Beschreibung
8vo. An exceedingly rare 1826 document pertaining to this landmark Slave Trading case, a test to both the 1800 Slave Trade Act and the 1808 Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves. The three ships, Constitution, Louisa, and Merino were all seized by the U.S. Government for potentially attempting to land slaves along the southern coast of the United states in violation of both the 1800 and 1808 acts prohibiting the importation of slaves. At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, delegates fiercely debated the issue of slavery. They ultimately agreed that the United States would potentially cease importation of slaves in 1808. An act of Congress passed in 1800 made it illegal for Americans to engage in the slave trade between nations, and gave U.S. authorities the right to seize slave ships which were caught transporting slaves and confiscate their cargo. Then the "Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves" took effect in 1808. All three ships had departed Havana in 1818 with cargoes of other goods in addition to the African slaves, to be landed, albeit temporarily, on the southern coast of the U.S., the Merino heading for Mobile, Alabama Territory, the Constitution for Pensacola and the Louisa for New Orleans. All three were apprehended and their cargo seized. The case was complicated because the defendants claimed the Africans aboard were actually being transferred to a different Spanish colony and not to be landed in the U.S., despite the fact that the ships initially set sail for Havana from U.S. ports. "The owners of these vessels, however, engaged to land the slaves at Pensacola, on their respective voyages to New-Qrleans and Mobile. On their arrival within, or near to, the bay of Pensacola, that' place .was found in possession of the American army, under the command of Gen. (Andrew) Jackson. The Merino was seized by the United States ketch 'Surprise', commanded by Capt. M'Keever within a mile and a half of fort Barancas, inside the bar and within the harbour of Pensacola. "The Constitution was taken possession of by Col. Brooke, of the United States army, under the guns of fort Barancas, then in possession of the United States forces. The Louisa was captured by Capt. M'Keever, in the ketch before mentioned, outside of the bar at Pensacola, standing in. "These vessels, with their goods on board, and the negroes, were sent to the district of Mobile for adjudication. The Constitution, haying on board an agent of Col. Brooke, was boarded off Mobile point by the United States revenue bat, and was carried in and reported by Capt. Lewis, commanding said boat, to the Collector, as having been seized by him, the agent reporting the seizure as having been made by Col. Brooke." - U.S. Govt Records This historic piece is bound in modern three-quarter black leather over marbled paper-covered boards. [2], title, 3-87pp, [3]. Square tight binding. Clean interior. Titling stamped in gilt to front leather near spine. A very small white scuff to top edge of rear board near spine. Minor light foxing throughout, with a more substantial amount over a few pages near the center pages. Overall, an important, and rare, piece of early 19th-century slave-trading Black Americana, relative to the property rights of the interested parties of seized cargo. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 17853
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