A bill to prohibit the importation of slaves into the District of Columbia, with certain exceptions.

Be it enacted by the Senate, and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that, with the exceptions hereinafter enumerated, it shall be unlawful to import, bring, or permit to come into the District of Columbia, from any State or Territory of the United States, or elsewhere any negro, mullatto, or colored person, held in servitude, or owned, or claimed as a slave, and that every negro, mullatto, or colored person so imported, brought, or permitted to come, into the said District of Columbia, by the act, or with the consent, of his, or her master, or owner, or otherwise than as a fugitive from labor, or justice, shall, ipso facto, be forfeited, and become free.

Sec. 2^d And be it further enacted that, with the exceptions hereinafter enumerated, any person, or persons who shall or may import, bring, or permit to come into the district of Columbia aforesaid any negro, mullatto, or colored person, knowing the ^same^ to be held in servitude, or claimed as ^a^ slave, shall be held and deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and, upon correction thereof shall be punished by fine, and imprisonment, in the discretion of the criminal court for the District of Columbia aforesaid.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted that, notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, negroes, mullattoes, or persons of color, held in servitude or claimed as slaves may be introduced, or brought into the District of Columbia, free from forfeiture, or other penalty, by any person, or persons, being residents of the District aforesaid, and to whom the ownership thereof may accrue, during such residence, by devise, or inheritance, under the laws of any state, or territory of the United States. And persons removing, from any state, or Territory of the United States, into the District of Columbia, with the intention of becoming, and remaining, permanently residents thereof, and to employ their servants, previous to such removal owned by them, ^in ordinary service within the said District,^ and actually becoming resident householders, and heads of families within the District aforesaid, may introduce, and bring into the said District such servants, owned by them previous to such removal into the District aforesaid, with the intention of employing the same in their own personal service, free from any forfeiture, or penalty whatever.

And persons elected, or appointed to any public office, or employment, requiring, or making necessary ^their^ a temporary, or permanent residence within the District aforesaid, may, on taking up such residence, introduce, and bring with them into the District aforesaid all servants, previous to such residence owned, or em-

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ployed by them, with intent to employ the same in their own personal service, ^or in that of their families^ without incurring any forfeiture, or penalty whatever. And ^any^ person, travelling through, the District aforesaid may lawfully employ in his ^or her^ personal service, as ^a^ body servant [...?] one servant, previously owned by him or her in one of the states or territories of the United States, with intent to retain such servant in personal service as aforesaid; and if the family of ^any^ such persons be travelling with him or her the number of servants so retained in personal service as aforesaid may equal, but not exceed the number of such family; And, in such case such traveller shall incur no forfeiture, or penalty whatever, so lang as he or she may continue to employ such servants in personal service as aforesaid, as body servants, footmen, coachmen, waiters, or ^in^ other service usually required by gentlemen travelling, alone, or by families travelling as such.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted that all peace officers, and officers entrusted with the administration of justice within the District of Columbia, all executive officers acting under the authority of courts, or Judicial functionaries, and all police officers, within the District aforesaid be, and the same are hereby charged with the execution of this act; and trials for the misdemeanor, created by this act, shall be had in the criminal Court for the District aforesaid, upon presentment, or indictment.