AS AMENDED AND APPROVED BY CONGRESS, JULY 26, 1866.
A Bill more effectually to preserve the neutral relations of the United States.
Be it enacted, &c., That if any citizen of the United States shall, within the territory or jurisdiction thereof, accept and exercise a commission to serve a foreign prince, State, colony, district, or people in war by land or by sea against any prince, State, colony, district or people with whom the United States are at peace, the person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall on conviction thereof be punished by a fine of not exceeding $2,000 and imprisonment not exceeding two years, or either, at the discretion of the Court in which such offender may be convicted.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall, within the territory or jurisdiction of the United States enlist, or enter himself, or hire or retain another person to enlist or enter himself, or to go beyond the limits or jurisdiction of the United States, with intent to be enlisted or entered into the service of any foreign prince, State, colony, district or people as a soldier, or as a marine or seaman on board of any vessel-of-war, letter-of-marque or privateer, every person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall upon conviction therefor be punished by fine not exceeding $1,000, and imprisonment not exceeding two years, or either of them, at the discretion of the Court, in case such offender shall be convicted; provided that this act shall not be construed to extend to any subject or citizen of any foreign prince, State, colony, district or people, who shall transiently be within the United States, and shall be on board of any vessel of war, letter-of-marque or privateer, which, at the time of its arrival within the United States, was fitted and equipped as such, enlist or enter himself, and hire or retain another subject or citizen of the same foreign prince, State, colony, district or people, who is transiently in the United States, to enlist or enter himself to serve such foreign prince, State, colony, district or people, on board such vessel of war, letter-of-marque or privateer, if the United States shall then be at peace with such foreign prince, State, colony, district or people.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall within the limits of the United States fit out and arm or attempt to fit out and arm, or procure to be fitted out and armed, or shall knowingly be concerned in the furnishing, fitting out and arming of any ship or vessel with intent that such ship or vessel shall be employed in the service of any foreign prince, State, colony, district or people, to cruise or commit hostilities against the subjects, citizens or property of any foreign prince, State, or any colony, district or people with whom the United States are at peace, or shall issue or deliver a commission within the territory or jurisdiction of the United States for any ship or vessel to the intent that she may be employed as aforesaid, or shall have on board any person or persons who shall have been enlisted, or shall have engaged to enlist or serve or shall be departing from the jurisdiction of the United States with intent to enlist or serve in contravention of the provisions of this act, every person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $3,000, and imprisonment not exceeding three years, or either of them, at the discretion of the Court in which such offender shall be convicted; and every such ship and vessel, with her tackle, apparel and furniture, together with all materials, arms, ammunition and stores which may have been procured for the building and equipment thereof, shall be forfeited to the United States of America.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any Collector of the Customs who is by law empowered to make seizures for any forfeiture incurred under any of the laws of Customs, to seize such ships and vessels in such places and in such manner in which the officers of the Customs are empowered to make seizures under the law for the collection and protection of the revenue, and that every such ship and vessel, with the tackle, apparel and furniture, together with all the materials, arms, ammunition and stores which may belong to or be on board such ship or vessel, may be prosecuted or condemned for the violation of the provisions of this act in like manner as ships or vessels may be prosecuted and condemned for any breach of the laws made for the collection and protection of the revenue.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall within the territory or jurisdiction of the United States, increase or augment, or procure to be increased or augmented, or shall knowingly be concerned in increasing or augmenting the force of any ship of war, or cruiser, or other armed vessel, which at the time of her arrival within the United States was a ship of war, or cruiser, or armed vessel in the service of any foreign prince, State, colony, district or people, or belonged to the subjects or citizens of any such prince, State, colony, district or people, the same being at war with any foreign prince, State, colony, district or people with whom the United States are at peace, by adding to the number of guns of such vessel, or by changing those on board of her for guns of a larger calibre, or by addition thereto of any equipment solely applicable to war, or shall have on board any person or persons who shall have enlisted, or engaged to enlist or serve, or who shall be departing from the jurisdiction of the United States with intent to enlist or serve in contravention of the provisions of this act; every person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall upon conviction thereof be punished by fine or imprisonment, or either of them, at the discretion of the court in which such offender shall be convicted.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the District Courts shall take cognizance of all complaints, informations, indictments, or other prosecutions, by whomsoever instituted, in cases of captures made within the waters of the United States or within a marine league of the coasts or shores thereof.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That in every case in which a vessel shall be fitted out and armed, or in which the force of any vessel of war, cruiser, or other armed vessel shall be increased or augmented, in every case of the capture of a ship or vessel within the jurisdiction or protection of the United States, as before defined, and in every case in which any process issuing out of any court of the United States shall be disobeyed or resisted by any person or persons having the custody of any vessel of war, cruiser or other, armed vessel of any prince or State, or of any colony, district or people, or of any subjects or citizens of any foreign prince, State, or of any colony, district or people in any such case, it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, or such other person as he shall have empowered for that purpose to employ such part of the land and naval forces of the United States or of the militia thereof, for the purpose of taking of and detaining any such ship or vessel with her prize or prizes, if any, in order to the execution of the prohibition or penalties of this act, and to the restoring the prize or prizes in the cases in which restoration shall have been adjudged.
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, or such person as he shall empower for that purpose, to employ such part of the land and naval forces of the United States, or of the militia thereof, as shall be necessary to compel any foreign ship or vessel to depart the United States in all cases in which, by the laws of nations or the treaties of the United States they ought not to remain within the United States.
Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That offences made punishable by the provisions of this act, committed by citizens of the United States, beyond the jurisdiction of the United States, may be prosecuted and tried before any court having jurisdiction of the offences prohibited by this act.
Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this act shall be so construed as to prohibit citizens of the United States from selling vessels, ships or steamers built within the limits thereof, or materials or munitions of war, the growth or product of the same, to inhabitants of other countries, or to Governments not at war with the United States: provided that the operation of this section of this act shall be suspended by the President of the United States with regard to any classes of purchases, whenever the United States shall be engaged in war, or whenever the maintenance of friendly relations with any foreign nation may in his judgment require it.
Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That nothing in the foregoing act shall be construed to prevent the prosecution or punishment of treason, or any piracy or other felony defined by the laws of the United States.
Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act or inflicting any further or other penalty or forfeiture than are hereinbefore provided for. The acts forbidden herein are hereby repealed.
POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES.
SLAVE POPULATION IN THE U.S. IN 1860.
STATISTICS OF SLAVERY BEFORE THE REVOLUTION.
AMERICAN SLAVERY IN 1715.
In the reign of George I., the ascertained population of the Continental Colonies was as follows:
| White Men. | Negro Slaves. | |
| New Hampshire | 9,500 | 150 |
| Massachusetts | 94,000 | 2,000 |
| Rhode Island | 7,500 | 500 |
| Connecticut | 46,000 | 1,500 |
| New York | 27,000 | 4,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 43,300 | 2,500 |
| New Jersey | 21,000 | 1,500 |
| Maryland | 40,700 | 9,400 |
| Virginia | 72,000 | 23,000 |
| North Carolina | 7,500 | 3,700 |
| South Carolina | 6,250 | 10,500 |
| Total | 375,000 | 58,550 |