whom such writs are count of the places of their offices. S. 4 and 5. Mileage and other fees abo lished, except two guineas on a vacancy, and 50%. on a usually directed, shall, within a month, send to the postmasters Persons to general an account of the places where they shall hold their offices, and so from time to time, as often as such places shall be changed; usually diand of the post town nearest to such offices; or in case any such rected must office shall be in London, Westminster, or Southwark, or within give an acfive miles thereof, shall send such account to the messenger of the great seal; (b) proceeds to enact, that after the death of the then messenger of the great seal the allowances of mileage shall cease, except an allowance of two guineas on each writ for the election of a member on any vacancy, and of fifty pounds on the calling of a new Parliament. (c) And it further enacts, that whereas the messenger of the great seal and his deputy have from time to time received certain other fees for the conveyance and upon the delivery of these writs, such fees shall cease from the passing of the ment. act; and that neither the messenger nor his deputy, nor any other person, shall receive or take any fee, reward, or gratuity whatsoever, for the conveyance or delivery of any such writ. (d) The sixth section of the statute then enacts, "that "concerned in the transmitting or delivery of any such writ as "aforesaid who shall wilfully neglect or delay to deliver or trans"mit any such writ, or accept any fee, or do any other matter or "thing in violation of this act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, "and may upon any conviction upon any indictment or informa"tion in his Majesty's Court of King's Bench be fined and impri"soned at the discretion of the Court for such misdemeanor." every person Offences committed in Scotland may be punished by a fine or imprisonment, as the Judge before whom the offender shall be tried and convicted may direct. (e) (b) 53 Geo. 3. c. 89. s. 2 and 3. (c) Id. s. 4. (d) Id. s. 5. And the section further proceeds to give to the then mes senger an annual allowance for his life new Parlia 53 Geo.3.c.89. s. 6. Persons acting in vio lation of the act guilty of a misdemeanor. CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH. OF DEALING IN SLAVES. 5 Geo. 4. c.113. THE statute 5 Geo. 4. c. 113. repeals all the acts and enactments relating to the slave trade, and the abolition thereof, and the exportation or importation of slaves, except so far as they have repealed any prior acts or enactments, or may have been acted upon, or may be expressly confirmed by the present act. It then enacts, that it shall not be lawful (except in such special cases as are thereinafter mentioned) to deal in slaves, or to remove, import, ship, tranship, &c. any persons as slaves, or to fit out, employ, &c. any vessels in order to accomplish such unlawful objects, or to lend money, &c. or to become guarantee, &c. for agents in relation to such objects, or in any other manner to engage, directly or indirectly, therein, as a partner, agent, or otherwise ; or to ship, &c. any money, goods, or effects, to be employed in accomplishing any of these unlawful objects; or to command, or embark on board, or contract for commanding, or embarking on board, any vessel, &c. in any capacity, knowing that such vessel, &c. is employed, or intended to be employed, in such unlawful objects; or to insure, or contract for insuring, any slaves, or other property, employed, or intended to be employed, in accomplishing any of these unlawful objects. (a) Pecuniary penalties and forfeitures are then imposed upon persons offending, by engaging in such unlawful objects. (b) And the statute then proceeds to subject certain offenders to punishments of a more serious nature. Sect. 9. Dealing in slaves on the The ninth section enacts, "that if any subject or subjects of his "Majesty, or any person or persons residing, or being within any "of the dominions, forts, settlements, factories, or territories, now "or hereafter belonging to his Majesty, or being in his Majesty's piracy, felony,"occupation or possession, or under the government of the United high seas, &c. to be deemed and robbery, and punished with death. "Company of merchants of England trading to the East Indies, "shall, except in such cases as are in and by this act permitted, "after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and "twenty-five, upon the high seas, or in any haven, river, creek, or "place, where the admiral has jurisdiction, knowingly and wilfully carry away, convey, or remove, or aid or assist in carrying away, conveying or removing, any person or persons as a slave or "slaves, or for the purpose of his, her, or their being imported, or (b) S. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. (a) S. 2. "brought as a slave or slaves, into any island, colony, country, territory, or place whatsoever, or for the purpose of his, her, or "their being sold, transferred, used, or dealt with, as a slave or "slaves; or shall after the said first day of January, 1825, except in "such cases as are in and by this act permitted, upon the high seas, or within the jurisdiction aforesaid, knowingly and wilfully "ship, embark, receive, detain, or confine, or assist in shipping, "embarking, receiving, detaining, or confining on board any ship, "vessel, or boat, any person or persons, for the purpose of his, "her, or their being carried away, conveyed, or removed, as a "slave or slaves, or for the purpose of his, her, or their being "imported or brought, as a slave or slaves, into any island, colony, "country, territory, or place whatsoever, or for the purpose of his, 66 her, or their being sold, transferred, used, or dealt with, as a "slave or slaves, then, and in every such case, the person or per"sons so offending shall be deemed and adjudged guilty of piracy, "felony, and robbery, and being convicted thereof shall suffer death, without benefit of clergy, and loss of lands, goods, and "chattels, as pirates, felons, and robbers upon the seas, ought to "suffer." 66 Sect. 10. Dealing in porting or importing them, slaves, or ex them for such slave trade, or ping goods, serving on adventures, or The 10th section enacts, "that (except in such special cases "as are in and by this act permitted, or otherwise provided for) if any persons shall deal or trade in, purchase, sell, barter, or transfer, or contract for the dealing, or trading in, purchase, "sale, barter, or transfer, of slaves, or persons intended to be dealt or shipping "with as slaves, or shall, otherwise than as aforesaid, carry away purposes, or or remove, or contract for the carrying away or removing of embarking "slaves, or other persons, as or in order to their being dealt with capital in the as slaves, or shall import or bring, or contract for the importing guaranteeing " or bringing, into any place whatsoever, slaves or other persons, slave adven"as or in order to their being dealt with as slaves; or shall, other-tures, or ship"wise than as aforesaid, ship, tranship, embark, receive, detain, or &c. to be so "confine on board, or contract for the shipping, transhipping, employed, or “embarking, receiving, detaining, or confining on board of any board slave "ship, vessel, or boat, slaves or other persons, for the purpose of ships, or in"their being carried away or removed, as or in order to their being suring slave "dealt with as slaves, or shall ship, tranship, embark, receive, forging instru"detain, or confine on board, or contract for the shipping, tran- ments relating "shipping, embarking, receiving, detaining, or confining on board to the slave "of any ship, vessel, or boat, slaves, or other persons, for the pur- felony punishpose of their being imported, or brought into any place what- able by transsoever, as or in order to their being dealt with as slaves; or shall portation, &c. "fit out, man, navigate, equip, dispatch, use, employ, let, or take "to freight, or on hire, or contract for the fitting out, manning, "navigating, equipping, dispatching, using, employing, letting, or "taking to freight, or on hire, any ship, vessel, or boat, in order "to accomplish any of the objects, or the contracts in relation to "the objects, which objects and contracts have hereinbefore been "declared unlawful; or shall knowingly and wilfully lend or advance, or become security for the loan or advance, or contract "for the lending or advancing, or becoming security for the loan "or advance of money, goods, or effects, employed, or to be em❝ployed, in accomplishing any of the objects, or the contracts in laws, made Sect. 11. Seamen, &c. serving on board such ships guilty of a misde meanor. 66 66 66 "relation to the objects, which objects and contracts have herein"before been declared unlawful; or shall knowingly and wilfully "become guarantee or security, or contract for the becoming gua"rantee or security for agents employed, or to be employed, in accomplishing any of the objects, or the contracts in relation to "the objects, which objects and contracts have hereinbefore been "declared unlawful, or in any other manner to engage, or to con"tract to engage, directly or indirectly therein, as a partner, agent, or otherwise, or shall knowingly and wilfully ship, tranship, lade, "receive, or put on board, or contract for the shipping, transhipping, lading, receiving, or putting on board of any ship, vessel, 66 or boat, money, goods, or effects, to be employed in accomplish"ing any of the objects, or the contracts in relation to the objects, "which objects and contracts have hereinbefore been declared "unlawful; or shall take the charge or command, or navigate, or "enter and embark on board, or contract for the taking the charge or command, or for the navigating, or entering and embarking on "board of any ship, vessel, or boat, as captain, master, mate, surgeon, or supercargo, knowing that such ship, vessel, or boat, is actually employed, or is in the same voyage, or upon the same "occasion, in respect of which they shall so take the charge or "command, or navigate, or enter and embark, or contract so to do as aforesaid, intended to be employed in accomplishing any of "the objects, or the contracts in relation to the objects, which "objects and contracts have hereinbefore been declared unlawful; "or shall knowingly and wilfully insure, or contract for the insuring of any slaves, or any property, or other subject matter "engaged or employed in accomplishing any of the objects, or the "contracts in relation to the objects, which objects and contracts "have hereinbefore been declared unlawful; or shall wilfully and "fraudulently forge or counterfeit any certificate, certificate of "valuation, sentence, or decree of condemnation or restitution, copy of sentence, or decree of condemnation or restitution, or "any receipt (such receipts being required by this act), or any "part of such certificate, certificate of valuation, sentence or "decree of condemnation or restitution, copy of sentence or decree "of condemnation or restitution, or receipt as aforesaid; or shall knowingly and wilfully utter or publish the same, knowing it to "be forged or counterfeited, with intent to defraud his Majesty, "his heirs or successors, or any other person or persons whatsoever, or any body politic or corporate; then and in every such case, the person or persons so offending, and their procurers, "counsellors, aiders, and abettors, shall be, and are hereby de"clared to be, felons, and shall he transported beyond seas, for a "term not exceeding fourteen years, or shall be confined and kept "to hard labour for a term not exceeding five years, nor less than "three years, at the discretion of the Court, before whom such "offender or offenders shall be tried and convicted." The 11th section enacts, "that (except in such special cases, 66 or for such special purposes as are in and by this act expressly permitted,) if any persons shall enter and embark on board, or "contract for the entering and embarking on board of any ship, "vessel, or boat, as petty officer, seaman, marine, or servant, or "in any other capacity not herein before specifically mentioned, "knowing that such ship, vessel, or boat, is actually employed, "or is in the same voyage, or upon the same occasion, in respect "of which they shall so enter and embark on board, or contract "so to do as aforesaid intended to be employed in accomplishing "any of the objects, or the contracts in relation to the objects, "which objects and contracts have hereinbefore been declared "unlawful; then and in every such case the persons so offending, "and their procurers, counsellors, aiders, and abettors, shall be, "and they are hereby declared to be guilty of a misdemeanor “only, and shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not "exceeding two years." 66 to sue for pe The 12th section enacts, "that nothing in this act contained, S. 12. provides making piracies, felonies, robberies, and misdemeanors, of the for an option "several offences aforesaid, shall be construed to repeal, annul, or nalties in the "alter the provisions and enactments in this act also contained, vice-admiralty "imposing forfeitures and penalties, or either of them, upon the courts. same offences, or to repeal, annul, or alter, the remedies given "for the recovery thereof: but that the said provisions and enactments, imposing forfeitures and penalties, shall in all respects "be deemed and taken to be in full force; it being the true intent "and meaning of this act, that the right and privilege heretofore "exercised of suing in vice-admiralty courts for the forfeitures or "penalties, shall remain in full force and effect as before the passing of this act; and the jurisdiction of the said vice-admiralty "courts in all cases of forfeitures and penalties imposed by this "act is hereby established, given, ratified, and confirmed." It is then provided, that nothing contained in the act shall prevent any persons from dealing or trading in, &c. any slaves or slave, lawfully being within any island, colony, &c. belonging to, or in the possession of his Majesty, in case such dealing or trading, &c. shall be made and entered into with the true intent and purpose of employing or working such slaves or slave within the same island, colony, &c. in which they, he, or she, may lawfully be at the time of the making or entering into any such dealing, trading, &c. (a) And it is also provided, that nothing contained in the act shall prevent any person from carrying away, or removing by land or coastwise, or from contracting for the so carrying away or removing any slaves, lawfully being in any part of any island, colony, &c. belonging to or in the possession of his Majesty, to any other part of the same island, colony, &c. Provision is also made for the removal of slaves from one island to another, for the purpose of cultivating the proprietor's estates, where two or more islands are comprised in the same colonial government. (b) And the act also authorizes the removal of slaves under particular circumstances; (c) and enacts as to the manner in which captured slaves shall be disposed of. (d) officers, sea By a subsequent section it is enacted, that if any person offend- s. 40. Petty ing as a petty officer, seaman, marine, or servant, against any of the provisions of the act, shall, within two years after the offence committed, give information on oath before any competent magis (a) S. 13. (b) S. 14. (c) S. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. (d) S. 22, 32. men, marines, or servants, having of |