1806, Dec. 29.  Congress (House):  Sloan’s Second Proposition.

Illegally imported Africans to be either freed, apprenticed, or returned to Africa.  Lost; Jan. 5, 1807, a somewhat similar proposition was also lost. Ibid., pp. 226-8, 254.

1806, Dec. 31.  Great Britain:  Rejected Treaty.

“Treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America.”

“Art.  XXIV.  The high contracting parties engage to communicate to each other, without delay, all such laws as have been or shall be hereafter enacted by their respective Legislatures, as also all measures which shall have been taken for the abolition or limitation of the African slave trade; and they further agree to use their best endeavors to procure the co-operation of other Powers for the final and complete abolition of a trade so repugnant to the principles of justice and humanity.” Amer.  State Papers, Foreign, III. 147, 151.

1807, March 25. [England:  Slave-Trade Abolished.

“An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.” Statute 47 George III., 1 sess. ch. 36.]

1807, Jan. 7.  Congress (House):  Bidwell’s Proposition.

“Provided, that no person shall be sold as a slave by virtue of this act.”  Offered as an amendment to Sec. 3 of House bill; defeated 60 to 61, Speaker voting.  A similar proposition was made Dec. 23, 1806. House Journal (repr. 1826), 9 Cong. 2 sess.  V. 513-6.  Cf. Annals of Cong., 9 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 199-203, 265-7.

1807, Feb. 9.  Congress (House):  Section Seven of House Bill.

Sec. 7 of the bill reported to the House by the committee provided that all Negroes imported should be conveyed whither the President might direct and there be indentured as apprentices, or employed in whatever way the President might deem best for them and the country; provided that no such Negroes should be indentured or employed except in some State in which provision is now made for the gradual abolition of slavery.  Blank spaces were left for limiting the term of indenture.  The report was never acted on. Annals of Cong., 9 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 477-8.

1807, March 2.  United States Statute:  Importation Prohibited.

“An Act to prohibit the importation of Slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, from and after the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight.”  Bills to amend Sec. 8, so as to make less ambiguous the permit given to the internal traffic, were introduced Feb. 27 and Nov. 27. Statutes at Large, II. 426.  For proceedings in Senate, see Senate Journal (repr. 1821), 9 Cong. 1-2 sess.  IV. 11, 112, 123, 124, 132, 133, 150, 158, 164, 165, 167, 168; Annals of Cong., 9 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 16, 19, 23, 33, 36, 45, 47, 68, 69, 70, 71, 79, 87, 93.  For proceedings in House, see House Journal (repr. 1826), 9 Cong. 2 sess.  V. 470, 482, 488, 490, 491, 496, 500, 504, 510, 513-6, 517, 540, 557, 575, 579, 581, 583-4, 585, 592, 594, 610, 613-4, 616, 623, 638, 640; 10 Cong. 1 sess.  VI. 27, 50; Annals of Cong., 9 Cong. 2 sess. pp. 167, 180, 200, 220, 231, 254, 264, 270.