Parliament passes the Aberdeen Act (1845)

The Aberdeen Act, formally the Slave Trade (Brazil) Act 1845, was enacted by the UK Parliament on 9 August 1845. It empowered the Royal Navy to search Brazilian ships suspected of slave trading on the high seas. This legislation aimed to enforce the 1826 treaty against Brazil, which had failed to uphold its abolition commitments, leading to immediate diplomatic friction and naval enforcement actions.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The Act was viewed in Brazil as retaliation for the 1844 Alves Branco Tariff, which raised import duties. It sought to enforce the 1826 British-Brazilian Convention, which Brazil had ratified but failed to implement. The legislation was designed to suppress the Atlantic slave trade to Brazil, addressing the failure of existing Brazilian laws to curb the trade effectively.

Provisions. The Act granted the Royal Navy authority to stop and search any Brazilian ship suspected of being a slave ship on the high seas. It allowed for the arrest of slave traders found on these vessels. Crucially, the Act stipulated that arrested slave traders could be tried in British courts, extending jurisdiction beyond the high seas.

Reception. The Act provoked significant outrage in Brazil. It was perceived as a violation of free market principles, freedom of navigation, and an affront to Brazilian sovereignty and territorial integrity. Brazilians viewed the legislation as an attempt to check Brazil's rise as a world power, leading to immediate diplomatic tension.

People involved

Sources

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