"_Resolved_, That the Executive should be sustained and commended for
any proper efforts whenever and wherever made to enforce said laws, and
to bring to speedy punishment the wicked violators thereof, and all
their aiders and abettors."

Failed of the two-thirds vote necessary to suspend the rules--the vote
being 115 to 84--and was dropped. _House Journal_, 35 Cong. 2 sess. pp.
298-9.

~1859, March 3. United States Statute: Appropriation.~

To carry out the Act of March 3, 1819, and subsequent acts, and to pay
expenses already incurred, $75,000. _Statutes at Large_, XI. 404.

~1859, Dec. 19. President Buchanan's Message.~

"All lawful means at my command have been employed, and shall continue
to be employed, to execute the laws against the African slave trade.
After a most careful and rigorous examination of our coasts, and a
thorough investigation of the subject, we have not been able to discover
that any slaves have been imported into the United States except the
cargo by the Wanderer, numbering between three and four hundred. Those
engaged in this unlawful enterprise have been rigorously prosecuted, but
not with as much success as their crimes have deserved. A number of them
are still under prosecution. [Here follows a history of our slave-trade
legislation.]

"These acts of Congress, it is believed, have, with very rare and
insignificant exceptions, accomplished their purpose. For a period of
more than half a century there has been no perceptible addition to the
number of our domestic slaves.... Reopen the trade, and it would be
difficult to determine whether the effect would be more deleterious on
the interests of the master, or on those of the native born slave, ..."
_Senate Exec. Doc._, 36 Cong. 1 sess. I. No. 2, pp. 5-8.

~1860, March 20. Congress (Senate): Proposed Resolution.~

"Mr. Wilson submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by
unanimous consent, and agreed to:--

"_Resolved_, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to
inquire into the expediency of so amending the laws of the United States
in relation to the suppression of the African slave trade as to provide
a penalty of imprisonment for life for a participation in such trade,
instead of the penalty of forfeiture of life, as now provided; and also
an amendment of such laws as will include in the punishment for said
offense all persons who fit out or are in any way connected with or
interested in fitting out