[Inclosure in No. 563.]
[Public—No. 125.]
An ACT to authorize the President of the United States
to protect and defend the rights of American fishing vessels, American
fishermen, American trading and other vessels, in certain cases, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That whenever the President of the United States
shall be satisfied that American fishing vessels or American fishermen,
visiting or being in the waters or at any ports or places of the British
dominions of North America, are or then lately have, been denied or,
abridged in the enjoyment of any rights secured to them by treaty or
law, or are or then lately have [been] unjustly vexed or harassed in the
enjoyment of such rights, or subjected to unreasonable restrictions,
regulations, or requirements in respect of such rights) or otherwise
unjustly vexed or harassed in said waters, ports, or places 5 or
whenever the President of the United States shall be satisfied that any
such fishing vessels or fishermen, having a permit under the laws of the
United States to touch and trade at any port or ports, place or places,
in the British dominions of North America, are or then lately have been
denied the privilege of entering such port or ports, place or places in
the same manner and under the same regulations as may exist therein
applicable to trading vessels of the most favored nation, or shall be
unjustly vexed or harassed in respect thereof, or otherwise be unjustly
vested or harassed therein, or shall be prevented from purchasing such
supplies as may there be lawfully sold to trading vessels of the most
favored nation; or whenever the President of the United States shall be
satisfied that any other vessels of the-United States, their masters or
crews, so arriving at or being in such British waters or ports or places
of the British dominions of North America, are or then lately have been
denied any of the privileges therein accorded to the vessels, their
masters or crews, of the most favored nation, or unjustly vexed or
harassed in respect of the same, or unjustly vexed or harassed therein
by the authorities thereof, then, and in either or all of such cases, it
shall be lawful, and it shall be the duty of the President of the United
States, in his discretion, by proclamation to that effect, to deny
vessels, their masters and crews, of the British dominions of North
America, any entrance into the waters, ports, or places of, or within
the United States (with such exceptions in regard to vessels in
distress, stress of weather, or needing supplies as to the President
shall seem proper), whether such vessels shall have come directly from
said dominions on such destined voyage or by way of some port or place
in such destined voyage elsewhere; and also, to deny entry into any port
or place of the United States of fresh fish or salt fish or any other
product of said dominions, or other goods coming from said dominions to
the United States. The President may, in his discretion, apply such
proclamation to any part or to all of the foregoing named subjects, and
may revoke, qualify, limit, and renew such proclamation from time to
time as he may deem necessary to the full and just execution of the
purposes of this act. Every violation of any such proclamation, or any
part thereof, is hereby declared illegal, and all vessels and goods so
coming or being within the waters, ports, or places of the United States
contrary to such proclamation shall be forfeited to the United States
and such forfeiture shall be enforced and proceeded upon in the same
manner and with the same effect as in the case of vessels or goods whose
importation or coming to or being in the waters or ports of the United
States contrary to law
[Page 467]
may now
be enforced and proceeded upon. Every person who shall violate any of
the provisions of this act, or such proclamation of the President made
in pursuance hereof, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on
conviction thereof, shall be punished by a line not exceeding one
thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years,
or by both said punishments, in the discretion of the court.
