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Letter from Hon. William Juy.Bedford, 7ih Sept. 1S30.Dear Sir,—Observing from the papers that you are one of a com mi ilea appointed io receive contributions for defraying the legal defence of the kidnapped Africans, committed for piracy and murder! I enclose a check for S20, which I will tlinnk you to odd to your fund.Ii appears that these men have I teen nr re Med and imprisoned on die complaint of two persons who, although they prefix Don to their names, I cannot “ but regard them as villains.’’ By their own confession, they purchased those they call their slaves, from n cargo just arrived from Africa and among them “children between the n-ges of 7 atnl 12 !On the 28th of June, 1835, Spain concluded n supplementary treaty with Great Britain for the suppression of the slave-trade. The 1st article declares “the slave trade on the part of Spain to he totally abolished in all pails of the world ;-and by the 2nd article, Spain provides that within two months after the exchange of ratifications a penal law shall be promulgated throughout the Spanish dominions, inflicting a severe punishment on Spanish subjects, who shall under any pretext whatsoever take any part in the traffic in slaves. The 12th article requires that every vessel condemned by the Mixed Commission Court, shall he “ broken up entirely nnd sold piecemeal, to prevent it from being again employed in the trade.From the 1st January, 1S29, to 1st Jan., 1SH6, 29 Spanish slavers, with 8,312 slaves were condemned hv the Mixed Commission Court ui Havana. The slaves thus illegally imported are manumitted.In the six months from 30th June to 31st of December, 1838, eleven Spanish vessels were condemned by the Mixed Court, nt Sierra Leone, merely for being/Ricrf out. for the trade, having been captured before they bad received a single slave on board.On the 2nd Nov., 1S3S, the queen of Spain issued a “ Royal Order to the Captain General of the Island ot Cuba, directing him “ to apply the strongest zeal in dictating the necessary measures for preventing this deplorable contraband, obliging the local authorities to prosecute with energy those who are engaged in it, and bring the perpetrators before the competent tribunals for their exemplary punishment. A copy of this order was also sent to the naval commander of the station, “in order that he may contribute with the hirces tinder his command, toward carrying into eflect the beneficent wishes of her majesty.It appears from u letter mUressed the 20th of June, 1838, by the Spanish Scc’y of Stale, to Sir George Villiors, British Minister of .Madrid, that it is lawful only for a legitimate proprietor of sluvcs to transport them from one port in Cuba to another by ska ; and then only “ prorided lie carried the documents proring bis legitimate property.Ru?z nnd Monte/ admit that they bought these Africans out of a cargo which they well knew had just been smuggled intn Cuba in delience of treaties and laws ; they knew the men nnd children they bought and intended to hold as slaves were entitled to their freedom; and they knew that the official permits for their transportaiion which they now exhibit were obtained fraudulently nnd therefore void; and hence they are guilty of an act of atrocious wickedness, and ought io ha regarded and treated as felons, subject by tho laws of their owr. country to “ exemplary punishment.” Vet these two ‘•gentlemen enter a complaint against the men they were thus illegally holding in bondage, for piracy and murder; and our authorities, with a full knowledge of all the facts, sent to prison thirty individuals for ari act which but for the color of their skin would be generally regarded as most heroic and praiseworthy. Wnnt would be the feeling and conduct of this nation had an A-merican crew captured and sold as slaves by n Barbary corsair, been under similar circumstances carried into London, and there, oil the complaint of their Algerine masters, sent to Newgate under a charge of piracy and murder ?I observe it stated in one of the papers, that these Africans will'” undoubtedly be surrendered to the Spanish authorities. The Federal government interfered to prevent the surrender of the Birubers, charged with murdgr, to the British government; and still later, decided it had no power to surrender a murderer to the Canadian authorities. Whence does it derive power to surrender native Africans to Spain for a homicide committed in self defence against Spanish felons?If our courts assume jurisdiction over the Africans; are they not bound in common decency and justice,, to try their kidnappers also ?I am sir,Yours very respectfully,Lewis Tappan, Esq. 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Newspaper Details
Brandon Voice of Freedom
Brandon, Vermont, US
Sat, Sep 21, 1839
Page 3
Full Page
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Robert C.
USA 10 Jul 2024
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