Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/491



kingdom, place, or country, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, with intent to hold, sell, or dispose of, any such negro, mulatto, or person of colour, as a slave, or to be held to service or labour; and any ship, vessel, or other water craft, employed in any importation as aforesaid, shall be liable to seizure, prosecution, and forfeiture, in any district in which it may be found; one half thereof for the use of the United States, and the other half to the use of him or them who shall prosecute the same to effect.

. And be it further enacted, That no citizen or citizens of the United States, or any other person or persons, shall, after the passing of this act, as aforesaid, for himself, themselves, or any other person or persons whatsoever, either as master, factor, or owner, build, fit, equip, load, or otherwise prepare, any ship or vessel, in any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, nor cause any such ship or vessel to sail from any port or place whatsoever, within the jurisdiction of the same, for the purpose of procuring any negro, mulatto, or person or colour, from any foreign kingdom, place, or country, to be transported to any port or place whatsoever, to be held, sold, or otherwise disposed of, as slaves, to be held to service or labour; and if any ship or vessel shall be so built, fitted out, equipped, laden, or otherwise prepared, for the purpose aforesaid, every such ship or vessel, her tackle, apparel, furniture, and lading, shall be forfeited, one moiety to the use of the United States, and the other to the use of the person or persons who shall sue for said forfeiture, and prosecute the same to effect; and such ship or vessel shall be liable to be seized, prosecuted, and condemned, in any court of the United States having competent jurisdiction.

. And be it further enacted, That every person or persons so building, fitting out, equipping, loading, or otherwise preparing, or sending away, or causing any of the acts aforesaid to be done, with intent to employ such ship or vessel in such trade or business, after the passing of this act, contrary to the true intent and meaning thereof, or who shall, in any wise, be aiding or abetting therein, shall, severally, on conviction thereof, by due course of law, forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars, not less than one thousand dollars, one moiety to the use of the United States, and the other to the use of the person or persons who shall sue for such forfeiture and prosecute the same to effect, and shall moreover be imprisoned for a term not exceeding seven years, nor less than three years.

. And be it further enacted, That if any citizen or citizens of the United States, or other person or persons resident within the jurisdiction of the same, shall, from and after the passing of this act, take on board, receive, or transport, from any of the coasts or kingdoms of Africa, or from any other foreign kingdom, place, or country, or from sea, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, not being an inhabitant, nor held to service by the laws of either of the states or territories of the United States, in any ship, vessel, boat, or other water craft, for the purpose of holding, selling, or otherwise disposing of, such person as a slave, or to be held to service or labour, or be aiding or abetting therein, every such person or persons, so offending, shall, on conviction, by due course of law, severally forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding five thousand, nor less than one thousand dollars, one moiety to the use of the United States, and the other to the use of the person or persons who shall sue for such forfeiture and prosecute the same to effect, and, moreover, shall suffer imprisonment, for a term not exceeding seven years nor less than three years; and every ship or vessel, boat, or other water craft, on which such negro, mulatto, or person of colour, shall have been taken on board, received, or transported, as aforesaid, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, and the goods and effects which shall be found on board the same, or shall have been imported therein in the same voyage, shall be forfeited, one moiety to the use of the United States, and the other to the use of