the first port at which such ship or vessel shall arrive, if such impressment or detention happened on the high seas, or if the same happened within any foreign port, then in the port in which the same happened, immediately to make a protest, stating the manner of such impressment or detention, by whom made, together with the name and place of residence of the person impressed or detained; distinguishing also, whether he was an American citizen; and if not, to what nation he belonged. And it shall be the duty of such master, to transmit by post, or otherwise, every such protest made in a foreign country, to the nearest consul or agent, or to the minister of the United States resident in such country, if any such there be; preserving a duplicate of such protest, to be by him sent immediately after his arrival within the United States, to the Secretary of State, together with information to whom the original protest was transmitted: And in case such protest shall be made within the United States, or in any foreign country, in which no consul, agent or minister of the United States resides, the same shall, as soon thereafter as practicable, be transmitted by such master, by post or otherwise, to the Secretary of State.
Secretary of State, and Secretary of the Treasury, to transmit this act.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That a copy of this law be transmitted by the Secretary of State, to each of the ministers and consuls of the United States, resident in foreign countries, and by the Secretary of the Treasury, to the several collectors of the districts of the United States, whose duty it is hereby declared to be, from time to time, to make known the provisions of this law, to all masters of ships and vessels of the United States entering, or clearing at their several offices. Master of ship to make oath before admission to an entry.And the master of every such ship or vessel shall, before he is admitted to an entry, by any such collector, be required to declare on oath, whether any of the crew of the ship or vessel under his command have been impressed or detained, in the course of his voyage, and how far he has complied with the directions of this act: Penalty on masters of ships violating this act.and every such master as shall wilfully neglect or refuse to make the declarations herein required, or to perform the duties enjoined by this act, shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dollars. And it is hereby declared to be the duty of every such collector to prosecute for any forfeiture that may be incurred under this act.
Collectors to send a list, &c. to the Secretary of State every three months.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the collector of every port of entry in the United States shall send a list of the seamen registered under this act, once every three months, to the Secretary of State, together with an account of such impressments or detentions, as shall appear, by the protests of the masters, to have taken place.
Limitation of parts of the act.Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the first, second and third sections of this act shall be in force for one year, and from thence to the end of the next session of Congress thereafter, and no longer.
Approved, May 28, 1796.
Statute Ⅰ.
[Repealed.]
Chap. ⅩⅩⅩⅦ.—An Act laying duties on Carriages for the conveyance of persons; and repealing the former act for that purpose.
Act of July 24, 1813, ch. 24.
Act of Dec. 15, 1814, ch. 12.
Former duties to cease, and others laid in lieu of them.Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the last day of August next, the duties laid by the act, intituled “An act laying duties upon carriages for the conveyance of persons,” shall cease, and shall not thenceforth be collected; but in lieu thereof, there shall be levied, collected and paid, the following yearly rates and duties upon all carriages for the conveyance of persons, which shall be kept by, or for any person, for his or her own use, or to be let out for hire, or for the conveyance of passengers, to wit: For and upon every coach, whether driven with a box, or by postilion, the yearly sum of fifteen dollars: For and upon every chariot, post-chariot and post-chaise, the yearly sum of twelve dollars: For and upon every phæton for the
