Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/585



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the act of the twenty-eighth of March, one thousand eight hundred and six, entituled “,” be and the same is hereby continued in force from the passage of this act for five years, and thence to the end of the next session of Congress thereafter, and no longer.

, June 15, 1809.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That after the adjournment of the present session, the next meeting of Congress shall be on the fourth Monday of November next.

, June 24, 1809.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to remit any penalty or forfeiture which may have been incurred in consequence of the violation of any of the provisions of the act, entituled “,” by any person who may have been concerned in bringing into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, any slave or slaves, owned by any person or persons, who shall have been forcibly expelled from the island of Cuba, by order of the government thereof: and the President of the United States is hereby further authorized to release all vessels and other effects, which may have been or may hereafter be seized therefor: Provided, that he shall be first satisfied in every case, that the person thus concerned in bringing in such slave or slaves as aforesaid, was impelled thereto, by circumstances which, in the judgment of the President of the United States, would justify the act; and without any intention on the part of such person voluntarily to evade any of the provisions of the act aforesaid: And provided also, that such slave or slaves shall have been brought into the United States in the same vessel and at the same time as their owner or owners respectively.

. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to make any arrangement with the minister plenipotentiary of France, which he may deem necessary and proper for transporting such of the unfortunate exiles from the said island of Cuba, with their effects, as shall desire to depart from the United States to any port or place within the territories of France, her colonies or dependencies, any law to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided, that the vessels transporting the same shall depart only in ballast, and without taking on board any other cargo than such sea