitci S;h'c"'
in any such port OF place, being the owner or agent
for the sale vi un American ship Or vessels, shall sell
such -lip or vessel, knowing that she i. To be employ
ed i'll the African slave tradc. OF that she Il about 10
make Il voyage Ia the coast OF Africa hci"r" return,
iu- 10 the United States. or shall charter II vessel al
which he may be the owner or the a@cIIt torn voyage
TO the coast OF Africa, with the intent t" sell such
ship or vessel on that coast, every person 80 uIci'!liiS'
ul conviction thereof, before the Circuit lnurt -. Tue
United StG,cs, for any district wherein ne iliA! De
brought, or aitcrward found, shall forfeit aid pay the
-rlm ri ten thousand dollars, AMI shall hr lnli'ri-"ii'!
for n term not exceeding three years, NJ Tie discretion
of snui Court. Every charter at mn American sup
or vessel, M any surh foreign p"r: or place. WIN tiic
intent that such ship y: vessel shall b" cinlln!"t III
the African slave trade, and every sal" "i an .NhirFi-
can ship or vessel on the coast ut Africa, cN'ci' S"'i
ship or vessel shall b. duly condemned H. "ii"''""f-
thy, shall be- Illegal and void.
SEC. :. And be it further enacted, That when any
citizen or other person shah lodge ili"rlii"''"i val
the attorney of the district al any State az TERRITORY
rs the cusr may be, agail~, any person for The 'i"Ia-
ton nj this act by any sale ar charter "I "i''!P' ="
-cl or charter any such American ship "r vessel com
trarv To- the provisions of this act, II shall be I'll" int|
uf the said attorney forthwith 10 commence Il prose
ru,iun against tie Offender. AID upon cullNlcl!"h 81
suci, offence, the iu.urIncr "r ini"tImrrs who Sit't!
have lodged the information ~ ninr"Sn;t shall be IN,
fi;lrl To- receive out-Irali the nett sum recovered h'n!
paid INFO the hands uf Ill" marshal oi the district,
exclusive, of costs. and every such ship a. vcHSci IL
LEGALLY sold ur chartered contrary Ia al: 81 '!ie pro-
vision. ni this act shall, with all her tackle and ilrIi-
tur,.. be- forfeited L" the United States; ami after con-
demuation by any Court Of the United States IN me
distric, into which she may hc brought "rtound, such
shin or vessel, with her tackle and furniture. s:Eti. ic
sold, nnl nnc.half thu proceeds of sale shall b" paid
over to uuy citiLcn or other person VII" shall lhN"
LODGED the necessary information bci"r" the ntior'
nrv of the district Tor the condemnation "i such snip
or vessel.
SIC. 3. And be il further enacted, That every own
or ar AGENT tur the snlr of an American ship ar YES
sci who shall sell such ship or vessel III any OF me
ports aforesaid. and every purchaser OF sN'h snip or
vessel shall, at the time al the execution oi me m
-trumeu, Of writing in the nature nj u bi!! ut sale tor
the transfer OF such ship "r vessel, make "ntii or III
| rorscicntiously scrupul"us Of taking All "othl an oi-
tirmnt;on before II Minister OF Consul 81 the nitci
states residing at such port or place that the said -hip
or vessel Is M, intended 10 be engaged IL the African
slave trade: which oath or niilrmat!"n shall br re-
duced 10 writing bv said Minister ar Consul, and by
him duly certified and transmitted 10 the Department
of S,ntc OF the United States; and such ceriiticatr, or
Il copy thereof, under the hand and seal o! the Scrre-
1T -.l -a., "a, ,n. .,tvs ~ sl,.
United States. And il! any such owner. agent. or pur-
chaser shall swear ar affirm falsely in the premises, he
shall be deemed guilty OF perjury, and shall, on con
viction thereof, .uilrr all the pains and penalties
imposed bv the acts OF Congress for wIiiwi Hnd cor
rnpt perjury. Each party t"cvcry charter party exc
rut.d in ANY such foreign port shall make the Sni'e
oath or NH rmation, 70 be taken, certified, ai'l trans
mittcd in the salir manner, amI acUpy thereof To be
uu,hcn,iralci and proven in the same manner, and he
shall be punishable in the same way for swearing or
affirming falsely. No such instrument III the nature
of Il bill "f sulc and 10 such charter par'y tha!! be
held LEGAL aud valid uulc-s the provisions -! this act
shall have been complied with.