censée renouvelée de 5 ans en 5 ans, jusqu'à déclaration contraire de l'un des 2 Gouvernemens.

En foi de quoi, les respectifs Ministres Plénipotentiaires ont signé la présente, et y ont apposé le Cachet de leurs Armes.

Fait à Turin, le 3 Juillet, 1817.

LE COMTE DE-VALLAISE. LOUIS,

PRINCE DE HARHEMBERG.

ORDONNANCE du Roi de France, qui pourvoit au cas où il serait contrevenu aux Ordres de Sa Majesté, concernant l'Abolition de la Traite des Noirs.-Paris, le 8 Janvier, 1817.

Louis, par la grâce de Dieu, Roi de France et de Navarre;

Voulant pourvoir au cas où il serait contrevenu à nos Ordres concernant l'Abolition de la Traite des Noirs;

Sur le Rapport de notre Ministre Secrétaire d'Etat de la Marine et des Colonies, Nous avons ordonné et ordonnons ce qui suit:

ART. I. Tout Bâtiment qui tenterait d'introduire dans une de nos Colonies des Noirs de Traite, soit Française, soit Etrangère, sera confisqué; et le Capitaine, s'il est Français, interdit de tout commande

ment.

Sera également confisquée en pareil cas, toute la partie de la Cargaison qui ne consisterait pas en Esclaves; à l'égard des Noirs, ils seront employés dans la Colonie aux travaux de l'utilité publique.

II. Les contraventions prévues dans l'Article précédent seront jugées dans la même forme que les contraventions aux Lois et Réglemens concernant le Commerce Etranger.

Quant aux produits des confiscations prononcées en conformité du même Article, ils seront acquis et appliqués de la même manière que le sont les produits des confiscations prononcées en matière de contravention aux Lois sur le Commerce Etranger.

III. Notre Ministre Secrétaire d'Etat de la Marine et des Colonies, est chargé de l'exécution de la présente Ordonnance.

Donné à Paris, en notre Château des Tuileries, le 8me jour du Mois de Janvier, l'an de Grâce 1817, et de notre Règne le 22ème.

Par le Roi:

Le Ministre Secrétaire d'Etat de la Marine et des Colonies,

LOUIS.

LE VICOMTE du Bouchage.

MESSAGE of the President of The United States to Congress, relative to the return of certain Discriminating Duties levied upon British Vessels in American Ports.-3rd February, 1817.

TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE Government of Great Britain, induced by the posture of the relations with The United States, which succeeded the conclusion of the recent Commercial Convention,* issued an Order on the 17th day of August, 1815, discontinuing the Discriminating Duties, payable in British Ports, on American Vessels and their Cargoes. It was not until the 224 of December following, that a corresponding discontinuance of Discriminating Duties on British Vessels and their Cargoes, in American Ports, took effect, under the authority vested in the Executive, by the Act of March, 1816. During the period between these two dates, there was consequently a failure of reciprocity or equality in the existing regulations of the 2 Countries. I recom. mend to the consideration of Congress the expediency of paying to the British Government the amount of the Duties remitted, during the period in question, to the Citizens of The United States; subject to a deduction of the amount of whatever Discriminating Duties may have commenced in British Ports after the signature of that Convention, and been collected previous to the 17th August, 1815.

JAMES MADISON.

ACT of Congress of The United States, " to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to cause repayments to be made of certain Alien Duties upon British Vessels.”—3rd March, 1817.

BE it enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, directed to cause to be repaid, or remitted, all Alien or Discriminating Duties, either upon tonnage or merchandise imported, in respect to all British Vessels which have been entered in Ports of The United States, at any time between the 17th of August, 1815, and the 22nd of December, in the same year, excepting only such Duties as may have been paid or secured on the tonnage of Ships, or upon the merchandise imported therein, which Ships have been entered in The United States from a Colony or

* London, 3d July, 1815, Commercial Treaties, Vol. 2. Page 386.

District, into or with which Vessels of The United States are not ordinarily permitted to enter and trade.

[Approved, 3rd March, 1817.]

ACTS of Congress of The United States, relative to the Tonnage Duties on Foreign Vessels.-January, March, 1817.

(1.)-" An Act Supplementary to an Act to regulate the Duties on Imports and Tonnage."

Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that the Tonnage Duties to be paid by Ships or Vessels which shall be entered in The United States, excepting only such Foreign Ships or Vessels as shall be entered from any Foreign Port or Place to or with which Vessels of The United States are not ordinarily permitted to go and trade, shall be the same as are provided by the Act, entitled "An Act imposing Duties on the Tonnage of Ships or Vessels," passed on the 20th day of July, in the year of our Lord 1790: Provided always, that nothing in this Act contained shall be deemed in any wise to impair any rights and privileges which have been or may be acquired by any Foreign Nation, under the Laws and Treaties of The United States, relative to the Duty on Tonnage of Vessels.

SEC. II. And be it further enacted, that on all Foreign Ships or Vessels, which shall be entered in The United States, before the 30th day of June next, from any Foreign Port or Place, to and with which Vessels of The United States are not ordinarily permitted to go and trade, there shall be paid a Duty at the rate of 2 dollars per ton. And the Duties provided by this Act shall be levied and collected in the same manner and under the same regulations as are prescribed by Law in relation to the Duties upon Tonnage now in force.

[Approved, 14th January, 1817.]

(2.)—“An Act to continue in force the Second Section of the Act, entitled "An Act Supplementary to an Act to regulate the Duties on Imports and Tonnage."

Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that on all Foreign Ships or Vessels which shall be entered in The United States, after the 30th day of June next, from any Foreign Port or Place, to and with which Vessels of The United States are not ordinarily permitted to enter and trade, there shall be paid a Duty at the rate of

2 dollars per ton, to be levied and collected in the same manner, and under the same regulations, as are prescribed by Law in relation to the Duties upon Tonnage now in force.

[Approved, 3rd March, 1817.]

ACT of Congress of The United States, "concerning the Navigation of The United States.”—1st March, 1817.

BE it enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that after the 30th day of September next, no goods, wares, or merchandize, shall be imported into The United States, from any Foreign Port, or Place, except in Vessels of The United States, or in such Foreign Vessels as truly and wholly belong to the Citizens or Subjects of that Country of which the goods are the growth, production or manufacture; or from which such goods, wares, or merchandise, can only be or most usually are, first shipped for transportation: Provided, nevertheless, that this Regulation shall not extend to the Vessels of any Foreign Nation which has not adopted, and which shall not adopt a similar regulation.

II. And be it further enacted, that all goods, wares, or merchandise, imported into The United States, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this Act, and the Ship or Vessel wherein the same shall be imported, together with her Cargo, tackle, apparel and furniture, shall be forfeited to The United States; and such goods, wares, or merchandise, Ship, or Vessel, and Cargo, shall be liable to be seized prosecuted and condemned, in like manner, and under the same regulations, restrictions, and provisions, as have been heretofore established for the recovery, collection, distribution, and remission, of forfeitures to The United States by the several Revenue Laws.

III. And be it further enacted, that after the 30th day of September next, the bounties and allowances now granted by Law to the Owners of Boats or Vessels engaged in the Fisheries, shall be paid only on Boats or Vessels, the Officers, and at least 3-4ths of the Crews of which shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Collector of the District, where such Boat or Vessel shall belong, to be Citizens of The United States, or Persons not the Subjects of any Foreign Prince or State.

IV. And be it further enacted, that no goods, wares, or merchandise, shall be imported, under penalty of forfeiture thereof, from one Port of The United States to another Port of The United States, in a Vessel belonging wholly or in part to a Subject of any Foreign Power; but this Clause shall not be construed to prohibit the sailing of

any Foreign Vessel, from one to another Port of The United States, provided no goods, wares, or merchandize, other than those imported in such Vessel, from some Foreign Port, and which shall not have been unladen, shall be carried from one Port or Place to another in The United States.

V. And be it further enacted, that after the 30th day of September next, there shall be paid a duty of 50 cents per ton, upon every Ship or Vessel of The United States which shall be entered in a District in one State from a District in another State, except it be an adjoining State on the Sea Coast, or on a navigable River or Lake, and except also it be a Coasting Vessel, going from Long Island in the State of New York, to the State of Rhode Island, or from the State of Rhode Island to the said Long Island, having on board, goods, wares, and merchandise, taken in one State, to be delivered in another State: Provided, that it shall not be paid on any Ship or Vessel having a License to trade between the different Districts of The United States, or to carry on the Bank or Whale Fisheries more than once a year: And provided also, that if the Owner of any such Vessel, or his Agent, shall prove, to the satisfaction of the Collector, that 3-4ths at least of the Crew thereof, are American Citizens, or Persons not the Subjects of any Foreign Prince or State, the duty to be paid in such case shall be only at the rate of 6 cents per ton; but nothing in this Section shall be construed to repeal or affect any exemption from Tonnage duty given by the VIIIth Section of the Act, entitled "An Act to provide for the establishment of certain Districts, and therein to amend an Act, entitled "An Act to regulate the collection of Duties on Imports and Tonnage, and for other purposes."

VI. And be it further enacted, that after the 30th day of September next, there shall be paid upon every Ship or Vessel of The United States, which shall be entered in The United States, from any Foreign Port or Place, unless the Officers and at least 2-3rds of theCrew thereof, shall be proved Citizens of The United States, or Persons not the Subjects of any Foreign Prince or State, to the satisfaction of the Collector, 50 cents per ton: And provided also that this Section shall not extend to Ships or Vessels of The United States which are now on Foreign Voyages, or which may depart from The United States prior to the 1st day of May next, until after their return to some Port of The United States.

VII. And be it further enacted, that the several bounties and remissions, or abatements of duty, allowed by this Act, in the case of Vessels having a certain proportion of Seamen who are American Citizens, or Persons not the Subjects of any Foreign Power, shall be allowed only in the case of Vessels having such proportion of American Seamen during their whole voyage, unless in case of sickness, death,