WASHINGTON, _December 17, 1819_.
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:
Some doubt being entertained respecting the true intent and meaning
of the act of the last session entitled "An act in addition to the
acts prohibiting the slave trade," as to the duties of the agents to
be appointed on the coast of Africa, I think it proper to state the
interpretation which has been given of the act and the measures adopted
to carry it into effect, that Congress may, should it be deemed
advisable, amend the same before further proceeding is had under it.
The obligation to instruct the commanders of all our armed vessels to
seize and bring into port all ships or vessels of the United States,
wheresoever found, having on board any negro, mulatto, or person of
color in violation of former acts for the suppression of the slave
trade, being imperative, was executed without delay. No seizures have
yet been made, but as they were contemplated by the law, and might be
presumed, it seemed proper to make the necessary regulations applicable
to such seizures for carrying the several provisions of the act into
effect.
It is enjoined on the Executive to cause all negroes, mulattoes, or
persons of color who may be taken under the act to be removed to Africa.
It is the obvious import of the law that none of the persons thus taken
should remain within the United States, and no place other than the
coast of Africa being designated, their removal or delivery, whether
carried from the United States or landed immediately from the vessels
in which they were taken, was supposed to be confined to that coast. No
settlement or station being specified, the whole coast was thought to be
left open for the selection of a proper place at which the persons thus
taken should be delivered. The Executive is authorized to appoint one
or more agents residing there to receive such persons, and $100,000 are
appropriated for the general purposes of the law.
On due consideration of the several sections of the act, and of its
humane policy, it was supposed to be the intention of Congress that
all the persons above described who might be taken under it and landed
in Africa should be aided in their return to their former homes, or in
their establishment at or near the place where landed. Some shelter and
food would be necessary for them there as soon as landed, let their
subsequent disposition be what it might. Should they be landed without
such provision having been previously made, they might perish.
It was supposed, by the authority given to the Executive to appoint
agents residing on that coast, that they should provide such shelter
and food, and perform the other beneficent and charitable offices
contemplated by the act. The coast of Africa having been little
explored, and no persons residing there who possessed the requisite
qualifications to entitle them to the trust being known to the
Executive, to none such could it be committed. It was believed that
citizens only who would go hence well instructed in the views of their
Government and zealous to give them effect would be competent to these
duties, and that it was not the intention of the law to preclude their
appointment. It was obvious that the longer these persons should be
detained in the United States in the hands of the marshals the greater
would be the expense, and that for the same term would the main purpose
of the law be suspended. It seemed, therefore, to be incumbent on me
to make the necessary arrangements for carrying this act into effect
in Africa in time to meet the delivery of any persons who might be
taken by the public vessels and landed there under it.
On this view of the policy and sanctions of the law it has been decided
to send a public ship to the coast of Africa with two such agents,
who will take with them tools and other implements necessary for the
purposes above mentioned. To each of these agents a small salary has
been allowed--$1,500 to the principal and $1,200 to the other.
All our public agents on the coast of Africa receive salaries for their
services, and it was understood that none of our citizens possessing the
requisite qualifications would accept these trusts, by which they would
be confined to parts the least frequented and civilized, without
a reasonable compensation, Such allowance therefore seemed to be
indispensable to the execution of the act. It is intended also to
subject a portion of the sum appropriated to the order of the principal
agent for the special objects above stated, amounting in the whole,
including the salaries of the agents for one year, to rather less than
one third of the appropriation. Special instructions will be given to
these agents, defining in precise terms their duties in regard to the
persons thus delivered to them, the disbursement of the money by the
principal agent, and his accountability for the same. They will also
have power to select the most suitable place on the coast of Africa at
which all persons who may be taken under this act shall be delivered to
them, with an express injunction to exercise no power founded on the
principle of colonization or other power than that of performing the
benevolent offices above recited by the permission and sanction of the
existing government under which they may establish themselves. Orders
will be given to the commander of the public ship in which they will
sail to cruise along the coast to give the more complete effect to the
principal object of the act.