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person of color, to the marshal of the district into which he may be brought, if into a port of the United States, or if elsewhere, to such person as may be lawfully appointed by the President, in the manner directed by law; transmitting to the President, as soon as may be after such delivery, a descriptive list of such negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, in order that he may give directions for the disposal of them.

The commanders of such commissioned vessels shall R. S., 5560. cause to be apprehended, and taken into custody, every person found on board of such offending vessel, so seized and taken, being of the officers or crew thereof, and him convey, as soon as conveniently may be, to the civil authority of the United States, to be proceeded against in due course of law.

The President is authorized to make such regulations and R. S., 5561. 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 color, as may be delivered and brought within their jurisdiction; and to appoint a proper person residing upon the coast of Africa as agent, for receiving the negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color delivered from on board vessels seized in the prosecution of the slave-trade, by commanders of United States armed vessels.

A bounty of twenty-five dollars shall be paid to the offi- R. S., 5562. cers and crews of the commissioned vessels of the United States, or revenue-cutters, for each negro, mulatto, or person of color, who may be, as hereinbefore provided, delivered to the marshal or agent duly appointed to receive such person; and the Secretary of the Treasury is required to pay, or cause to be paid, to such officers and crews, or their agent, such bounty for each person so delivered.

It shall be the duty of the commander of any armed R. S., 5563. vessel of the United States, whenever he makes any capture under the preceding provisions, 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 may belong, if he can ascertain the same; if not, then to be sent into any convenient port of the United States.

Every owner, master, or factor of any foreign vessel, R. S., 5564. clearing out for any of the coasts or kingdoms of Africa, or suspected to be intended for the slave-trade, and the suspicion being declared to the officer of the customs by any citizen, on oath, and such information being to the satisfaction of the officer, shall first give bond with sufficient sureties, to the Treasurer of the United States, that none of the natives of Africa, or any other foreign country or place, shall be taken on board such vessel, to be transported or sold as slaves, in any other foreign port or place whatever, within nine months thereafter.

The forfeitures which may hereafter be incurred under R. S., 5565. any of the preceding provisions, and which are not otherwise expressly disposed of, shall accrue and be one moiety

R. S., 5566.

R. S., 5567.

R. S., 5568.

R. S., 5569.

thereof to the use of the informer and the other moiety to the use of the United States, except where the prosecution is first instituted on behalf of the United States in which case the whole shall be to their use.

It may be lawful for the President to enter into contract with any person, society, or body-corporate, for a term not exceeding five years, to receive from the United States, through their duly constituted agent upon the coast of Africa, all negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, delivered from on board vessels seized in the prosecution of the slavetrade, by commanders of the United States armed vessels, and to provide such negroes, mulattoes, and persons of color with comfortable clothing, shelter, and provisions, for a period not exceeding one year from the date of their being landed on the coast of Africa, at a price in no case to exceed one hundred dollars for each person so clothed, sheltered, and provided with food; and any contract so made may be renewed by the President from time to time as found necessary, for periods not to exceed five years on each renewal.

The President is authorized to issue instructions to the commanders of the armed vessels of the United States, directing them, whenever it is practicable, and under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, to proceed directly to the coast of Africa, and there hand over to the agent of the United States all négroes, mulattoes, and persons of color delivered from on board vessels seized in the prosecution of the slave trade; and they shall afterward bring the captured vessels and persons engaged in prosecuting such trade to the United States for trial and adjudication.

It may be lawful for the President to enter into arrangement, by contract or otherwise, with one or more foreign governments having possessions in the West Indies or other tropical regions, or with their duly constituted agent, to receive from the United States, for a term not exceeding five years, at such place as may be agreed upon, all negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, delivered from on board vessels seized in the prosecution of the slave-trade, by commanders of United States armed vessels, and to provide them with suitable instruction, and with comfortable clothing and shelter, and to employ them, at wages under such regulations as may be agreed upon, for a period not exceeding five years from the date of their being landed at the place agreed upon.

The President is authorized to issue instructions to the commanders of the armed vessels of the United States, directing them, whenever it is practicable, and under such regulations as he may prescribe, to proceed directly to such place as shall have been agreed upon with any foreign gov. ment, or its duly constituted agent, under the provisions of the preceding section, and there deliver to the duly constituted authorities or agents of such foreign government all negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color, taken from on board vessels seized in the prosecution of the slave trade; and they shall afterward bring the vessel and persons

engaged in prosecuting such trade to the United States for trial and adjudication.

Every person who, being of the crew or ship's company R. S., 5375. of any foreign vessel engaged in the slave-trade, or being of the crew or ship's company of any vessel owned wholly or in part, or navigated for or in behalf of any citizen, forcibly confines or detains on board such vessel any negro, or mulatto, with intent to make such negro or mulatto a slave, or, on board such vessel, offers or attempts to sell, as a slave, any negro or mulatto, or on the high seas, or anywhere on tide water, transfers or delivers to any other vessel any negro or mulatto with intent to make such negro or mulatto a slave, or lands or delivers on shore from on board such vessel any negro or mulatto with intent to make sale of, or having previously sold such negro or mulatto as a slave, is a pirate, and shall suffer death.

Whoever shall knowingly and wilfully bring into the June 23, 1874. United States, or the Territories thereof, any person inveigled or forcibly kidnapped in any other country, with intent to hold such person so inveigled or kidnapped in confinement or to any involuntary service, and whoever shall knowingly and wilfully sell, or cause to be sold, into any condition of involuntary servitude, any other person for any term whatever, and every person who shall knowingly and wilfully hold to involuntary service any person so sold or bought, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and, on conviction thereof, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding five years and pay a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars.

Every person who shall be accessory to any of the felo- Sec. 2. nies herein declared, either before or after the fact, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and on conviction thereof be imprisoned for a term not exceeding five years and pay a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars.

Every person, who, being of the crew or ship's company R. S., 5376. of any foreign vessel engaged in the slave-trade, or being of the crew or ship's company of any vessel, owned in whole or part, or navigated for, or in behalf of, any citizen, lands from such vessel, and, on any foreign shore, seizes any negro or mulatto with intent to make such negro or mulatto a slave, or decoys or forcibly brings, or carries, or receives such negro or mulatto on board such vessel, with like intent, is a pirate, and shall suffer death.

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Every person who brings within the jurisdiction of the R.S., 5377. United States, in any manner whatsoever, any negro, mulatto, or person of color, from any foreign kingdom or country, or from sea, or holds, sells, or otherwise disposes of, any negro, mulatto, or person of color so brought in, a slave, or to be held to service or labor, shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars and not less than one thousand, one half to the use of the United States, and the other half to the use of the party who prosecutes the indictment to effect, and, moreover, shall suffer imprisonment at hard labor not more than seven years, nor less than three years.

R. S., 5378.

R. S., 5379.

R. S., 5380.

R. S., 5381.

R. S., 5382.

Every person who builds, fits out, equips, loans, or otherwise prepares, or sends away, either as master, factor, or owner, any vessel, in any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, or causes such vessel to sail from any port or place whatsoever, within such jurisdiction, for the purpose of procuring any negro, mulatto, or person of color from any foreign kingdom or country, to be transported to any port or place whatsoever, to be held, sold, or otherwise disposed of as a slave, or held to service or labor, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars, nor more than five thousand dollars, onehalf to the use of the United States and the other half to the use of the person prosecuting the indictment to effect, and shall, moreover, be imprisoned at hard labor for a term not more than seven years, nor less than three years.

Every citizen or other person resident within the jurisdiction of the United States, who takes on board, receives, or transports from any foreign kingdom or country, or from sea, any negro, mulatto, or person of color, in any vessel, for the purpose of holding, selling, or otherwise disposing of such person as a slave, or to be held to service or labor, shall be punished as prescribed in the preceding section.

Every captain, master, or commander of any American vessel found in any river, port, bay, harbor, or on the high seas, within the jurisdictional limits of the United States, or hovering on the coast thereof, having on board any negro, mulatto, or person of color for the purpose of selling them as slaves, or with intent to land the same for any such purpose, shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars, and be imprisoned at hard labor not less than two years, nor more than four years.

Every citizen of the United States, or other person residing therein, who voluntarily serves on board of any American vessel employed or made use of in the transportation of slaves from any foreign country or place to another, shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment not more than two years.

Every citizen of the United States who voluntarily serves on board of any foreign vessel employed in the slave trade, shall be punished as prescribed in the preceding section.

PART XLVIII.-PROTECTION OF SUBMARINE

CABLES.

415. Protection of submarine cables.

Any person who shall willfully and wrongfully break or injure, or attempt to break or injure, or who shall in any manner procure, counsel, aid, abet, or be accessory to such breaking or injury, or attempt to break or injure, a submarine cable, in such manner as to interrupt or embarrass, in whole or in part, telegraphic communication, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or to both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

Any person who by culpable negligence shall break or injure a submarine cable in such manner as to interrupt or embarrass, in whole or in part, telegraphic communication, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or to both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

Feb. 29, 1888

Sec. 2.

The provisions of the foregoing sections shall not apply Sec. 3. to a person who breaks or injures a cable in an effort to save the life or limb of himself or of any other person, or to save his own or any other vessel: Provided, That he takes reasonable precautions to avoid such breaking or injury.

The master of any vessel which, while engaged in laying Sec. 4. or repairing submarine cables, shall fail to observe the rules concerning signals that have been or shall hereafter be adopted by the parties to the convention with a view to preventing collisions at sea; or the master of any vessel that, perceiving, or being able to perceive the said signals displayed upon a telegraph ship engaged in repairing a cable, shall not withdraw to or keep at a distance of at least one nautical mile; or the master of any vessel that seeing or being able to see buoys intended to mark the position of a cable when being laid or when out of order or broken, shall not keep at a distance of at least a quarter of a nautical mile, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month, or to a fine of not exceeding five hundred dollars.

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