rica, for the more effectual suppression of the slave trade, so far as it is carried on by French ships and subjects. They also view, with the highest satisfaction, the determination now announced of introducing into all the French colonies a registry of slaves. All these beneficent arrangements may be expected to operate powerfully, so far as the mischief has decidedly a French character but until all the principal Powers can agree to have, as against the illicit slave trader, at least on the coast of Africa, but one common flag, and co-operating force, they will not have gone to the full extent of their means to effectuate their purpose, in conformity to their declarations at Vienna. With these observations the British plenipotentiaries will con clude their statement, submitting it to the candid examination of the several cabinets.

It would be a great satisfaction to them to be assured, that the representations which they have felt it their duty to make, were likely to receive their earliest consideration, and that the ministers of the several Powers in London might expect to receive such farther instructions as might enable them, without loss of time, to resume their labors with effect; it being humbly submitted that the final act, which the sovereigns are about to solicit from his majesty the king of Portugal, is not an indispensable perliminary towards establishing, by common consent, an the coast of Africa, at least North of the equator, some efficient system for the suppression of the illicit traffic in slaves, which is, at this moment, carried on to the most alarming extent, and under the most aggravating circumstances, such as loudly to call for the special and authoritative interference of the illustrious sovereigns to whom these remarks are respectfully submitted.

SIXTH ENCLOSURE IN No. 11.

Projet of a letter to His Most Faithful Majesty.

SIR, MY BROTHER:

At the period of the Congress of Vienna, the voice of religion, and the groans of suffering humanity, obtained the most consoling triumph. The world contemplated the near prospect of the termination of a scourge which has long desolated Africa; and your majesty has justly acquired the right to the eternal gratitude of nations in proclaiming, in concert with your allies, the principle of universal abolition of the trade in slaves. Since then, the acts concluded at Paris in 1815, and the happy issue of the several negotia. tions devoted to the progressive execution of this measure, have strengthened the generous hopes of the age, and have predicted the full accomplishment of the transaction which they have solemnly sanctioned.

If the results of the conference, of Aix-la-Chapelle, which consummate the pacification, and guaranty the prosperity of Europe, still leave a wish, it is that of seeing ensured the final triumph of the declaration of the 8th of February, 1815, by the means of an act decreeing the abolition of the slave trade in all parts, and for ever; that my allies and myself be not permitted to separate without turning our confident regards towards the Powers to whom the Supreme Arbiter of the destines of the earth has reserved the glory of putting an end to the afflictions of an unfortunate population.

This definitive success will be without doubt the fruit of your majesty's intimate relations with the Government of Great Britain, because a concurrence of conciliating intentions and of reciprocal sacrifices, is alone of a nature to prosper a work equally meritorious before God and in the eyes of men.

It is only at the close of this negotiation that the measures of mutual inspection, decreed for the strict execution of a law become general, will crown the noble efforts of all the Powers called to govern the different parts of the globe, by the same sentiments of fraternity, of justice, and of religion. &c. &c. &c.

No. 12.

Despatch from Viscount Castlereagh to Earl Bathurst, dated Aix-laChapelle, November 24, 1818.

MY LORD: I have the honor to transmit to your Lordship the enclosed protocol of the conferences of the allied ministers, of the 11th and 19th instant, containing the votes of the different Powers on the subjects of the slave trade, which I have already forwarded to your Lordship.

Earl BATHURST, &c. &c. &c.

I have the honor, &c.

FIRST ENCLOSURE IN No. 12.

CASTLEREAGH.

Protocol of the Conference between the Plenipotentiaries of the Five Powers, held at Aix-la-Chapelle, the 11th of November, 1818.

The Duke de Richelieu read his observations upon the means proposed by the plenipotentiaries of Great Britain for inspecting and repressing the illicit slave trade. The observations of the Duke de Richelieu, as well as the opinion of the Austrian cabinet, and that which the Prussian cabinet made known in a preceeding sitting, are annexed to the protocol.

METTERNICH,
RICHELIEU,

CASTLEREAGH,

WELLINGTON,

HARDENBERG,

BERNSTORFF,

NESSELRODE,

CAPO D'ISTRIA.

SECOND ENCLOSURE IN No. 12.

Protocol of the conference between the Plenipotentiaries of the Five Powers, held at Aix-la-Chapelle, the 19th of November, 1818.

To resume the discussion of the ulterior measures to be adopted against the slave trade, Lord Castlereagh read a memorandum, in which he observed, upon the different propositions which have occupied the preceding confer

ences, and expressed his sincere regret that the present re-union had not brought about a more decisive result for the final success of the abolition, nor, above all, some resolution directly applicable to the repression of the cruel abuses by which the fraudulent commerce has hitherto eluded and frustrated the measures already agreed upon, and the laws and regulations already in force in various States.

After having analysed and discussed in detail the objections brought forward to combat the system of reciprocal visit of ships suspected of being engaged in the illicit trade, and especially those which were developed in the note of the plenipotentiaries of France, as well as the means of execution proposed by the plenipotentiaries of Russia, Lord Castlereagh, in again calling the most serious attention of the Powers to a cause so deserving of their intorest, desired that the ministers of the courts taking part in the conferences in London should be enjoined to continue their deliberations upon this question, without waiting the effect which the formal measure adopted towards his Majesty the King of Portugal and the Brazils might produce; particularly as the result of this step was not an indispensable preliminary to the resolutions to be adopted with common consent for effectually suppressing the illicit traffic on the coast to the North of the line.

The memorandum of Lord Castlereagh was annexed to the protocol, and the plenipotentiaries agreed to instruct the Ministers of the Courts in London, in the sense of this last proposition.

On the reading of this protocol, the plenipotentiaries of Russia added, that, in dependent of the instruction agreed upon between the courts, the ambassador of his majesty the emperor, in London, would be informed of the desire of his imperial majesty to see the ministerial conference in London occupied not only with the general question, relative to the basis of the system to be adopted against the illicit trade, but, at the same time, the practical question of the amount of force necessary to be provided for the execution of the general measures; his majesty the emperor of Russia being ready to furnish his contingent as soon as the regulations to be established for this purpose shall be agreed upon.

METTERNICH,
RICHELIEU,

Despatch from Viscount Castlereagh to Earl Bathurst, dated Paris, December 10, 1818.

MY LORD: Since I arrived here I have deemed it my duty to renew, with the Duke de Richelieu, the subject of the abolition, in order that I might be better enabled to judge as to the course it would be most advisable to pursue, for resuming, in London, under the protocol signed at Aix-la-Chapelle, on the 19th November, the deliberations on this question.

In conference with his excellency, it was agreed that I should have an interview with the minister of the marine and colonies, the Count de Molé, and with the count de Laisné, the minister of the interior, as the two departments in the government the most competent to advise the king upon the propriety, as well as upon the effect which those regulations might be expected to produce upon the public mind in France, which I had been directed, in conjunction with the Duke of Wellington, to press at Aix-la-Chapelle. I had, accordingly, a conference with these ministers, of nearly three hours, in which I was enabled to go through with them, in the utmost detail, the whole of this important subject; to all the bearings of which they appeared to me to give their utmost attention, and with a desire that the difficulties which they conceived, at least for the present, to stand in the way of their adopting the measure, might be found, in the end, not to be insurmountable.

It is unnecessary that I should attempt to report to your Lordship the particulars of this extended conversation, as they would not vary, in any essential point, from the arguments brought forward by the Duke de Richelieu, and which are already so fully before the prince regent's government; I have no reason to draw any more unfavorable inference from the manner in which these ministers treated the subject, and they assured me of their disposition to render public in France every information which might tend to throw light on this interesting question, and to strengthen it in the public favor,

Upon the whole, my lord, whilst I cannot give you hopes of any immediate progress, I venture, nevertheless, to indulge a sanguine expectation, that, if the object be pursued with the same persevering and conciliating temper on the part of Great Britain, which has already achieved so much for the cause of abolition, the French Government may be brought, at no distant period, to unite their naval exertions with those of the other allied Powers for the suppression of the illicit slave trade, under the modified regulations submitted for this purpose to the plenipotentiaries assembled at Aix-laChapelle.

I have the honor to be, &c.

Earl BATHURST, &c. &c. &c.

CASTLEREAGH.

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS-FIRST SESSION.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1821.

On motion of Mr. Sawyer,

Resolved, That the Committee on so much of the President's message as relates to the suppression of the slave trade be instructed to inquire into the expediency of continuing in force, for a further term, an act, passed 3d March, 1819, which, by the act of the 15th May, 1820, was extended to two years, and entitled an act to protect the commerce of the United States and punish the crime of piracy.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1822.

On motion of Mr. Mercer,

Resolved, That the Committee on the suppression of the slave trade be instructed to inquire whether the laws of the United States prohibiting that

traffic have been duly executed, and, if so, into the general effect produced thereby, on the trade itself; also, to inquire into and report the defects, if any exist, in the operation of those laws, and to suggest adequate remedies therefor.

Mr. Gorham, from the committee, consisting of Mr. Gorham, Mr. Hemphill, Mr. Poinsett, Mr. Phillips, Mr. John T. Johnson, Mr. Borland, and Mr. Van Swearingen, reported the following bill, in addition to "An act to continue in force an act to protect the commerce of the United States and punish the crime of piracy," "and also to make further provision for punishing the crime of piracy."

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first, second, third, and fourth sections of an act, entitled "An act to protect the commerce of the United States and punish the crime of piracy," passed on the 3d day of March, 1819, be, and the same are hereby, continued in force, in all respects, as fully as if the said sections had been enacted without limitation in the said act, or in the act to which this is in addition, and which was passed on the 15th day of May, 1820.

NOTE. This bill was not acted upon during the session which it was reported; it was taken up at the succeeding session of Congress, and passed both Houses without amendment, and received the approbation of the President of the United States on the 30th of January, 1823.

APRIL 12, 1822.

Report of the Committee on the Suppression of the Slave Trade, consisting of Mr. Gorham, Mr. Hemphill, Mr. Poinsett, Mr. Phillips, Mr. John T. Johnson, Mr. Borland, and Mr. Van Swearingen.

The Committee on the Suppression of the Slave Trade, to whom was referferred a resolution of the House of Representatives, of the 15th of January last, instructing them to inquire whether the laws of the United States prohibiting that traffic have been duly executed; also, into the general operation thereof; and if any defects exist in those laws to suggest adequate remedies therefor, and to whom many memorials have been referred touching the same subject, have, according to order, had the said resơlution and memorial under consideration, and beg leave to REPORT:

That, under the just and liberal construction put by the Executive on the act of Congress of March 3d, 1819, and that of the 15th May, 1820, inflicting the punishment of piracy on the African slave trade, a foundation has been laid for the most systematic and vigorous application of the power of the United States to the suppression of that iniquitious traffic. Its unhappy subjects, when captured, are restored to their country, agents are there appointed to receive them, and a colony, the offspring of private charity, is rising on its shores, in which such as cannot reach their native tribes, will find the means of alleviating the calamities they may have endured before their liberation.