The Maguire Act of 1895 (, enacted February 18, 1895) is a
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
Federal statute
In the law of the United States, the Code of Laws of the United States of America (variously abbreviated to Code of Laws of the United States, United States Code, U.S. Code, U.S.C., or USC) is the official compilation and codification of th ...
that abolished the practice of imprisoning sailors who deserted from coastwise vessels. The act was sponsored by representative
James G. Maguire of
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
Before this legislation, a right to leave the ship existed only for a seaman who "correctly" believed his life to be in danger.
This law extended the right in cases where the seaman feared physical abuse from other shipboard personnel.
Notes
References
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See also
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White Act of 1898
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Dingley Act of 1884
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Shanghaiing
Shanghaiing or crimping is the practice of kidnapping people to serve as sailors by coercive techniques such as trickery, intimidation, or violence. Those engaged in this form of kidnapping were known as ''crimps''. The related term ''press gang'' ...
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Maritime history of the United States
The maritime history of the United States is a broad theme within the history of the United States. As an academic subject, it crosses the boundaries of standard disciplines, focusing on understanding the United States' relationship with the ocea ...
*
Shipping Commissioners Act of 1872 The Shipping Commissioners Act of 1872 was a United States law dealing with American mariners serving in the United States Merchant Marine.
Among other things, the act:
*was passed to combat crimps.Bauer, 1988:284.
*required that a sailor had to ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maguire Act Of 1895
1895 in American law
United States federal admiralty and maritime legislation