of the armed vessels of the United States to be imployed to cruize on any of the coasts of the United States, or territories thereof, or on the coast of Africa, or elsewhere, where he may judge attempts may be made to carry on the slave trade by citizens or residents of the United States, in contravention of the acts of congress prohibiting the same, and to instruct and direct the commanders of all armed vesssls of the United States, to seize, take, and bring into any port of the United States, all ships or vessels of the United States, wheresoever found, which may have taken on board, or which may be intended for the purpose of taking on board, or of transporting, or may have transported, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, in violation of any of the provisions of the act, entitled "An act in addition to an act to ́prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, from and after the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight, and to repeal certain parts of the same:" or of any other act or acts prohibiting the traffic in slaves, to be proceeded against according to law: And the proceeds of all ships and vessels, their tackle, apparel, and furniture, and the goods and effects on board of them, which shall be so seized, prosecuted, and condemned, shall be divided equally between the United States and the officers and men who shall seize, take, or bring, the same into port for condemnation, whether such seizure be made by an armed vessel of the United States or revenue cutter thereof: And the same shall be distributed in like manner as is provided by law for the distribution of prizes taken from an enemy. Privided, That the officers and men, to be entitled to one-half of the proceeds aforesaid shall safe keep every negro, mulatto, or person of colour, found on board of any ship or vessel so seized, taken, or brought into port, for condemnation, and shall deliver every such negro, mulatto, or person of colour, to the marshal of the district into which they are brought, if into a port of the United States, or, if elsewhere, to such person or persons as shall be lawfully appointed by the president of the United States, in the manner hereinafter directed, transmitting to the president of the United States, as soon as may be, after such delivery, a descriptive list of such negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, that he may give directions for the disposal of them. And provided further, That the commanders of such commissioned vessels do cause to be apprehended, and taken into custody, every person found on board of such vessel, so seized and taken, being of the officers or crew thereof, and him or them convey, as soon as conveniently may be, to the civil authority of the United States, to be proceeded against, in due course of law, in some of the districts thereof.

SEC. 2. That the president of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to make such regulations and arrangements as he may deem expedient, for the safe-keeping, support, and removal beyond the limits of the United States, of all such negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, as may be so delivered and brought within their jurisdiction; and to appoint a

proper person or persons, residing upon the coast of Africa, as agent or agents for receiving the negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, delivered from on board vessels, seized in the prosecution of the slave trade, by commanders of the United States' armed vessels.

SEC. 3. That a bounty of twenty-five dollars be paid to the officers and crews of the comissioned vessels of the United States, or revenue cutters, for each and every negro, mulatto, or person of colour, who shall have been, as hereinbefore provided, delivered to the marshal or agent duly appointed to receive them: And the secretary of the treasury is hereby authorized and required to pay, or cause to be paid, to such officer and crews, or their agent, the aforesaid bounty, for each person delivered as aforesaid.

SEC. 4. That when any citizen, or other person, shall lodge information, with the attorney for the district of any state or territory, as the cause may be, that any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, has been imported therein, contrary to the provisions of the acts in such case made and provided, it shall be the duty of the said attorney forthwith to commence a prosecu tion, by information; and process shall issue against the person charged with holding such negro, negroes, mulatto, mulattoes, person or persons of colour, so alleged to be imported contrary to the provisions of the acts aforesaid: And if, upon the return of the process executed, it shall be ascertained, by the verdict of the jury, that such negro, negroes, mulatto, mulattoes, person, or persons of colour, have been brought in, contrary to the true intent of the meaning of the acts in such cases made and provided, then the court shall direct the marshal of the said district to take the said negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, into his custody, for safe keeping, subject to the orders of the president of the United States; and the informer or informers, who shall have lodged the information, shall be entitled to receive, over and above the portion of the penalties accruing to him or them by the provisions of the acts in such case made and provided, a bounty of fifty dollars, for each and every negro, mulatto, or person of colour, who shall have been delivered into the custody of the marshal; and the secretary of the treasury is hereby authorized and required to pay, or cause to be paid, the aforesaid bounty, upon the certificate of the clerk of the court for the district where the prosecution may have been had, with the seal of office thereto annexed, stating the number of negroes, mulattoes, or persons of colour, so delivered.

SEC. 5. That it shall be the duty of the commander of any armed vessel of the United States, whenever he shall make any capture under the provi. sions of this act, to bring the vessel and her cargo, for adjudication, into some of the ports of the state or territory to which such vessel, so captured, shall belong, if he can ascertain the same; if not, then to be sent into any convenient port of the United States.

SEC. 6. That all such acts, or parts of acts, as may be repugnant to the provisions of this act, shall be, and the same are hereby, repealed.

SEC. 7. That a sum, not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated to carry this law into effect.

No. 21.-An act making an appropriation for the suppression of the slave trade.

[Act of May 24, 1828.]

SEO. 1. Be it enacted, That the sum of thirty thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated, to be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the suppression of the slave trade, pursuant to the act of congress of the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and nineteen.

No. 22.-An act more effectually to provide for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States and for other purposes.

[Act of March 3, 1825.]

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, That, if any person or persons, upon the high seas, or in any arm of the sea, or in any river, haven, creek, basin, or bay, within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, and out of the jurisdiction of any particular state, shall commit the crime of wilful murder, or rape, or shall, wilfully and maliciously, strike, stab, wound, poison, or shoot at, any other person, of which striking, stabbing, wounding, poisoning, or shooting, such person shall afterwards die, upon land, within or without the United States, every person so offending, his or her counsellors, aiders, or abettors, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, upon conviction thereof, suffer death.

SEC. 5. That, if any offence shall be committed on board of any ship or vessel, belonging to any citizen or citizens of the United States, while lying in a port or place within the jurisdiction of any foreign state or sovereign, by any person belonging to the company of said ship, or any passenger, on any other person belonging to the company of said ship, or any other passenger, the same offence shall be cognizable and punishable by the proper circuit court of the United States, in the same way and manner, and under the same circumstances, as if said offence had been committed on board of such ship or vessel on the high seas, and without the jurisdiction of such foreign sovereign or state: Provided, always, That, if such offender shall be tried for such offence, and acquitted or convicted thereof, in any competent court of such foreign state or sovereign, he shall not be subject to another trial in any court of the United States.

SEC. 6. That, if any person or persons, upon the high seas, or in any arm of the sea, or in any river, haven, creek, basin, or bay, within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, and out of the jurisdiction of any particular state, shall, by surprise, or by open force or violence, maliciously attack, or set upon, any ship or vessel belonging in whole or part, to the United States, or to any citizen or citizens thereof,

or to any other person whatsoever, with an intent unlawfully to plunder the same ship or vessel, or to despoil any owner or owners thereof of any moneys, goods, or merchandize, laden on board thereof, every person so offending, his or her counsellors, aiders, or abettors, shall be deemed guilty of felony; and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceed. ing five thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labour, not exceeding ten years, according to the aggravation of the of fence.

SEC. 7. If any person or persons, upon the high seas, or in any other of the places aforesaid, with intent to kill, rob, steal, commit rape, or to do or perpetrate any other felony, shall break or enter any ship or vessel, boat, or raft; or if any person or persons shall, wilfully and maliciously, cut, spoil, or destroy, any cordage, cable, buoys, buoy-rope, headfast, or other fast, fixed to any anchor or moorings, belonging to any ship, vessel, boat, or raft, every person so offending, his or her counsellors, aiders and abet tors, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding one thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labour, not exceeding five years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

SEC. 8. If any person or persons, upon the high seas, or in any of the places aforesaid, shall buy, receive, or conceal, or aid in concealing any money, goods, bank notes, or other effects or things which may be the subject of larceny, which have been feloniously taken or stolen, from any other person, knowing the same to have been taken or stolen, every person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and may be prosecuted therefor, although the principal offender chargeable, or charged with the larceny, shall not have been prosecuted or convicted thereof; and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding one thousand dollars, and imprisonment and confinement to hard labour, not exceeding three years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

SEC. 9. If any person or persons shall plunder, steal, or destroy, any money, goods, merchandize, or other effects, from or belonging to any ship or vessel, or boat, or raft, which shall be in distress, or which shall be wrecked, lost, stranded, or cast away, upon the sea, or upon any reef, shoal, bank, or rocks of the sea, or in any other place within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, or if any person or persons shall wilfully obstruct the escape of any person endeavouring to save his or her life from such ship, or vessel, boat, or raft, or the wreck thereof, or if any person or persons shall hold out or show any false light, or lights, or extinguish any true light, with intention to bring any ship or vessel, boat, or raft, being or sailing upon the sea, into danger, or distress, or shipwreck, every person, so offending, his or her counsellors, aiders, and abettors, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by

fine, not exceeding five thousand dollars, and imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding ten years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

SEC. 10. If any master or commander of any ship or vessel, belonging, in whole, or in part, to any citizen or citizens of the United States, shall, during his being abroad, maliciously, and without justifiable cause, force any officer, or mariner, of such ship or vessel, on shore, leave him behind, in any foreign port or place, or refuse to bring home again all such of the officers and mariners, of such ship or vessel, whom he carried out with him, as are in a condition to return, and willing to return, when he shall be ready to proceed on his homeward voyage, every master or commander, so offending, shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment, not exceeding six months, according to the aggravation of the offence.

SEC. 11. If any person or persons, shall, wilfully and maliciously, set on fire, or burn, or otherwise destroy, or cause to be set on fire, or burnt, or otherwise destroyed, or aid, procure, abet, or assist in setting on fire, or burning or otherwise destroying, any ship or vessel of war of the United States, afloat on the high seas, or in any arm of the sea, or in any river, haven, creek, basin, or bay, within the admiralty jurisdiction of the United States, and out of the jurisdiction of any particular state, every person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, suffer death: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to take away or impair the right of any court martial to punish any offence, which, by the laws of the United States, may be punishable by such court.

SEC. 12. If any officer of the United States shall be guilty of extortion, under or by colour of his office, every person so offending shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment, not exceeding one year, according to the aggravation of the offence.

SEC. 13. If any person, in any case, matter, hearing, or other proceeding, when an oath or affiramation shall be required to be taken or administered under or by any law or laws of the United States, shall, upon the tak. ing of such oath or affirmation, knowingly and wilfully swear or affirm falsely, every person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of perjury, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding two thousand dol lars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labour, not exceeding five years, according to the aggravation of the offence. And if any person or persons shall knowingly or willingly procure any such perjury to be committed, every person so offending, shall be deemed guilty of subornation of perjury, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to