The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-06-17
SLAVE TRADE AND AFRICAN APPRENTICES.
Important Letter from the Secretary of the
Treasury.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, May %, 1853.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Iudy IL, 1905.
SIR: 1t appears from your letter of the goth
of April, 1858, that application has been made
to you by Messrs. Z LATTE & Co., merchants,
of Charleston, S. c., to clear the American
ship Richard Golden, w. f. Black, master,
burden $50 81 95 tons, for the coast of Africa,
for The purpose Of taking on board african
emIgrdntS, IN accordance acuh the United
States passenger lars and returning Nth the
same to a port in the United States.
You ask the opinion of the Department upon
the propriety of your 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 q proper examination.
The forni in which this application is pre-
scented, involves the question in some embar-
rassment. The object of the applicants must
be either to import Africans, to be disposed Of
IS slaves, or to be bound TO labor or service,
or else to bring them into the country like
other emigrants, to be entitled on their arrival
to all the rights and privileges of freemen. In
either OF the two frst-named contingencies, the
object would be 80 clearly and manifestly
gairst the laws Of the United States, as to
leave no room fer doubt or hesitation. deem
1t proper, however, to call your attention to the
provisiors of thoee laws. as they indicate verT
clearly the general pei CT of the Governme MT
on the subject of African importation. =
PrIcr 10 the lst of January, 1903, the time
fixed by the Constitution when Congress would
be author zed to prohibit such Importation,
the acts of March 2, 1894, (l,347,) and May
10, $500, u 7O,} were passed. These laws
indicate the strong opposition felt at that time
20 the African slave trade. The subsequent
act of March 2, 1907, (2,426,) and April 20,
1918, (3,45O,) as well as the acts of March 3,
1919, 1882 and May l5, 1920, (3. 6O0,) show
not only the promptness with which the power
was exercised by Congress, Of prohibiting this
trade 10 the United States, but they also bear
evidence of the stern purpose of enforcing their
provisions by severe penalties and large ex-
penditures. The legislation of the slaveholding
States priorfto 1903 exhibits the fact that the
first steps taken for its suppression were inau.
gurated by them.
There is no subject upon which the statute
books of our country afford more conclusive
evidence than the general opposition every
where felt to the continuance of the African
slave trade.
By reference to the acts of 1894 and 1900
against the slave trade generally, it will be seen
that their operation was confined to slares 60
aomine. The first section Of the act of 1894
PROVIDE
That no citizen or citizens of the United
States, or foreigner, or any other person CON-
ing into or residing within the same, shall for
himself or any other person whatsoever, either
as master factor, owner, build, fit, equip load,
or otherwise prepare, any ship or vessel, within
any port or place of the said Unite1 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 sldres to
any foreign country; or for the purpose of pro-
curing, from any foreign kingdom, place, or
country, the inhabitants of such kingdom, place,
or country, to be transported to any foreign
country, port, or place, wha' ever, to be sold or
disposed Of as SLAVES and if any ship or vessel
shall be 80 fitted out, as aforesaid, for the said
purposes, shall be caused to sail, 80 as afore-
said, every such ship or vessel, her tackle, furni
| ture, apparel, and other sppurtenances, shall be
forfeited to the United States, and shall be liable
| to be seized, prosecuted, ard condemned, in any
If the Circuit Courts or District Court for the
district where the said ship or vessel may be
found and stized"
The language of the act of 1890 ia the same
in this respect. Both contemplate, in general
terms, the prevention of the trade in sldres
When, however, in 1907, and subsequent there
u, Congress undertook to prevent the importa
ton of slaves into the United States, the Ian
cnaee of tie law was made more stringent and
comprehensive. The first section ct the &C
,f 1897 provides, "That from and after tht
FIRST day of January, one thousand eight hun