"Every person found on board of such vessels must be taken
especial care of. The negroes, mulattoes, or persons of color,
are to be delivered to such persons as the respective States may
appoint to receive the same. The commanders and crews of such
vessels will be held under the prosecutions of the
district-attorneys, to answer the pains and penalties prescribed
by law for their respective offences. Whenever negroes,
mulattoes, or persons of color shall be delivered to the persons
appointed to receive the same, duplicate receipts must be taken
therefore, and if no person shall be appointed by the respective
States to receive them, they must be delivered 'to the overseers
of the poor of the port or place where such ship or vessel may be
brought or found,' and an account of your proceedings, together
with the number and descriptive list of such negroes, mulattoes,
or persons of color, must be immediately transmitted to the
governor or chief magistrate of the State. You will communicate
to me, minutely, all your proceedings.

"I am, sir, respectfully, etc.
PAUL HAMILTON.

"H. G. CAMPBELL, _Commanding Naval Officer_,
Charleston, S. C."

On the 17th of December, 1819, President Monroe sent the following
message to Congress on the subject of the slave-trade:

"MESSAGE.

"_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States_:

"Some doubt being entertained respecting the true intent and
meaning of the act of the last session, entitled 'An Act in
addition to the Acts prohibiting the slave-trade,' as to the
duties of the agents, to be appointed on the coast of Africa, I
think it proper to state the interpretation which has been given
of the act, and the measures adopted to carry it into effect,
that Congress may, should it be deemed advisable, amend the same,
before further proceeding is had under it.

"The obligation to instruct the commanders of all our armed
vessels to seize and bring into port all ships or vessels of the
United States, wheresoever found, having on board any negro,
mulatto, or person of color, in violation of former acts for the
suppression of the slave-trade, being imperative, was executed
without delay.