((Private - Council of State @99KingHigh))
PETITION
FROM THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
FOR PERUSAL OF HIS MAJESTY'S COUNCIL OF STATE
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
FROM THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
FOR PERUSAL OF HIS MAJESTY'S COUNCIL OF STATE
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
Following the conclusion of the Congress at Aix-la-Chapelle, I am pleased to report that it has been a triumph in all particulars. There remains but one matter to be addressed, necessitated by the convention contracted between ourselves and Great Britain, as well as our outstanding obligations from previous treaties and declarations. As such, I propose for the consideration of His Majesty a petition on the abolition of the slave trade.
Law on the Abolition of the Slave Trade
Preamble
Whereas His Majesty’s Government, by the Definitive Treaty of Peace between His Britannic Majesty and His Most Christian Majesty of 30th May 1814, the Declaration of the Powers on the Abolition of the Slave Trade of 8th February 1815, and the Supplementary Convention between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Kingdom of France of 15th November 1818, did commit itself to the prompt and effective abolition of that abominable commerce, known as the Slave Trade, which is universally regarded as anathema to Christian morality and civilised opinion;
Be it enacted by His Majesty,
Article I.
The Slave Trade, and all dealing and trading in the purchase, sale, barter, or transfer of slaves, or of persons intended to be sold, transferred, used, or dealt with as slaves, practiced in or on the African Coast, shall hereby be prohibited and declared unlawful from 30th May 1820.
Article II.
All dealing, purchase, sale, barter, or transfer, or by means of any other contract or agreement whatever, relating to any slaves, or to any persons intended to be used or dealt with as slaves, for the purpose of such slaves or persons being removed or transported either immediately or by transhipment at sea or otherwise, directly or indirectly from Africa, or from any island, country, territory, or place whatsoever, not being in the dominion, possession, or occupation of His Majesty, to any other island, country, territory, or place whatsoever, shall likewise be prohibited and declared unlawful from the aforesaid date.
Article III.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any subject of His Majesty, or person resident within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, who, by themselves, or by their factors or agents or otherwise howsoever, deal or trade in, purchase, sell, barter, or transfer, or contract or agree for the dealing or trading in, purchasing, selling, bartering, or transferring of any slave, or any person intended to be sold, transferred, used, or dealt with as a slave contrary to the prohibitions of this Law, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of one hundred (100) francs for each and every slave so purchased, sold, bartered, or transferred, or contracted or agreed for as aforesaid.
Article IV.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any subject of His Majesty, or person resident within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, who, by themselves, or by their factors or agents or otherwise howsoever, fit out, man, or navigate, or to procure to be fitted out, manned, or navigated, or to be concerned in the fitting out, manning, or navigating, or in the procuring to be fitted out, manned, or navigated, any ship or vessel for the purpose of assisting in, or being employed in the carrying on of the Slave Trade, or in any other dealing, trading, or concerns hereby prohibited and declared to be unlawful, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of two hundred and fifty (250) francs.
Article V.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any vessel fitted out within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, for any of the aforesaid purposes prohibited by this Law, together with all her boats, guns, tackle, apparel, furniture and provisions, shall be forfeited and seized.
Article VI.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any subject of His Majesty, or person resident within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, who shall, as proprietor, semi-proprietor, freighter or shipper, factor or agent, captain, mate, supercargo or surgeon, so unlawfully carry away or remove, detain, confine, tranship, or receive on board, or be aiding or assisting in the carrying away, removing, detaining, confining, transhipping, or receiving on board, for any of the unlawful purposes aforesaid, any such subject or inhabitant of Africa, or of any island, country, territory or place whatsoever, not being in the dominion, possession or occupation of His Majesty, shall forfeit and pay for each and every slave or person so carried away, removed, detained, confined, transhipped, or received on board, the sum of one hundred (100) francs.
Article VII.
Consequent to the aforesaid debate, all insurances whatsoever to be effected upon or in respect to any of the trading, dealing, carrying, removing, transhipping, or other transactions prohibited by this Law, shall also be prohibited and declared to be unlawful.
Article VIII.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any subject of His Majesty, or person resident within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, who, by themselves, or by their factors or agents or otherwise howsoever, shall knowingly and wilfully subscribe, effect, or make, or cause or procure to be subscribed, effected, or made, any such unlawful insurances or insurance, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of one hundred francs (100) for every such Insurance, and also triple the amount paid or agreed to be paid as the premium of any such insurance.
Preamble
Whereas His Majesty’s Government, by the Definitive Treaty of Peace between His Britannic Majesty and His Most Christian Majesty of 30th May 1814, the Declaration of the Powers on the Abolition of the Slave Trade of 8th February 1815, and the Supplementary Convention between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Kingdom of France of 15th November 1818, did commit itself to the prompt and effective abolition of that abominable commerce, known as the Slave Trade, which is universally regarded as anathema to Christian morality and civilised opinion;
Be it enacted by His Majesty,
Article I.
The Slave Trade, and all dealing and trading in the purchase, sale, barter, or transfer of slaves, or of persons intended to be sold, transferred, used, or dealt with as slaves, practiced in or on the African Coast, shall hereby be prohibited and declared unlawful from 30th May 1820.
Article II.
All dealing, purchase, sale, barter, or transfer, or by means of any other contract or agreement whatever, relating to any slaves, or to any persons intended to be used or dealt with as slaves, for the purpose of such slaves or persons being removed or transported either immediately or by transhipment at sea or otherwise, directly or indirectly from Africa, or from any island, country, territory, or place whatsoever, not being in the dominion, possession, or occupation of His Majesty, to any other island, country, territory, or place whatsoever, shall likewise be prohibited and declared unlawful from the aforesaid date.
Article III.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any subject of His Majesty, or person resident within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, who, by themselves, or by their factors or agents or otherwise howsoever, deal or trade in, purchase, sell, barter, or transfer, or contract or agree for the dealing or trading in, purchasing, selling, bartering, or transferring of any slave, or any person intended to be sold, transferred, used, or dealt with as a slave contrary to the prohibitions of this Law, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of one hundred (100) francs for each and every slave so purchased, sold, bartered, or transferred, or contracted or agreed for as aforesaid.
Article IV.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any subject of His Majesty, or person resident within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, who, by themselves, or by their factors or agents or otherwise howsoever, fit out, man, or navigate, or to procure to be fitted out, manned, or navigated, or to be concerned in the fitting out, manning, or navigating, or in the procuring to be fitted out, manned, or navigated, any ship or vessel for the purpose of assisting in, or being employed in the carrying on of the Slave Trade, or in any other dealing, trading, or concerns hereby prohibited and declared to be unlawful, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of two hundred and fifty (250) francs.
Article V.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any vessel fitted out within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, for any of the aforesaid purposes prohibited by this Law, together with all her boats, guns, tackle, apparel, furniture and provisions, shall be forfeited and seized.
Article VI.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any subject of His Majesty, or person resident within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, who shall, as proprietor, semi-proprietor, freighter or shipper, factor or agent, captain, mate, supercargo or surgeon, so unlawfully carry away or remove, detain, confine, tranship, or receive on board, or be aiding or assisting in the carrying away, removing, detaining, confining, transhipping, or receiving on board, for any of the unlawful purposes aforesaid, any such subject or inhabitant of Africa, or of any island, country, territory or place whatsoever, not being in the dominion, possession or occupation of His Majesty, shall forfeit and pay for each and every slave or person so carried away, removed, detained, confined, transhipped, or received on board, the sum of one hundred (100) francs.
Article VII.
Consequent to the aforesaid debate, all insurances whatsoever to be effected upon or in respect to any of the trading, dealing, carrying, removing, transhipping, or other transactions prohibited by this Law, shall also be prohibited and declared to be unlawful.
Article VIII.
Consequent to the aforesaid date, any subject of His Majesty, or person resident within the Kingdom of France and the islands, colonies, dominions, or territories thereto belonging, or in His Majesty’s occupation or possession, who, by themselves, or by their factors or agents or otherwise howsoever, shall knowingly and wilfully subscribe, effect, or make, or cause or procure to be subscribed, effected, or made, any such unlawful insurances or insurance, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of one hundred francs (100) for every such Insurance, and also triple the amount paid or agreed to be paid as the premium of any such insurance.
I present this petition for the consideration of His Majesty's Government.
Signed,
His Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs
Marquis de Valence
His Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs
Marquis de Valence