Legislation on the slave trade
Legislation on the slave trade


Royal NavySlave trade legislation ► Acts of Parliament

6° & 7° Gulielmi IV., cap. LXXXI

An Act to authorize His Majesty, until Six Months after the Commencement of the next Session of Parliament, to carry into immediate Execution, by Orders in Council, any Treaties, Conventions, or Stipulations made with any Foreign Power or State for the Suppression of the Slave Trade.

[17th August 1836.]

  'WHEREAS the Two Houses of Parliament have, by their Addresses of June the Sixth One thousand eight hundred and six, June the Twenty-seventh One thousand eight hundred and fourteen, July the Ninth One thousand eight hundred and seventeen, July the Seventh One thousand eight hundred and nineteen, and May the Ninth One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, requested His Majesty to conclude Treaties for the effectual Suppression of the Slave Trade: And whereas His Majesty is at the present Time engaged in Negotiation with certain Foreign Powers for the Purpose of concluding such Treaties with them: And whereas it may happen that some such Treaties may be concluded during the Time that Parliament is not sitting: And whereas in such Case Delay would take place in carrying into execution the Stipulations of such Treaties, and much Crime might be perpetrated during the Interval that might elapse between the Ratification of such Treaties and the Time when Parliament might pass Acts authorizing the Crown to carry the same into execution: And whereas it would materially tend to further the Accomplishment of the Objects which the Two Houses of Parliament had in view when they addressed His Majesty as aforesaid if the Crown were to be empowered to carry such Treaties into immediate Execution:
His Majesty may, by Orders in Council, carry into immediate Execution all Treaties, Conventions, and Stipulations made with any Foreign Power or State for the Suppression of the Slave Trade, and such Orders shall have the Effect of Acts of Parliament. Be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That it shall be lawful for His Majesty, by any Order or Orders in Council, to direct that such Treaties or Conventions and all Stipulations contained therein, and also all additional Stipulations to any former Treaties or Conventions which His Majesty may have concluded or may hereafter conclude with any Foreign Power or State, for the more effectual suppression of the Slave Trade, shall be carried into immediate Execution, and for that Purpose to declare and direct in such Orders of Council that all Searches, Examinations, Detentions, Seizures, Condemnations, and Sales of Ships or Vessels detained, seized or captured for any Violations of the Provision of any such Treaties, Conventions, or Stipulations, shall be legal; and also by any such Order or Orders in Council to establish Tribunals for the trying and deciding all Questions which may arise under such Treaties, Contentions, or Stipulations, and for the Condemnation of any such Vessels as aforesaid, and for punishing the Violation of any such Treaties, Conventions, or Stipulations, and for adjudging and enforcing the Payment of any Penalties for any such Violation, or to authorize any Tribunals which may have been heretofore established to act in relation to the enforcing such Treaties, Conventions, or Stipulations aforesaid, and also to authorize the Payment of such Bounties as are allowed in any Act or Acts of Parliament now in force for the Suppression of the Slave Trade to the Persons detaining, seizing, or capturing any such Vessels; and it shall be lawful for His Majesty, in any such Order or Orders in Council, to declare that all Clauses and Provisions, Powers and Authorities contained in, and all Penalties and Forfeitures imposed by, any Act or Acts of Parliament now in force for the carrying into Execution or giving effect to any Treaty, Convention, or Stipulation heretofore made with any Foreign Power or State, or in any other Act or Acts of Parliament in force for the Suppression of the Slave Trade, as shall be specified or referred to in any such Order or Orders in Council, shall be applied and put in force for the Purpose of carrying into immediate Execution any such Treaty, Convention, or additional Stipulation first above mentioned; and upon the issuing of any such Order or Orders in Council all the Directions, Powers and Authorities contained therein, and all Clauses, Provisions, Powers, Authorities, Penalties, and Forfeitures referred to in any such Order or Orders, and contained in any such Act or Acts of Parliament aforesaid, shall have the same and like Force and Effect, and all Acts, Matters, and Things done under the Authority thereof, and all Acts and Judgments of any Tribunals under the same, shall be valid and effectual as fully to all Intents and Purposes as if the same had been enacted in an Act of Parliament.
Continuance of Act. II. And be it further enacted, That this Act, and all Orders in Council issued under the Authority thereof, shall continue in force until the Expiration of Six Months after the Commencement of the next Session of Parliament.


Top↑ 
Valid HTML 5.0