Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/387



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all commercial intercourse between any person or persons resident within the United States, and any person or persons resident within any part of the island of St. Domingo, not in possession, and under the acknowledged government of France, shall be, and is hereby prohibited; and any ship or vessel, owned, hired or employed, wholly or in part, by any person or persons resident within the United States, and sailing from any port of the United States, after due notice of this act at custom-houses, respectively, which contrary to the intent hereof, shall be voluntarily carried; or shall be destined to proceed, whether directly, or from any intermediate port or place, to any port or place within the island of St. Domingo, and not in possession, and under the acknowledged government of France; and also any cargo which shall be found on board of such ship or vessel, when detected and interrupted in such unlawful purpose, or at her return from such voyage, to the United States, shall be wholly forfeited, and may be seized and condemned in any court of the United States having competent jurisdiction.

. And be it further enacted, That after due notice of this act at the several custom-houses, no ship or vessel whatever shall receive a clearance for any port or place within the island of St. Domingo, and not in the actual possession of France: nor shall any clearance be granted for a foreign voyage to any ship or vessel, owned, hired, or employed, wholly or in part, by any person or persons, resident within the United States, until the owner or the employer for the voyage, or his factor or agent, with the master, shall give bond to the United States, in a sum equal to the value of the vessel and of her cargo, with condition that the ship or vessel, for which a clearance shall be required, is destined to some port or place without the limits of such part of the island of St. Domingo, as shall not be in the actual possession, and under the acknowledged government of France, and during the intended voyage shall not be voluntarily carried, or permitted to proceed, whether directly or from any intermediate port or place, to any port or place within such part of the island of St. Domingo, as shall not be in the actual possession, and under the acknowledged government of France; and in case of being forced by any casualty into any port or place hereby interdicted, shall not, at any such port or place, voluntarily sell, deliver, or unlade any part of such cargo, except so much as may be absolutely necessary to defray the expenses requisite to enable such vessel to proceed on her intended voyage; and generally, that such ship or vessel, whilst on such voyage, shall not be employed in any traffic or commerce, with or for any person resident within any part of the island of St. Domingo, not in the actual possession, and under the acknowledged government of France.

. And be it further enacted, That all penalties and forfeitures incurred by force of this act, and which may be recovered, shall be distributed and accounted for, in the manner prescribed by the act, intituled “,” passed the second day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, and may be mitigated or remitted in the manner prescribed by the act, intituled “;” passed the third of March, one thousand seven hundred