The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-06-16
The Slave Trade and African APP
pentices.
Important Letter From the ecreta-
ry of the Treasury.
Treasury DEPARTMENT, May %, 1858.

Sir: 1t appears from your~letIer vi
the goth of April, 1858, that application
has been made to you by Messrs. b. La
s. Co., merchants of Charleston, S.
c., to clear the American ship Richard
Golden, W. +. Black, master, burden
$50 3l-95 tons, for the Coast of Africa,
for the purpose of taking OF board Afri-
can emigrants, in accordance with the
United States passenger laws, and re-
returning with them TO the same port IN
the United States.
You ask the opinion of the Depart
ment upon the propriety of your grant
ing or refusing the application.
The question is an important one, and
I have delayed an answer to your letter
until 1 could give the subject a proper
examination.
The form in which this application is
presented, involves the question in some
embarrassment. The object Of the ap-
p~licauts must be either to import Afri-
cans, to be di POSED of as slaves, or to be
bound to labor or service, or else to bring
them into the country like other emf
grants to be entitled on their arrival to
all the rights and privileges of freemen-
I deem it roper, however, to call your
attention TO the provisionsof those laws,
as they indicate very clearly the gener-
al policy of the government Cd the sub
ject of African importation.
Prior to the LIST of January, lSO0, the
time fixed by the Constitution when Con
gross would be authorized to PROHIBIT
such Importation. the acts of March 2,
1894, Q.3470 and May 10th, 1900,
2,7O,0 were passed. These laws indi-
cate the strong opposition felt at that
time to the African slave-trade. The
subsequent act of March 2, 1907, e 1861
and April 90, 1918, Is 450,) as we'll as
the acts of March 3, 1919, e 532, and
Nav Is, 1920, 6 600) show not only
tho promptness with which the power
was exercised by Congress, Of prohibit
ingt this trade to the United States, but
thew also bear evidence of the stern pur-
pose of enforcing their provisions by Sc
we're penalties and large expenditures
The Legislation of the s~laveholdlng
States prior to 1868, exhibits the fact
that the first steps taken for its suppress
sion we're inaugurated by them.
There is no subject upon which the
statute books of our country afford more
conclusive evidence than the general op-
position everywhere felt to the eontinu-
anee of the African slave trade.
By rel, to the acts of 1894 and
1900 against the slave trade generally,
it will be seen that their operation was
confined TO slaves go nomine. The hrst
section of the act of 1894 provides
THAT no citizen or citizens OF the Uni
ted States, or foreigner, or any other
person coming into or residing within the
same, shall for himself or any other per,
son whatsoever, either as master, factor
or owner, build, fit, equip, load OF 9TH
erwise prepare any hip or vesse., within
any port or place of the United States,
nor shall cause any ship OF vessel to sail
from any port or place within the same,
for the purpose of carrying on any trade
or traffic an SLAVES to any foreign ceun-
try; or for the purpose of procuring from
any foreign kingdom, place or country, to
be transported to any for"ign country,
port, or place whatever, to be sold OF
| disposed of as SLAVES ; and if any 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, apparel
and other appurtenances, shall be for
feited to the United States; and shall be
liable to be seized, prosecuted and con-
iemned in any of the Circuit Courts, OF
District Cou,t for the District where the
said ship or vessel may be found and
seized"
The language of the act of 1900 is the
same in this respect. Both contemplate.
in general terms, the prevention of the
trade in szavcs. When, however, il
1907, and subsequent thereto, Congress
undertook to prevent the importation Of
slaves into the United States, tho Ian
guage of the law was made more strin'
gent and comprehensive. The first sec
ton of the act of 1907 provides, "Tha'
from and after the first day of January,
one thousand eight hundred and eight. il
shall not be lawful to import or bring ln'
to the United States, or the territories
thereof, from any foreign kingdom, place
oPcountry, any negro, mulatto, or per
! son of color, with intent to hold, sell OF
| dispose of such negro, mulatto, or per,
son of color, as a slave, or to be helG t6
service or labor"
l. Ills INV 6CGh6 NV OhAJ
introduction into the United States Of
slaves from Africa, but any negro, mulat'
to, or person of color, whether introduce
| ed as slaves, or to be held to service OIL
labor. Whether or not the wisdom o.
our fathers foresaw at that early day
that efforts would be made, under a pre-.
tended apprentice system to renew the
slave trade under another name,I can
not undertake to say; bat the language
of the law which they have left to US on
the statute book, leaves no doubt of the
fact that they intend to provide, in the
most unequivocal manner, against the
increase of that class of population By
immigration from Africa. No one could
then have contemplated an object fol-
which African emigrants would bt
brought to this country, which is moi
clearly guarded against and forbidden BY
the law to which 1 am now referring
1t is only necessary to add that subse
auent acts on the subject contain tn
same language. This view of the sub
iectis strengthened by reference to tn,
provisions of the act of 25th February
1903, e 2O5.} The first section Of tina
act is as follows :
"That from and after the first day o
April next, no master or captain OF an
ship or vessel, or any other person, shall
import or bring, or cause to be import
ed or brought any negro, mulatto, o
other person of color, not being a ma
tive, citizen, or registered seaman of tn