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AN’ ACT To prohibit the importation of Slaves into any port or place Within die juriiditticn of the Uintcd .States, Iron* ai.fl alter the lull day ol Jai.'icrjr, in the year ol our lord, one llioulaiid eight handrai and ..ght. T IK %t enacted hy thr Senate and llotute of Pi/.)i tentative* of the United Staten of Americu, ti Conipmn an nr milled, I iiat trom c.j i after the ii t bay ol January, one thousand eight hun dred an i eight, it shall not he lawful to import orbring into tlto United States or the letrito rics thereof from any foreign kingdom, place, or country, any negro, imilatto, or jx; rson of color, with imcrit to hold, sell, cr dispose of •well negro mulatto, or person oi colour, as a bl/vc, or to he held to service or labour. Sec. 2. And he it further enacted , That no citizen or citizens cl the United State';, or any other pcrs'ms, shall, from and after the first clayolJai.uaiy, in the year ol out lord one thousand eight hundred and eight, ibr himself orii cm jchcsorany other person what.-,:.-ever, c ither as master, factor, or owner, lniild, fit, equip, load err otherwise: prepare any ship or m .el in ant port or place within the jurisdic tion of tin United State *, nbr shall cause any ship or vessel to sail from r.ny port or place ■within the Hame, for the pin pose of procuring ju.t negro, mulatto or perapp of color, lrom any f ireign kingdom, piaecor country, to be trans ported to any port or place whatsoever within lac juiistiie ion ol the United States, to be held, or disposed e;f as sieves, or to be hcW to set lice or labour; and if any ship or vessel shall he so fitted out for the purpose aforesaid, < r -hall he caused to sail so as aforesaid, every ouch ship or vessel, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, sb il lie forfeited to the U, States, and shall be liable to he seized, prosecuted, and condemned in any of the < ircuit courts or dis- Itict courts, for the district where the said ship or vessel may he- found or seized. Sec. 3 .dud hr it further enacted , That all and every person so building, fitting out, equip* iug, loading, or otherwise preparing or send ing away, any ship or ves ;el, knowing or intend ing that tlie same shall lie employed in such trade or business, from and lifter the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and c.giH, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, or any ways aiding or abetting thcicin, shall severally forfeit and pav twenty thousand dollars; one moiety thereof to the tiscof the United States, and tla: other moiety to the use of any person e:r persons who shall sue for and prosecute the same to effect. Sec. 4. Aid hr it further enacted. That if any citizen or citizens of the United States, or any person resident within the jurisdiction of the s..nic, shall, from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, t.h’.e on hoard, receive, or transport frotn Afri ca, or from any other foreign kingdom, place, or country, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, in uny ship or vessel, for the purpose of selling them in any port or place v ithin the jurisdiction of the United States as slaves, or 1 i he held to service or labour, or shall he in tiny ways aiding or abetting therein, such citi zen or citizens or person shall severally forfeit anil pay . live thousand dollars, one moiety Hiereol lo the use of any person or persons who shall sue ir.’ and prosecute the same to effect, and every such ship or vessel in wliich such in ro, mulatto, or person of colour, shall have her i taken on board, received or transported a, aforesaid, her tuckcl, apparel, and the goods and effects, w hich shall be found on bouui the Haute- shail he foifeited to the United Slates, and shall be liable to be seized, prosecuted, and condemned in unv of the circuit courts or dis trict courts in the district where the said ship or \ ei> id may he found or seized. And neith er the importer n .’ any person or persons claiming from or under him shah hold anv light or title whatsoever to any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, nor to the service or labor tnercol, who may he imported or brought within the United States, or territories thereof, in viol. ni. >ii of this law, hut tin: same shall re main subject to Any regulations not contrave ning the provisions of this act. which the legis -1 ■ me oi thr several states or territories at any t” .ie hereafter may make, for disposing of any such negro, mulatto, or person of colour. See. 6 And or it further enacted , That if anv ci ‘ ’eii or citizens of the United States, or am other person resident within the jurisdiction of thr same, shall, from and after the first <tav ot January, one thousand eight hundred ami eight, contrary io the true intent and meaning of this net, lake on board any ship or vessel from u v ol Ihe coasuor kingdoms of Africa, or from any other foreign kidgdom, place or country, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, with i lent to sell him, her, or them, foi a slave or s .ves, or to be held, to service or labour, and sh .11 transport the same to any port or piece vs in the jurisdiction of the V. States, and tin c seil such negro, mulatto, or person of colour, so tr.n|>oi'ied as afore said, for a slave tube held to service or lalxmr, even such ot ic viler sli ti) Ik deemed guiltv of a high irtisile jjnMnour, and being thereof convicted before any court having competent jurisdiction, shall suffer impnsnnmeni for not more than lenvears nor Irsi ilvan five, and I* lined not exceeding ten lhot:-mil tlollars, nor less tnau one thou sand dollars. See. fi. A> Jhri: farther enacted , That if ;tnv person <>r prtvnis whatsoever, shall, front and aber i he font day of Jamau v. one tlmtisand eight hundred and right, purchase or sell any negro, iMUiatt.i, or person of colour, for a slave, or to fcf brii totr-rire or Uliour, who shall have b*. nti puctcii, . r Brought from ar,v foreign pg.ee, or ccuairy,or from the domin* ifiiw, of ar.y foreign state, nr met .lately aucin •i.-.g to the United States, into any port or place \viti,in' , the jurisdiction of the United States, after the la.,t day of December, one thousand eight hundred and seven, knowing at the time of such purchase or sale, such negro, mulatto, or [iei on of colour, was so brought within the jurisdiction of the United States, as aforesaid, such purchaser and seller shall severally for feit and pay for every negro, mulatto, or per son of colour, so purchased or sold as aforesaid eight bundled dollars; one moiety thereof to the United .States, and the other rnoicty to the use of any person or persons who shall sue for and prosecute the same to effect; Provided, That the aforesaid forfeiture, shall not extend to the seller or purchaser of any negro, mulat to, or person of colour, who tnay be sold or dis posed of in viitue of any regulation which may hereafter l>c math; by any of the legislatures of the several states in that respect in pursuance 1 this act, and the constitution of the United Suites. Sec. 7. And hr it further enacted, That if any ship or vessel shall he found, from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, in any river, port, bay, or harbour, or on the high seas, within the juris dictional limits of the United States, or hover ing on the coast thereof, having on board any negro, mulatto, or person or colour, for the purpose of selling them as slaves, or wtui intent to land the same, in any port or place within tlie jurisdiction of the United States, contrary to the prohibition of this act, every such ship or vessel, together with her tackle, apparel, and furniture, and the goods or effects which shall he found on board, the same shall be forfeited to the use of the United States, and may be seized, prosecuted, and condemned, in any court of the United States, having juris diction thereof And it shall he lawfid for the President of tin- United States, and he is here by authorised should lie deem it expedient, to cause -any of the armed vessels of the United States to be manned and employed to cruise on any part of the coast of the United States oi territories thereof, where be may judge, attempts will be made to violate the provisions of this act, and to instruct and direct the com manders ol armed vessels of the United States, to seize, take and bring into any port of the United States all such ships or vessels, and moreover to seize, take and bring into any port of the United States all ships or vessels of the United States, wheresoever found on the high sens, contravening the provisions of this act, to be proceeded against according to law, and the captain master, or commander of every such ship or vessel, so found anil seized as aforesaid, shall he deemed guilty of a high misdemeanour and shall he liable to he prosecuted before any court ol the United States having jurisdiction thereof; and being thereof convicted, shall .he fitted not excelling ten thousand dollars, and de imprisoned not less then two years, and not ex ceeding four years. And the proceeds of all ships and vessels, their tackle, append and fur niture, and the goods and effects on board of them, which shall lie so seized, prosecuted and condemned, shall he divided equally between die United States and the officers and men who shall make such seizure, take or bring the same into port for condemnation, whether such seizure be made by an armed vessel of the United States, or revenue cutters thereof, and the same shall lie distributed in like manner, as is pro vided by law, for the distribution of prizes taken lrom an enemy : Provided , that the officers and men, to be, entitled to one half of the proceeds aforesaid, shall safe keep every negro, mulatto, or person ol color, found on board any ship or vessel, so by them seized, taken, or bro’ ght into port lor condemnation, and shall deliver every such negro, mulotto,or person of colour, to such person or persons as shall he appointed by the respective states, to receive the same, and il no such person or persons shall he ap pointed by the respective states, they shall de liver every such negro, mulatto, or persons of color, to the overseers of the poor of the port or place where such ship or vessel may be brought or found, and shall immediately trans mit to the governor or chief magistrate of the suite, an account ol their proceedings, to gether with the number of such negroes, mul attoes, or persons of colour, and a descriptive list el the same, that he may give directions respecting such negroes, mulattoes or persons of colour. Sec. 8. And be it further enacted , That no captain, master or commander ofahy ship or vessel, of less burthen then forty tons, shall, lrom and after the first day ol January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, take on board and transport any negro, mulatto, or person of color to any port or place whatsoever, for the purpose of selling or disposing of the same as a slave, or with intent that the same may he void or disposed of to be held to service or la bor, on penalty of forfeiting for every such ne groc, mulatto, or person of colour,’ so taken on board and transported as aforesaid, the sum ot eight hundred dollars ; one moiety thereof, to the use of the United States, and the other moiety to any person or persons, who shall sue for, and prosecute the same to effect: Provid ed. however, that nothing in this section shall extend to prohibit the taking on board or trans porting on any river or inland bay of the sea, within the jurisdiction of the United States, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, (not im ported contrary to the provisions of this act) in any vessel or sneries of c aft whatever. • kee ft. Ar.d be it further enacted, That the captain, matter or commander of any lliipor veiTel, of thr bur then of forty tor, or more, from and after the tirlt day of January, one thousand eight iiundrrd and tailing coallwile from any port in sh.- United State-,to anv other port or place within the iurifdidion of the I .mr, having on h-ard any negro. mulatto, qj per on of colour, tor the purpose cf traefporting diem to be i fold t.r difoofed of a; (laves, cr to be fr Id to service or labtr.r, (ball, previous to the <!cf at tu. e cf such (k.p or vtffel, make out and fubferibs duplicate manifeft, if every such fiegro, mulatto or person of colt ur, on board iuch (hip or vtffel, therein fpecifyi: g the name and set of eacit pci foil, their age and (latere, as ne-r as may be, and the dafs to which they reiprdti vely he lour, whether negro, mulatto or person of colour, with the name and place of ref; den re of every owner, or (hipper of the fame, and (hall deliver inch manifests lo the collector of the port, if there he one, otherwiie to the surveyor, before whom the capta.n, mailer cr commander, together with the owner or (hipper lhali feverully swear or affirm, to the tied of their know - ledge and belief, that the person, therein fpecifitd were not imported or brought into the United States, ft cm and aftet the firft day of January, one th.oufand eight hundred and eight, and that under the law*, of the .’.ate they are held to service or labour; whereupon the laid collector or lurveyor (hall certify the lame upon the said man.(cits, one of which he (hall return to the laid cap tain, maftcr or commander, w ith a permit fpecifying thereon the number, names and general delcription of such perforin, and authoriftng him to proceed to the port of his dellination. And if any (hip or veffcl, be ing laden and dailiiiei as aforefaid, (hall depart from tlie port where (lie may then he, without the captain, mailer or commander, having firit made out and fub feribed duplicate manifelis of every negro, mulatto ar.d person of colour on board such (hip or veffe! as afore laid, and without having previoudy delivered the fame to the said collector or surveyor, and obtained a permit, in manner as herein required, or (hall, previous to her arrival at thfe port of her dellination, take on board any negro, mulatto or perion of colour, other than thefb ippeified in the man fells as aforefaid, every such (hip or vcfl’el, together with her tackle, apparel and fur niture, (hall be forfeited to the life of the United States, and tnav he seized, prefect]ted and condemned in any court ot the United States having jurifdiclion thereof And the captain, mailer or commander of every such (hip or veffelihall moreover forfeit,for everyfuch “egro, mulatto or person oi colour, io transported cr taken on board, contrary to the provisions of this act, the lum of one thoufuiid dollars; one moiety thereof to the United Matts, and the other moiety to the uie of any perion or perfuns who fliall sue for and prolecute the fame to -ffict. Sec. 10. And be it further ena&cd, That the captain, mailer cr comm.nder of every (hip or veflel, of the burthen of forty ton, or more, from and alter tlie firit of January, one thoufrml eight hu idred and eight, f.tiiing coaftwife, and having on board any negro, mu latto or pel ion cf colour, to Jell or diipofe of as Caves, or to be held to service cr labor, ar.d arriving at any port within the jurildiClion of the United States, from any othep port within the inme, (hall, previous to the unlading or p>uttmg on ihore any of the perion* afore faid, or fuffei ing them to go oil Ihore, deliver to the collector, :i there be one, or if not, to the surveyor refidir.g at the port of her arrival, the niamfeit certi fied by the colledlor or surveyor of the port from whence (lie failed, as is herein before direded ; to the truth of which, before luch officer, lie (hall lwear or affirm, and if the coiieflor or surveyor ihi.il be Crushed therewith, he (hall thereupon grant a permit lor uil ladiug or fullering such negro, mulatto or person of col,nr to be put on shore. And if the captain, mailer or commander of any luch Clip or veflei, being laden as aforefaid, (hali uegleA or refule to deliver tiie maiiifell, at the time and in the manner herein directed, or (hail land or put on fliore any negro, mulatto or perion of colour, f.,r the purpose uforelaid, before- he (ball have delivered his uiumleft as aforefaid, and obtained a pei mit for that purpose, every such captain, mailer or commander, ffiaii forfeit and pay ten thotiland dollars, one moiety thereof to the United States, the other moiety to the uie of any ptrfon or perfoas v-ho lhail lue for and prolecute the lame to effect. NATHANIEL MACON, Speaker of the House of Representatives, GEORGE CLINTON, Vice-President of the U. S. and President of the Senate. March , ISo7—Approved, THOMAS JEFFERSON, Frefider.t of the United States. •Mv r m SPEECH OF LORD HO WICK, IN THE BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS, JAN. 5, ON THE NEGOCIATION WITH FRANCE. IIIS lordship began by observing, that the papers which had been laid on the table must have by this time undergone the serious and deliberate examination ot the members of the house. It now became his duty to propose that the house, as oil similar occasions they had been accustomed to do, should in an luimbie address to his majesty, express the feelings by which they were actuated. In rising to per form his duty, it was impossible for him not to experience many painful sensations ; in the first place he felt a deep and vast regret at the failure of the efforts which had been sincerely directed towards the restoration of peace ; anil he also felt great anxiety and pain at the diffi culties which the rapid succession of disastrous events had recently thrown in the way of the acr.omplishinent of such a desirable event. But he had also painful feelings, which were more pecliuai Iy his own ; it was impossible for him not to recollect the great man who was now no more ! whose loss was to him irrepa rable as it was by the country to be lamented ! At this moment he more strongly felt the se verity of the loss, when he was called upon to detail and defend a transaction to which that it* lustrious statesman alone was equal, and to which he felt that his own powers were insuffi cient. Il any thing could support him in the execution of this task, it was his knowledge of the principles which his revered friend held on this subject, to the lust moments cf his exis tence, of the anxiety which he felt to secure, if possible, the peace and prosperity of the country. Could he trust that the general con currence of sentiment which prevailed abroad on the subject of the negociation prevailed in that house—could he trust to the impression made hy the Unanimous vote of the other house ot parliament on this occasion, his task would he easy ; but he knew well the severity of cri ticism which he had to apprehend from the lion, gentleman opposite, and the fundamental difference of opinion which existed between them on this subject. lie would endeavour, however, by a clear and detailed statement, to shew that'government had neither oh the one lu;id compronuied, in a single instance, the hm ref the crown, f 7 any iir.prefsf ernees biens or s..i ; ii-ces—nor, on ti e other, i.ijdvc ted tr.y means of concluding such a peace aa v oum be consistent w uii the in.c.csts nu p,os peri* yof the country. He v.ds net un. wait th..t it was necessary for him to shew, ti.at at me commencement of the negotiation peace \vs desirable. It always was so ; peace v.-s mo only legitimate cntl cf honourable war. ’me question rather was, had the negotiation bet a opened at a favourable time, and when it cotiicf be ieason.blv hoped that equitable terms of peace might he obtained ? Auer the failure of the third coalition, in consequence ot the un fortunate battle of Austeriitz, it could hardy be denied, that could peace have bet ii oblan,cu,‘ on terms-not in themselves dangerous, were it even hut for a temporary repose, it would luve been desirable. If on such terms desira ble, lie could not understand on what j rincipltj the terms proposed in the late ncgocfoiioii could be objected to. Recurring to Mr. box's first answer to M. Talleyrand’s original leuci, he repeated the passages which stated vfoi principle on which peace could be obtained.- Out of that principle grew these conditions t l'irst, that wu could riot treat hut in coiijunc tiqa with Use emperor cf Russia. Secondly, • that the ncgocjaiipri should be conducted on the basis of actual possession ; because a f.e‘- gocialjon to be honorable must be equal, and to be equal each party must acknowledge tne other not to be unuer the necessity of put chasing peace by concession. On the first day of U.e session, a light honorable gentleman (Mr. Canning) had stated three points,V. Rich it appeared to him to bo necessary that bivjjiia jesty’s ministers should make out. The first was that the overture for negociation had pro ceeded from the enemy ;.thc second, that the negociation had been instituted on the basis of actual possession ; and the third, that we had acted in conceit w ith our allies. As to tho first overture having been received from the enemy, that fact could scarcely he doubted - r for he did not suppose that the right hon. gen t!emm would rv cur to the fanciful supposition, tiial any pacific proposition i;.cl been made pri or to Mr. Fox’s letter lespccting the assassins-’ lion. The answer contained specific senti ments ; “but (it may be said) it proved a uif-” ferent basis ; it proposed the stipulation of tivot treaty of Amiens—True—but what was tno reply ? that that was a basis on which the; e could be no hope that the negotiation could oe conducted to a salutary end, because it was sor undefined ar.d liable to dispute that the first bu siness of the negociation must be to determine* what was the basis of that treaty iiseif.’ In ids’ answer, M. Talleyrand gives'up that basis ia. effect and almost in words, w ith an iiiroiicaUoii,; ’ that he is willing to treat on the basis 01 actual: possession. He “says, that France desires no thing of England ; that the n.egecia ion ought to be concluded yn the principle of eqiu. itv, for, as France was a great power on tlie couii— neat, so Great-Britain was a great power a? sea. Tli'e fair construction on these expres sions was, that the basis of actuai possession would be admitted ; hut let it not be supposed that he meant'to rest the case upon construct tire evidence ;’although that evidence n.foht fairly corroborate succeeding’offers of u mere direct nature, in consequence of which the nc'- gociation commenced. But the letter to which lie had alluded insisted we should treat win our allies. This Mr. Fox had once rejected, determined'not to separate their interests lrom. those of'Great-Bri.ain. In the answer to the letter in widen this rejection was contained, M. Talleyrand made use of arguments so absurd, that he would not detain the house by re view ing them. Ail his lengthened sophisms va nished before the plain reply of Mr. 10:;, in three or four lines. Any person who has read the last paragraph in Mr. Fox’s leuci ot fiu 20. h of April, must see that he thought ta® negociation at an end. Up to this period coiv-d the house wish any thing to be aitc.cd. A roaM ned gentleman had improperly, as he conceiv ed, taunted tlie present administration’ on the plainness and simplicity with which they pro fessed to negotiate.—Ect him look at .Ur. Fox’s letters, and he would there find a frank ness and unequivocal sincerity, combined v.itn, a profound and comprehensive policy, whiclr would ever immortalize that illustrious states man, and which sufficiently proved, that tho fond expectations which the country ciitci Lin ed from his unequalled genius and ivisdov.i were not disappointed. Those letters, were models of diplomatic correspondence; if ff wer© wished to hold up a contrast between the cha racter of this country ar.d the character -of France, Mr. Fox’s letters would satisfy that w fi*h. He was ’glad to find that •on this subject,- at least, there t, .is something like a general con currence of sentiment. From the2oth of A pril to the -i.h of June we heard r.o more of n'e goclation. On the 4th of June, a letter was received from M. Talleyrand, and on the same day, a noble lord arrived in England from Paris, charged with official letters from the French government. The letters proposed two'prin ciples on w hich the negociation might be fin* dertaken; anil there was an attempt to get iiil of the difficulties of a joint negociation by a reference (however mistaken) to the transac tions during the marquis of Rockingham’s -ad. ministration. But, as lie before observed, ; at the s me'lime iliac this letter was received, came, lord Yarmouth, who distinctly stated-to hix majesty’s ministers what had been conr firmed bv that noble lord hi his speech in that house, a few evenings ago, tliat he was authu ised by the French government to propose the commencement of a negociation on tho basis of actual possession. Did gentlemen t qnne tiie fact. He begged them not to iorm their judgment on the precise words m the paper written hy lord Yarmouth, which, was merely a memorandum, but to take a