Owners of privateers, how punishable for violating revenue laws of the United States.That the owners or commanders of vessels having letters of marque and reprisal as aforesaid, who shall violate any of the acts of Congress for the collection of the revenue of the United States and for the prevention of smuggling, shall forfeit the commission or letters of marque and reprisal, and they and the vessels owned or commanded by them, shall be liable to all the penalties and forfeitures attaching to merchant vessels in like cases.
Non-importation law, so far as it concerns prize goods, dispensed with.Sec. 14. And be it further enacted, That so much of any act or acts as prohibits the importation of goods, wares and merchandise, of the growth, produce and manufacture of the dominions, colonies and dependencies of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or of goods, wares and merchandise imported from the dominions, colonies and dependencies of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, be, and the same is hereby repealed, so far as the same may prohibit the importation or introduction into the United States and their territories of such goods, wares and merchandise as may be captured from the enemy and made good and lawful prize of war, either by vessels having letters of marque and reprisal or by the vessels of war and revenue of the United States. And all such goods, wares and merchandise, when imported or brought into the United States or their territories, shall pay the same duties, to be secured and collected in the same manner and under the same regulations, as the like goods, wares and merchandise, if importedAct of August 2, 1813, ch. 49. in vessels of the United States from any foreign port or place, in the ordinary course of trade, are now or may at the time be liable to pay.
Offences on board private armed vessels, how punishable.
Proviso.Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That all offences committed by any officer or seaman on board any such vessel, having letters of marque and reprisal, during the present hostilities against Great Britain, shall be tried and punished in such manner as the like offences are or may be tried and punished when committed by any person belonging to the public ships of war of the United States: Provided always, that all offenders who shall be accused of such crimes as are cognizable by a court martial, shall be confined on board the vessel in which such offence is alleged to have been committed, until her arrival at some port in the United States or their territories; or until she shall meet with one or more of the public armed vessels of the United States abroad, the offices whereof shall be sufficient to make a court martial for the trial of the accused; and upon application made, by the commander of such vessel, on board of which the offence is alleged to have been committed, to the Secretary of the Navy, or to the commander or senior officer of the ship or ships of war of the United States abroad as aforesaid, the Secretary of the Navy, or such commander or officer, is hereby authorized to order a court martial of the officers of the navy of the United States, for the trial of the accused, who shall be tried by the said court.
Parts of embargo and non-exportation laws repealed, so far as they relate to private armed vessels.
Act of April 4, 1812, ch. 49.
Act of April 14, 1812, ch. 56.Sec. 16. And be it further enacted, That an act, entituled “An act laying an embargo on all the ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States for a limited time,” passed the fourth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and twelve; and an act, entituled “An act to prohibit the exportation of specie, goods, wares and merchandise, for a limited time,” passed April fourteenth, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, so far as they relate to ships and vessels having commissions or letters of marque and reprisal, or sailing under the same, be, and they hereby are respectively repealed.
