Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-03-07
sou,h.rn Congress.

Southern Congress-
an Act Relation to the Saue Trade and TO punish per-
sons offending therein
Sec l. The Congress Of the Confederate States of Amer
lea do enact that SHALL directly or incorrectly I'M
mort or bring whatsoever into the
States the Territories thereof from
place country (oher than the states OF the
mulao cooe person of color with intent to hold SELL
dispose Of such negro mulatto cooe or person OF
length of ne whatever and any ship vessel or Water
craft employed in any aforesaid shall pc
to and forfeiture district men
may found, half thereof after Ie payment OF al
expenses the of the states and the oh
er half him them who shall prosecute the
SEC No citizen of the Confederate States any other
person or persons shall for himself other person. either
as master owner, build it, equip load or other
wise % % or any ptss
such ship vessel to sail from port place
within the jurisdiction of the same for the purpose OF pro
curing any negro muatto cooe person OF color from
any foreign Kingdom place or country Except as
to be to any port or I've he S
service labor And if any ship or vessel snail De SO
built fitted out equipped, laden or otherwise or
purpose aforesaid such ship or vessel her TACKLE
apparel furniture and adng shall be forfeited one mo'ey
after the payment of all expenses to the use OF ne
crate other the such person as sna
for said forfeiture and prosecute the same 70 enect III
any court of the Confederate States.
SEC g. Any person violating the lst section OF tns Ac
any provisions thereof aiding or abettng others 10
the violation thereof on conviction thero shall pc
ed by Imprisonment in the pentenary common jai-f
there be pententary of the State where the Gonvcon
be had where by the laws of the state snch penen
such other place as NAV be proved by law for
less than ten longer than twenty and soa more
ued the court not less than
thousand more than five thousand dollars ana
any person within the Confederate States SHALL knowingly
purchase receive conceal aid and assist IN
conceang removing mulato cooe or person
of color SO illegally imported as aforesaid such person snail
be guilty of a high msdemeanOr. and on CONVICTION shall
be punished by fine not less than one thousand d0Lars
and not exceeding five thousand dollars For al GenHes
gay imported sold, purchased received concealed or
removed knowingly aforesaid, shall be held and con-
siCered a separate offence.
which such negro muatto cooe or person color shall
taken board received transported as atore
said her tackle apparel furniture and adlng shall be Tor
eited moety to the states and he other
the inormer And all negroes muattoes, coolies, or
persons of color illegally imported aforess shall be
arrested and held the officers of The Confederate States
to be disposed Of as hereinafter directed.
SEC s. Every violating the provisions or any one
of hem of the second section of this shall be guilty
high msdemeanor conviction shall be punished by
imprisonment before provided not exceeding hve years.
and fine not less than thousand nor more than ten
thousand dollars
SEC Every negro illegally imported aforesaid into
the Confederate States shall be arrested by the Marshal or
his deputies officer Of the said States charged IN any
with the execution of this Act and shall be safely
kept subject to the disposition hereinafter provided And
the sad officer shall Immediately notify the President OF the
Conederacy of any such arrest and confinement The
President shall possible, communicsts with the
Governor of the State whence the vessel in which SUCH ne
imported cleared the same be one OF the UNI
ted States of America and shall offer to deliver such
groes to said State receiving guarantee from such
State that the said shall enjoy the rights and priv
eges of eemen in such State any other State of the
United States that said negroes shall be transport
ed to Africa and there placed at liberty free OF expense
to the Government If such proposition be rejected or
the contingencies specified above shall not have arrived
the President shall receive any propositions which may be
made by responsible surety who will furnish
satisfactory guaranty that such negroes will be transported
to Africa aud there placed at liberty free of expense to
this Government. And if such proposition shall be made
within reasonable time the President shall said
to be sold at public cutlery to the highest bidder IN
any Of the States where such sale shall not be ncons
tent with the thereof under such regulations he may
PRESCRIBE the proceeds of which SALE after paying all the
expenses incurred by the Government in the capture deten
ton and sale of such negroes and in the OF the
onehaf to the normer Of lie be bona tide such) and the
other halt into the Treasury of the Confederate States
SEC. T. All proceedings under this Act and all offences
against its provisions shall be had and prosecuted IN the
District Court of the Confederate States held in the State
in which, the waters adjacent to which, the
into whose port the vessel may be carried and
wrts processes AID other mandates issued from such
courts Shall run and be enforced IN State OF this
federacy by the Marshal his deputy of the District which
such State shall compose and in the execution of this Act
any Marshal or deputy may summon as his posse any c
citizens of the Confederate States.
SEC g. All proceedings for offences committed against
the provisions of this Act f0rteures incurred by the
same, shall be barred unless commenced within five years
from the time the same were committed or occurred or
from the time OF the discovery of the
SEC g. No transfers of title innocent purchase with
without notice, without value shall interfere with
such tOrteures but the shall be declared at the in
stance OF nfOrmer. On such
secutor shall be required aege the
the vessel in which the illegal importation made, nor
the name OF the MASTER consgnee the
from whom the negro purchased but shall only be
qured to satisfy the jury that such has illegally
imported and all such trials the person having such
negro possession shall compelled to produce such
in court for the personal inspection of the jury
failure to comply with the order of the court for such pro-
ducton judgment of forfeiture shall go of course unless
satisfactory for such failure offered the
SEC 10. All Other laws the subject be and the
same are hereby repealed.