Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

The first law passed by Congress limiting American involvement in the slave trade. This act prohibited Americans trading in slaves in foreign ports and prohibited the outfitting of foreign vessels in American ports for the purpose of slave trading.

THIRD CONGRESS
OF THE
UNITED STATES:
AT THE FIRST SESSION,
Begun and held at the City of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania,
on Monday, the second of December, one thousand seven
hundred and ninety-three.

An ACT to prohibit the carrying on the Slave-trade from the United States to any
foreign place or country.

Sec. 1. BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That no citizen or citizens
of the United States, or foreigner, or any other persons coming into, or residing
within the same, shall, for himself or any other person whatsoever, either as
master, factor or owner, build, fit, equip, load or otherwise prepare any ship
or vessel, within any port or place of the said United States, nor shall cause any
ship or vessel to sail from any port or place within the same, for the purpose of
carrying on any trade or traffic in slaves, to any foreign country; or for the
purpose of procuring, from any foreign kingdom, place or country, the inha-
bitants of such kingdom, place or country, to be transported to any foreign
country, port, or place whatever, to be sold or disposed of, as slaves; And if
any ship or vessel shall be so fitted out, as aforesaid, for the said purposes, or
shall be caused to sail, so as aforesaid, every such ship or vessel, her tackle,
furniture, apparel and other appurtenances, shall be forfeited to the United
States; and shall be liable to be seized, prosecuted and condemned, in any
of the circuit courts or district court for the district, where the said ship or
vessel may be found and seized.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all and every person, so building,
fitting out, equipping, loading, or otherwise preparing, or sending away,
any ship or vessel, knowing, or intending, that the same shall be employed
in such trade or business, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act,
or any ways aiding or abetting therein, shall severally forfeit and pay the sum
of two thousand dollars, one moiety thereof, to the use of the United States,
and the other moiety thereof, to the use of him or her, who shall sue for and
prosecute the same.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the owner, master or factor of each
and every foreign ship or vessel, clearing out for any of the coasts or king-
doms of Africa, or suspected to be intended for the slave-trade, and the suspi-
cion being declared to the officer of the customs, by any citizen, on oath or
affirmation, and such information being to the satisfaction of the said 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 the said ship or vessel, to be transported, or
sold as slaves, in any other foreign port or place whatever, within nine
months thereafter.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That if any citizen or citizens of the
United States shall, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, take
on board, receive or transport any such persons, as above described, in this act, for the purpose of selling them as slaves, as aforesaid, he or they shall
forfeit and pay, for each and every person, so received on board, transported,
or sold as aforesaid, the sum of two hundred dollars, to be recovered in any
court of the United States proper to try the same; the one moiety thereof,
to the use of the United States, and the other moiety to the use of such per-
son or persons, who shall sue for and prosecute the same.