The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-06-23
The Slave Trade and African APP
preptiCcS.
IMPORTANT LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF
THE TREASURY.

Treasury DEPARTMENT, May %, 1858.
SIN: 1t appears from your letter OF the 2oth
Of April, 1858 that application has been made
to you by Messrs. +. Lattte e. Co., merchants
ofChareston, s. G., to clear the American shiI
Richard Golden, w. +. Black, master, burden
$50 81 95 tons, for the coasts of Africa for the
purpose of taking on board African emigrants
in accordance with the United States passenger
laws, and returning with them to the same port
in the United States.
You ask the opinion ofthe Department upon
the propriety ofyou1 granting or refusing the
application.
The question is an important one, and have
delayed an answer to your letter until L could
give the subject proper examination
The form in which the application Is presen
ted, involves the question in some embarrassment.
The object of the application must be either to
import Africans, to be disposed of as slaves, or
to be bound to labor or service, or else to bring
them into the country like othe: emigrants to be
entitled on their arrival to all the rights and
privileges of freemen. In either of the two first
named contingencies, the object would be so
clearly and manifestly against the laws of the
United States as to leave no room for doubt or
hesitation. deem it proper, however, to call
your attention to the provisions Of those laws,
as they indicate very clearly the general policy
Of the government on the subject of African i'm
portation. --ta n
Prior to the LIST of January, 1908, The time
fixed by the Constitution when Congress would
be authorized to prohibit such importation, the
acts of March g. 1874, C,347,) and May 10th,
1900, (2,7o,) were passed. These laws indicate
the strong opposition felt at that time to the
African slave trade The subsequent act Of
March 2, 1907, e, 1861 and April 20, 1880
45Q,) as well as the acts of March B. 1919, g,
532,) and May 10, 1920, 5000 show not only
the promptness with which the power was ex-
ercised by Congress, prohibiting this trade tc
the United States, but they also bear evidence
OF the stern purpose ofenforcing their provisions
by severe penalties and large expenditures
The legislation Of the slaveholding States pri-
or 70 1908, exhibits tie fact that the first steps
taken for its suppression were inauguratcd by
them. i'.t
There is no subject upon which the statute
books ofour country afford more conclusive ey-
idencc than the general opposition everywhere
felt to the continuance Of the African slave
trade
BY eferencc to the acts Of 1901 and 1900 a.
gainst the slave trade generally, it will be seen
that their operation was confined to zlaues 60
non,ine. The first section Of the act Of 1894
provides
That no citizen or citizens of the United
States, or foreigner, or any other person coming
into or residing within the same shall for him
self or any other person whatsoever, either as
MASTER factor or owner, build fit or equip, load
or otherwise prepare any ship or vessel, within
any port or place of the United States, nor
shall cause any ship or vessel to sail from any
port or place within the same, for the purpose
of carrying on any trade or traffic in slaves to
any foreign country; or for the purpose Of pro-
curing from any foreign kingdom, place or coun-
try, the inhabitants OF such kingdom, place or
country to be transported to any foreign coun-
try, port or place whatever, to be sold or dispo-
scd Ofas slaves; and ifany ship or vessel shall be
so fitted out, as aforesaid, for the said purpose,
or shall be caused to- sail, so as aforesaid, every
such ship or vessel, her tackle, furniture, appa-
rel and other appurtenances, shall be forfeited to
the United States; and shall be liable to be sci.
zed, prosecuted and condemned in any of the
Circuit Courts or District Court for the dis
trict where the said ship or vessel may be found
and izcd.
The language Of the act of 1900 is the same
in this respect Both contemplate in general
terms, the prevention Of the trade in s}ages-
When, howevcr,in 1907 and subsequent there
to, Congress undertook to prevent the importa
ton ofslayes into the United States, the Ian
guage of the law was made more stringent and
comprehensive. The first section of the act oil
1903 provides, "That from and after the first
day OfJanuary, one thousand eight hundred and
eight, tshall not be lawful to import or bring
into the United States, or the territories thereof
from any foreign kingdom, place or country any
negro, nulatto or person of co'or, with intent to
hold, sell or dispose of such negro mulatto, or
person of color, as slave, on to be hell to setvce
or labor"
This law seeks not only to prevent the intro
duction into the United States of slaves from
Africa, but any negro, mulatto or person Of CO.
lor, whether introduced as slaves, or to be held
to service or labor. Whether or not the wis
dom ofour fathers foresaw at that early day
that efforts would be made, under pretended
apprentice system TO renew the slave trade TN
der another name, cannot undertake to say:
but the language of the law which they have
LEFT to us on the statute books leaves no doubt
Of the fact that they intend to provide, in the
most unequiyocal manner, against the increase
ofthat class OF population by immigration from
Africa. No one could then have contemplated
an object for which African cnigrants would be
brought into this country, which is not clearly
guarded against and forbidded by the law to
which ! am now referring. 1t is only necessary
to add that subsequent acts on the subject con-
tain the same language: This view Of the sub
icct is strengthened BY reference to the provis-
ions Of the act Of 10th February, 1903 (2,205.) )
The first section OF that act is as follows: