Letter From the Secretary of the Treasury, Transmitting in obedience to a resolution of the House of Representatives, of the 31st ultimo Information in Relation to the Illicit Introduction of Slaves Into the United States
With a Statement of the Measures Which Have Been Taken to Prevent the Same. January, 13, 1820. Read, and ordered to lie on the table. Washington D.C. Printed by Gales & Seaton, 1820.
First Edition. Wraps. Disbound wraps. Approx. 9" x 4". 12 pages. Toning to the paper. First 4 pages have a small edge chip not affecting the print. Wraps spine backed with later tissue paper. Pages 3-6 are loose. Scarce. 10 copies located in OCLC. Fair. Item #35023
The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, promoted by President Thomas Jefferson was passed in 1807 and took effect in 1808.
From the 1820 letter submitted by the Treasury Department Spain and individuals were responsible for the illegal importation of Slaves into the United States. Secretary of Treasury, William Crawford, writes "From information recently received by this Department, there is just reason to believe that Sir Gregor MacGregor has taken military possession of Amelia Island [Florida], in the name of the Spanish Patriots" Continued on the same page, "In addition to the circumstances already communicated, the disposition which has been manifested by the vessels of Spain engaged in the African Slave Trade, to introduce, illicitly, into that section of the Union, the persons who, in the prosecution of their traffic, have been subjected to their control, seems to require the presence of a force sufficient to enforce the due execution of the laws against the introduction of slaves into the United States." The Treasury Department recommends, "To guard against the unlawful introduction of slaves, and to repress any attempt that may be made by the foreign belligerent force, collected in that neighborhood, to excite domestic insurrection among the blacks, it appears to me to be absolutely necessary that a land and naval force be stationed at St. Mary's."
Soon after this letter was published Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1821. Florida was a territory until 1845.
Price: $125.00