Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-01-08
The Neutrality Act.
APPROVED APRIL 20. 1913.

certain crimes against the Ufl1fed STATES, ana 10 re-
neal the act therein mentioned.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen
tatiyes of the United States of America in Congress as
sembed That any citizen of the United States SHALL
within the territory jurisdiction thereof accept and
exercise commission to foreign prince state,
colony district, people, in war, by land by sea,
ganst any prince state, colony, district or people, with
whom the United States at peace, the person of
Tending shall be deemed guilty of high misdemeanor,
and shall be fined not more than two thousand dollars,
and shall be imprisoned not exceeding three years
Sec g And be it further enacted That if any person
SHALL within the territory jurisdiction of the United
States enlist enter himself hire retain another
person to enlist enter himself, or to go beyond the
limits jurisdiction of the United States, with intent to
be enlisted entered in the service of any foreign prince
state, colony district people, as soldier, or as
marine seaman, board OF any vessel OF war; letter
of marque, prvateer every person SO offending shall
bc deemed guilty of acknowledgements, and shall be
fined not exceeding thousand dollars, and be mprls
Oned not exceeding three years Provided That this act
shall not be construed to extend to any subject citl
of any foreign prince, state colony, district or peo-
pie who shall transienty be within the United States,
and shall be board Of any vessel of letter of mar
que, privateer which at the time Of its arrival within
the United States was fitted and equipped such
list enter himself hire retain another subject or
citizen of the foreign prince state colony district
or people, who is ransiently within the United States
to enlist enter himself to such foreign prince,
state colony, district people, board such vessel of
war letter of marue, prvateer if the United States
shall then be at peace with such foreign prince state
colony, district or people
Sec 3. And be it further enacted That any person
SHALL within the limits of the United States, fit out and
ARM attempt to fit out and arm or procure to be
fitted out and armed shall knowingly be concerned in
the furnishing fitting out armng, of any ship or YES
sci with intent that such ship vessel shall
be employed in the services of any foreign prince
state, OF any colony, district or people, to cruise
or commit hostilities against the Subjects citizens or
property of any foreign prince state of any colony
thp TOitnd at
peace, shall issue deliver commission within the
territory or jurisdiction of the United States, for any
ship vessel to the intent that she may be employed
as aforesaid, every person SO offending shall be deemed
guilty Of high misdemeanor, and shall be fined not
more than ten thousand dollars, and imprisoned not
more than three years and every such ship vessel
with her tackle, appeared and furniture together with
materials, arms, ammunition, and stores which may
have been procured for the building and equipment there
Of shall be forfeited half to the of the nformer
and the other half to the of the United States.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted That if any cit
zen or citizens of the United States SHALL without the
limits thereof fit out and ARM attempt to fit out and
arm, or procured to be fitted out and armed shall
knowingly aid be concerned in the furnishing, fitting
out arming any private ship vessel Of war; pri
vateer with intent that such ship vessel shall be
pOyed to cruise, commit hostilties, upon the citizens
of the United Statas their property or shall take
the command of, enter board of any such ship
vessel for the intent aforesaid shall purchase any in
terest any such ship vessel with view to share in
the profits thereof such person. offending shall be
deemed guilty of high msemeanor, and fined not
than ten thousand dollars and imprisoned not more than
ten years and the trial for such offence, if committed
without the Unite of the United States, shall be in the
district in which the offender shall be apprehended
first brought.
Sec. s. And be it further enacted That if any per-
sons SHALL within the territory jurisdiction of the Uni
ted States increase augment procure to be nceas
ed or augmented or shall knowingly be concerned in in
creasng or augmentng the force of any ship Of war,
cruiser other armed vessel which, at the time of her
arrival within the United States ship of war,
cruiser, armed vessel in the service of any foreign
prince or staelor any colony, district people, be-
longing to the subjects or citizens of any such prince
state colony, district people, the being at
with any foreign prince state, of any colony, dis
trct, or people, with whom the United States at
peace by adding to the number of guns of such vessel
calibre OF by the addition thereto of any equipment
solely applicable to war, every person offending shall
be deemed guilty Of high misdemeanor shall be fined not
less than one thousand dollars and be imprisoned not
more than year.
Sec 6. And be it further enacted That if any person
SHALL within the territory jurisdiction of the United
States begin set foot provide prepare the
means for any military expedition enterprise to be
carried from thence against the territory dOmnions
of any foreign prince state any colony, district
people, with whom the United States atl peace
every person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of
high msdemeanor and shall be fined not exceeding three
thousand dollars, and imprisoned not than three
; years.
Sec. l. And be it further enacted That the district
courts shall take cOganzance of complaints by whose
ever instituted in Of captures made within the
waters of the United States, or within marine league
of the coast or shores thereof.
Sec. g. And be it further enacted, That in every case
in which vessel shall be fitted out and armed or at
tempted to be fitted out and armed which the force
of any vessel OF war; cruiser other armed vessel shall
be increased or augmented, in which any military
petition enterprise shall be begun set on foot con-
try to the provisions and prohibitions of this act and
every of the capture of ship Or vessel within
the jurisdiction or protection Of the United States be-
fore Defined and in every in which any process ssu
ing out of any court of the United States shall be dis
obcyed or resisted by any person persons having the
custody of any vessel Of war; cruiser other aimed
vessel of any foreign prince state, of any colony
district people, of any subjects citizens of any
foreign prince state of any colony, district peo-
ple in every such it shall be lawful for the Pres
dent of the United States, such other person he
shall have empowered for that purpose to employ such
part of the land naval forces of the United States
of the militia thereof for the purpose of taking possession
of and OBTAINING any such ship vessel with her prize
prizes if any, the order to the execution of the pro-
hbitions and penalties of this act and to the restoring
the prize prizes in the in which restoration shall
been adudged and also for the purpose Of prevent
ing the carrying on of any such expedition enterprise
from the territories jurisdiction of the United States
against the territories domnOn any foreign prince
or state or of any colony district people, with whom
l. the United States are at peace.
Sec. g. And be it further enacted, That it shall be
lawful for the President of the United States or such
person as he shall empower for that purpose to employ
such part OF the land naval forces of the United States
or OF the militia thereof as shall be necessary to compel
any foreign ship vessel to depart the United States in
all cases in which, by the laws of nations or the treaties
OF the United States they ought not to remain within
It the United States.