And having before us the said Convention, the tenor of which is the foregoing, and all that it contains having been well seen, considered, and examined by us, we approve, ratify, and confirm it as well in the whole as in each of its Articles and stipulations; and by this present we declare it to be firm and valid, in order that it produce its due effect; promising on our Imperial faith and word inviolably to observe and fulfil it, and to cause it to be observed and fulfilled by all possible means.

In testimony and confirmation of the foregoing, we have caused the present letter to be issued, signed by us, sealed with the great seal of the arms of the Empire, and countersigned by our Minister Secretary of State whose name is affixed below.

Given at the palace of Rio de Janeiro, on the 13th day of October, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1851.

(L.S.) PEDRO, Emperor.

VISCOUNT DE MONTE ALEGRE.

TREATY between Brazil and the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, for the Surrender of Criminals and Deserters, and for the return of Runaway Slaves to Brazil.-Signed at Rio de Janeiro, October 12, 1851.

(Translation.)

WE, the Constitutional Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil, &c., make known to all who shall see the present letter of confirmation, approbation, and ratification, that on the 12th day of October, 1851, there was signed and concluded at this Court of Rio de Janeiro, by the respective Plenipotentiaries furnished with the necessary full powers, a Treaty between Brazil and the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, for the reciprocal delivery of criminals and deserters, and for the return of runaway slaves to Brazil, the tenor of which is as follows:

In the name of the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity.

His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, and the President of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, considering that the extent of the frontiers of the 2 States, and the facility with which they are crossed, require for the preservation of the goodwill and of the political relations which unite the 2 States the observance of special regulations in conformity with the political and social institutions that govern them, have agreed to enter into a Treaty for the reciprocal delivery of criminals and deserters, and for the return of

runaway slaves to Brazil; and for this purpose have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

His Excellency Honorio Hermeto Carneiro Leão, of the Privy Council, and of the Council of State, Senator of the Empire, Grand Cross of the Order of Christ, and Officer of the Imperial Order of the Southern Cross; and his Excellency Antonio Paulino Limpo de Abreu, of the Privy Council and of the Council of State, Senator of the Empire, Dignitary of the Imperial Order of the Southern Cross, and Knight of the Order of Christ, on the part of His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil;

And the Advocate, Don Anders Lamas, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the said Republic to the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, on the part of the President of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay;

Who, after having exchanged their respective full powers, which were found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ART. I. The 2 High Contracting Parties bind themselves not to give asylum in their respective territories to great criminals, and agree to their reciprocal extradition, when the following conditions conjointly concur:

1st. When the crimes for which the extradition of the criminal is claimed have been committed in the territory of the Government that claims it.

2nd. When, by their gravity and habitual frequency, they may be capable of endangering the morality or security of the people; such as assassination, poisoning, incendiarism, robbery, fraudulent bankruptcy, fabrication and introduction of false coin or of any paper circulating as money, forgery of public documents, of notes of the authorized banks or of bills of exchange, abstraction of trustmoney or funds by public functionaries or by servants to whose keeping they were confided.

3rd. When the said crimes can be proved in such a manner that the laws of the country from which the extradition of the criminal is claimed would justify his arrest and accusation, had the crime been committed within its territory.

4th. When the criminal is claimed directly, or through the medium of the Representative of the Government of the nation in which the offence shall have taken place.

II. The extradition shall not take place:

1st. If the criminal claimed be a citizen of the country of the Government to which the reclamation is made.

2nd. For political crimes; and when a criminal shall have been given up for any of the acts enumerated in the preceding Article, he

shall not be tried or punished for political crimes or acts connected with them, that may have taken place previous to his being delivered up.

III. It is understood that if an individual who has committed crimes in more than one State should be claimed by the respective Governments, the preference shall be given to that in whose territory the greater offence shall have been committed; and if the crimes be of equal gravity, to that which first made the claim.

IV. It is also understood that if the individual whose extradition is claimed should have committed any crime in the country in which he has taken refuge, and should have been brought to trial for it, his extradition can only take place after he has suffered punishment, or in the event of his acquittal.

V. The expenses of the arrest, detention and transport of the criminal shall be borne by the Government that claims him.

VI. The Government of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay recognizes the principle of restoration, in regard to slaves belonging to Brazilian subjects, who, against the will of their masters, shall have resorted to the territory of the Republic, in any manner, and shall be found there. In this restoration, the following rules shall be observed:

1st. The said slaves shall be claimed either directly by the Imperial Government or through the medium of its Representative in the Republic.

2nd. It is allowed that the reclamation may be made by the President of the province of San Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul, in case the slave or slaves claimed should belong to Brazilian subjects resident or established in that province.

3rd. It is also allowed that the reclamation may be made by the master of the slave before the competent authority of the place where he may be, if the master of the slave should enter, in the pursuit for his capture, into the Oriental territory, or if he should send in pursuit an agent specially authorized for the said purpose.

4th. The reclamation here treated of must be accompanied by a certificate or document proving, according to the laws of Brazil, the right to the property that is claimed.

5th. The expenses incurred in the apprehension and restitution of the slave or slaves claimed shall be on account of the claimant.

VII. The 2 High Contracting Parties also bind themselves not to receive knowingly and willingly into their States, and not to employ in their service, individuals who have deserted from the naval or military service of the other; the deserted soldiers and sailors, whether from vessels of war or merchantmen, are to be seized, and delivered up as soon as they shall be claimed in due

form, upon condition that the party receiving them shall undertake to commute the maximum of the punishment incurred by the desertion, if this, according to the legislation of the reclaiming country, should be visited with capital punishment.

VIII. In order to avoid difficulties which frequently occur, and in conformity with the spirit of the preceding stipulations, the 2 High Contracting Parties also agree:

1st. That neither of them shall admit into its naval or military service any individual of the other's nationality, although not a deserter from the army or navy of the nation to which he belongs, except by voluntary contract, which is to be considered valid.

2nd. That the Imperial Agents in the Republic, and the Agents of the Republic in Brazil, shall not authorize the embarkation on board the vessels of their respective nations, of any individual, even on pretext of indigence, without previously soliciting and obtaining the proper passport, if the laws and regulations of the country so require.

It is understood that this resolution does not include the case of refuge or asylum being sought on board the vessels of the High Contracting Parties, and in which they are bound to observe the well-understood principles of humanity proper to enlightened nations.

IX. The exchange of the ratifications of the present Treaty shall take place at Monte Video, within the term of 30 days, reckoned from this date, or sooner if possible.

In testimony whereof we, the Undersigned, Plenipotentiaries of His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, and of the President of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, in virtue of our full powers, have signed the present Convention with our hands, and have caused to be put to it the seal of our arms.

Done in the city of Rio de Janeiro, on the 12th day of October, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1851.

(L.S.) HONORIO HERMETO CARNEIRO LEAO. (L.S.) ANTONIO PAULINO LIMPO DE ABREU. (L.S.) ANDRES LAMAS.

And having before us the said Treaty, the tenor of which is the foregoing, and all that it contains having been well seen, considered, and examined by us, we hereby approve, ratify, and confirm it, as well in the whole as in each one of its Articles and stipulations; and by this present we declare it to be firm and valid for ever, promising on our Imperial faith and word inviolably to observe and

fulfil it, and to cause it to be observed and fulfilled by all possible

means.

In testimony and confirmation whereof, we have caused the present letter to be issued, signed by us, sealed with the great seal of the arms of the Empire, and countersigned by our Minister and Secretary of State, whose name is affixed below.

Given at the palace of Rio de Janeiro, on the 13th day of the month of October, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1851. (L.S.) PEDRO, Emperor.

PAULINO JOSE SOARES DE Souza.

ACT of the Congress of Colombia, declaring Slave Trade Piracy.-Bogotá, February 14, 1825.

(Translation.)

THE Senate and Chamber of Representatives of the Republic of Colombia, in Congress assembled, considering that in order to render more efficacious the regulations of the Law of the 21st of July of the year 1821-11, which, with the design of gradually abolishing slavery, prohibits the importation of slaves into Colombia, it is necessary to design proportionate penalties against those who infringe this law, and against those who, trampling upon the rights of natural liberty, and the eternal principles of reason and sound policy, engage in the African Slave Trade;

DECREE:

ART. I. The citizens and subjects of Colombia, and the commanders, mates, and sailors of national vessels who, on the high sea, or in any parts that are under the jurisdiction of the Republic, are found conveying, conducting, or transporting one or more persons taken from Africa as slaves, or who help to embark, convey, or transport slaves taken from Africa, or who traffic, in buying or selling, one or more of them, shall be held and tried for any of those acts as pirates, and punished with death.

II. The commanders or masters, mates and sailors, and all other persons of whatever nation, who are found conveying, transporting, buying or selling, Africans as slaves, provided they are met with in the ports, bays, creeks, roads, rivers, and coasts of Colombia, within the waters of her jurisdiction, shall also be held and tried as pirates, and punished with death.