ent for the suppression of the slave
trade by making it piratical, I deem it proper to communicate for your
consideration such views as appear to me to merit attention. Charged
as the Executive is, and as I have long been, with maintaining the
political relations between the United States and other nations, I
consider it my duty, in submitting for your advice and consent as to
the ratification any treaty or convention which has been agreed on
with another power, to explain, when the occasion requires it, all
the reasons which induced the measure. It is by such full and frank
explanation only that the Senate can be enabled to discharge the high
trust reposed in them with advantage to their country. Having the
instrument before them, with the views which guided the Executive in
forming it, the Senate will possess all the light necessary to a sound
decision.

By an act of Congress of 15th May, 1820, the slave trade, as described
by that act, was made piratical, and all such of our citizens as might
be found engaged in that trade were subjected, on conviction thereof
by the circuit courts of the United States, to capital punishment. To
communicate more distinctly the import of that act, I refer to its
fourth and fifth sections, which are in the following words:

SEC. 4. _And be it further enacted_, That if any citizen of the United
States, being of the crew or ship's company of any foreign ship or
vessel engaged in the slave trade, or any person whatever, being of the
crew or ship's company of any ship or vessel owned in the whole or part
or navigated for or in behalf of any citizen or citizens of the United
States, shall land from any such ship or vessel, and on any foreign
shore seize any Negro or Mulatto not held to service or labor by the
laws of either of the States or Territories of the United States, with
intent to make such Negro or Mulatto a slave, or shall decoy or forcibly
bring or carry, or shall receive, such Negro or Mulatto on board any
such ship or vessel, with intent as aforesaid, such citizen or person
shall be adjudged a pirate, and on conviction thereof before the circuit
court of the United States for the district wherein he may be brought or
found shall suffer death.

SEC. 5. _And be it further enacted_, That if any citizen of the United
States, being of the crew or ship's company of any foreign ship or
vessel engaged in the slave trade, or any person whatever, being