History of the Antislavery Measures of the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth United States Congresses, 1861-65, by Henry Wilson, 1865.

CHAPTER IX.

THE AFRICAN SLAVE-TRADE.

THE TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE SLAVE-TRADE. — MR. SUMNER'S BILL, — REMARKS OF MR. SAULSBURY, — PASSAGE OF THE BILL, — MR. FOSTER'S BILL. — PASSAGE OF THE BILL.

THE American flag has been made to cover for many years the horrid and loathsome traffic in human flesh. The African-slave traders have pursued their foul and infamous work of sorrow and death under the protection of the flag of this Christian nation. This prostitution of the flag brought reproach and dis honor upon the Government and people of the United States. To suppress this traffic in men, to prevent this abuse of the flag of the country, a treaty was made with England for the more effectual suppression of the African slave-trade.

On the 12th of June, 1862, Mr. Sumner (Rep.) of Massachusetts, from the Committee' on Foreign Relations, to whom was referred a message from the President of the United States in relation to the treaty between the United States and Great Britain for the suppression of the slave-trade, reported a bill to carry the treaty into effect. On motion of Mr. Sumner, the Senate, on the 26th, proceeded to the consideration of the bill. To carry into effect the provisions of the treaty between the United States and her Britannic Page 196 Majesty for the suppression of the African slave-trade, it was provided that the President should appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a judge and also an arbitrator on the part of the United States to reside at New York ; a judge and also an arbitrator to reside at Sierra Leone; and a judge and also an arbitrator to reside at the Cape of Good Hope. Mr. Saulsbury (Dem.) of Delaware wished to record his vote against the passage of the bill. "P do not," he said, " object to the suppression of the African slave- trade ; but I do not believe that this Government has the constitutional right to establish any such court. I think the treaty ought not to have been adopted. There is no power under the Constitution for the establishment of such a court outside of the United States." Mr. Howard (Rep.) of Michigan demanded the yeas and nays on the passage of the bill, — yeas 34, nays 4. In the House, on the 7th of July, Mr. Gooch (Rep.) of Massachusetts reported back, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Senate bill to carry into effect the treaty between the United States and England for the suppression of the African slave-trade. " I desire only to state," remarked Mr. Gooch, "that the provisions of the treaty are necessary to carry the treaty recently made into effect." The bill was passed, and received the approval of the President on the llth of July, 1862.

In the Senate, on the 8th of July, Mr. Foster (Rep.) of Connecticut introduced a bill to amend an act entitled "An act to amend the act entitled 'An act in addition to the acta prohibiting the slave-trade : '" it was read twice, and referred to the Judiciary Committee. Page 197 On the 9th, Mr. Foster reported back the bill, without amendment. It was taken up for consideration on the 12th ; and Mr. Fessenden (Rep.) of Maine stated that he understood a division was to be called upon it, and moved that it be laid on the table. On the 15th, the Senate, on motion of Mr. Foster, proceeded to the con sideration of the bill. It provided that the President might 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 or agents, to receive from the United States, for a terra not exceeding five years, at such place or places as shall 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 shall be agreed upon, for a period not exceeding five years from the date of their being landed at the place or places agreed upon. Mr. King (Rep.) of New York regarded this as a sort of apprenticeship system to which he was opposed, and demanded the previous question on the passage of the bill, — yeas 30, nays 7. In the House, on the 16th, the bill was passed, and received the approval of the President on the 17th of July, 1862.


Source: Wilson, Henry. History of the Antislavery Measures of the Thirty-Seventh and Thirty-Eighth United States Congresses, 1861-1865, Boston: Walker, Fuller, & Co., 1865.