t. Should they be landed without
such provision having been previously made, they might perish.

It was supposed, by the authority given to the Executive to appoint
agents residing on that coast, that they should provide such shelter
and food, and perform the other beneficent and charitable offices
contemplated by the act. The coast of Africa having been little
explored, and no persons residing there who possessed the requisite
qualifications to entitle them to the trust being known to the
Executive, to none such could it be committed. It was believed that
citizens only who would go hence well instructed in the views of their
Government and zealous to give them effect would be competent to these
duties, and that it was not the intention of the law to preclude their
appointment. It was obvious that the longer these persons should be
detained in the United States in the hands of the marshals the greater
would be the expense, and that for the same term would the main purpose
of the law be suspended. It seemed, therefore, to be incumbent on me
to make the necessary arrangements for carrying this act into effect
in Africa in time to meet the delivery of any persons who might be
taken by the public vessels and landed there under it.

On this view of the policy and sanctions of the law it has been decided
to send a public ship to the coast of Africa with two such agents,
who will take with them tools and other implements necessary for the
purposes above mentioned. To each of these agents a small salary has
been allowed--$1,500 to the principal and $1,200 to the other.

All our public agents on the coast of Africa receive salaries for their
services, and it was understood that none of our citizens possessing the
requisite qualifications would accept these trusts, by which they would
be confined to parts the least frequented and civilized, without
a reasonable compensation, Such allowance therefore seemed to be
indispensable to the execution of the act. It is intended also to
subject a portion of the sum appropriated to the order of the principal
agent for the special objects above stated, amounting in the whole,
including the salaries of the agents for one year, to rather less than
one third of the appropriation. Special instructions will be given to
these agents, defining in precise terms their duties in regard to the
persons thus delivered to them, the disbursement of the money by the
principal agent, and his accountability