The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-01-02

such importations, not exceeding ten dollars
for each person."
This provision, allowed the importation Of
slaves to continue for time; by it also con-
templated and provided for the final tcrmin-
alton Of tho trade at the end Of eighteen
years. lta
On the ODD Of March, 1874, Congress laid
the az, to the root Of the tree, and prohibited
the foreign slaye.trade. Tho English Gov
ernnent, from which VIC are 50 often said to
have learned our doctrines on this subject,
did not prohibit that trade till thirteen years
afterwards. Bear this in mind: our people
arc not IN grave matters mere apt imitators
Of foreign people and nations.
This act Of Congress declared that no cit
izen or resident Of the country, should build,
equip. or send out any ship or vessel to any
foreign country to procure tho inhabitance
thereof, or to transmit them to any foreign
place or port, to be sold or dhposed Of as
slaves. 1t also declared the vessel violating
its TERMS forfeited, and imposed penalties
upon the owner, viz, tho penalty Of 5000
for each person so taken or sold.
On the 10th of May, 1900, Congress pass
ed q further net declaring that no citizen or
resident of tho United States should own or
have any right Of property in any ship or
vessel engaged in the slave trade anywhere
upon the sea, no matter from what port or
place it might sail. II also imposed still
more severe penalties and forieitures upon
the owners Of the property; prohibited any
siilor from serving on board such vessels
and authorized our commissioned vessels to
seize any SLAYER and bring her into port for
condemnation.
On tho 9th Of March, 1907, by act Of
Congress, tho slave trade was wholly prohb.
tied from and after the first day Of January,
1908. Observe that datc. It was tho car.
liest date on which Congress had the power
to end the trade, und,r the Constitution and
they authorized tho President in that act to
employ the naval forces Of the United States
in this enforcement but the statue, did not
prohibit tho trade between the states.
Up to this time the law provided for its
enforcement by fines and forfeitures Of prop.
erty and money.
On the Goth Of April, 1918, statue was
passed undor xhish>k Che yessel engaged 1n the
trade waS declared forfeited. and penhlty Of
from one to five thousand dollars was imposed
upon the party fting her out and this fur.
thcr penalty was added; He "shaH moro
ouer be imprisoned for term NOT ereeediny
seren years nor less than three years." The po-
cuniary penalty under this act for importing
negroes into tho U. S, to bo held in slavery
was $4,000 and tho like imprisonment Of
from thaee to seven years.
Anather act was passed on the Sd Of March,
1919, for tho moro efficient suppression Of
the trade.
BY statue passed on the 18th Of May, Is-
20, the slave trade was declared piracy, and
tho act of OBTAINING negroes or mulattocs
with the intent to mako them slaves, was
denounced as an act Of piracy; and II was
solemnly provided by tho law that any person
whatever who should engage in that trade,
or assist in detaining such persons with tho
intent to make them slaves, should be judged
pirate, and as such shall suffer death.
If the introduction Of slavery bc crimo
against humanity worthy of death, ought its
preservation to bo madc special object Of
solicitudo, in the midst Of civil war set on
foot to make II permanent. Independent.