Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/267

 it went to the commons. On the 20th counsel were heard against it. On the 23d a debate ensued; and it was finally carried by the vast majority of 283 to 1G. On the 6th of March the blanks were filled up. It provided that no vessel should clear out for slaves from any port in the British dominions after May 1, 1807, and that no slave should be lauded in the British colonies after March 1, 1808. The bill was sent back to the lords, with the blanks filled up; and in consequence of various amendments, it passed and repassed from one house to the other. On the 24th it passed both houses, and on the 25th it received the royal assent.

Thus passed, after twenty years' hard struggle, during which the field had been disputed inch by inch, this "magna charta for Africa in Britain." The news of the event was received with demonstrations of joy throughout the kingdom, and this joy was heightened by authentic news from the United States that a similar law had been passed by congress.

At first the only punishment for continuing the traffic, now declared illegal, was a penalty in money; but this was found so utterly insufficient, that in 1811 an act was carried by Lord Brougham, making slave-dealing felony, punishable by transportation for fourteen years, or imprisonment with hard labor. Even this was found inadequate, and in 1824 the slave-trade was declared to be piracy, and the punishment death. In 1837, when the number of capital offenses was diminished, the punishment was changed to transportation for life.

On the 28th of August, 1833, England abolished slavery throughout the British colonies, (3 and 4 William IV.) and £20,000,000 were granted by parliament as indemnification to the slave proprietors and other pecuniary sufferers by the act. By this act 770,280 slaves became free.

Although the United States have never relieved themselves from the burden of slavery, they were the first to prohibit the prosecution of the slave-trade. In the year 1794, it was enacted that no person in the United States should fit out any vessel there for the purpose of carrying on any traffic in slaves to any foreign country, or for procuring from any foreign country the inhabitants thereof, to be disposed of as slaves. In 1800 it was enacted that it should be unlawful for any citizen of the United States to have any property in any vessel employed in transporting slaves from one foreign country to another, or to serve on board any vessel so employed. Any of the commissioned vessels of the United States were authorized to seize and take any vessel employed in the slave-trade, to be proceeded against in any of the circuit or district courts, and to be condemned for the use of the officers and crew of the vessel making the capture. In 1807, it was enacted, that after the first of January, 1808, it should not be lawful to bring into the United States, or the territories thereof, from any foreign place, any negro, mulatto, or person of color, with intent to hold or sell him as a slave; and heavy penalties are imposed on the violators of these acts, and others of similar import. In 1820, it was enacted, that if any citizen of the United States, belonging to the company of any foreign vessel engaged in the slave-trade, or any person whatever belonging to the company of any vessel, owned in whole or in part by, or navigated for any