The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-06-24
CAPTURED SLAVES.

Some of our opposition prints, the irnmac-
ulate Federal Il publican particularly, appear
to be wonderfully delighted with an article
they have gathered f. m the oongeuial COL
uulns Of the Nassau Roval Gazette, wherein
the National JntelEgencer is condesceDGinglv
honored with the notice os his royal msiesty's
very loyal printer. The import of this piece,
= Shat whereas ? gentlemen of the name nf
Wm. Wyliy, ESQ Oils Majesty Advocate
and Prccurator Genera! for said isiands,)
has stepped forward and pledged his word,
which we have no reason to question, that
nonegroes taken from the u. S. during the
war, were prosecuted or condemned in any
Prize Court, therefore it cannot be true that
any captured negroes were sold.
The Advocate was very safe in making this
statement, which, however, sheds no light on,
the subject. His fact may be true and vet
his inference false. The British laws forbid
the importation of slaves; and the very few
slaves taken from US on the high seas by their
cruizers, were probably otherwise disposed
OF. ,r>.
The dispute on this subject has reference to
negroes taken from or shores, from the plan
tations unofending citizens, during the ma
rauding expeditions of the late war by parties
of the enemy under Cockbnrp and others 1t
was our opinion that these negroes were first
stolen or 1ajoled away, & then frequently, but
secretly, sold into slavery tent fold more Sc
a..
opinion, besides being tonnded on current re-
ports, was fortified by the p!ainest dictates of
common sense, Negroes werc taken in whole
gangs, of every description, men, women and
children. Is il likely, is it natural, that the
British ocHlers. Of whose lust of plumber we
have no occasion TO adduce evidence to whom
the CALLING slavery OF their w. India Islands
was familiar, md who, therefore, were not
men who might be expected to undertake
q Crtls. do fn uhplie eio ; - 10
believed that these commanders would
Fl their ships, tenders and boats with this
sort of live luggage, merely to veX the indivi-
dual Yankees. as they call as, from whom they
stole them To argue that they would take
from our unof,ending people, from the widow
ard the orphan who were supported by their
labor, tn at sort of property, the loss whereof,
would not at all iDpoverish or distress the
nation, nor the possession of it enrich them,
would be 10 inpute to British officers, geDe9-
raily and Enthusiastically, a ferocity and TO-
tai destitutlon OF generous feeling, which We
are willing to believe is confined to few q
them, some of whom, if necessary, we coule
name. It is incredible, we say, ard we hop
his Majesty's Editor will not accuse MS again
of 'malignity' because we cannot believe what ,
is SO improbable. If we know ourselves, we
feel no malice on the subject. If it be true, /
as we believe it to be, that captured negroes
were frequently sold the Tneanness ought to
be exposed, and It's authors brought to con-
dign punishment. THIS was cur opiDiop During
| the war, it is the same now--aDd no honest
man will dissent from it. We have another
| idea two on this subject. The negroes
we're either taken as citizens of the u. S. or
as property of citizens of the United States.
Iftaken as citizens, as free by right IA ridicu-
lous GU bile and groundless pretenson) they
| must of crurse, where taken against their will,
| be restored on the general exchange of pri-
| soners. Iftaken as citizens, as men free by
| right, the individuals concerned in taking
them, it appears to US, must have made mo-
| ney by them in some way. even where they
! did not sell them. They have enlisted them
| as soldiers, and for aught we know pocketed
the bounty ; they have employed those not
enlisted in public works, and, for aught we
can tell, received the advantage of their Ia
! bors. Can it be uncharitable TO believe this !!
| Read the daily history Of the late war, and
| answer. Those who emptied every tobacco
house within their reach, who r1ed private
dwellings and frequently helpless women of
even their wearing apparel, cannot complain
| when suspected Of accommodating fortune by o.
| Their meaEs assuredly less disTcputable.
| 1T these negroes were taken as property
on the other hand, it was sort of robbery
which the law of nations will 10 more just.
| fy, than it W IL the outrages repeatedly com
| nitted on the private property of nCn-com-
| batants, OF those who not only were not in
arms, but whose sex and years forbade such
an idea, though it did not forbid the conna-
| grafton of the houses which, with the slaves
taken from them, constituted their only pro-
perty.
This is, we know, an unpopular topic r
very unpleasant one. 1t is so to us. 1t is our
| wish that the discussion OF such topics should
rest with the government. But the patriotic
| MONROE is sandered for having officially
recognized the generally believed rnmor Of
| the sale Of captured slaves, and VIC are
faxed with maligity because we have said
We thought il very likely to be true. We
shall BE- as willing to retract our opinion, as
we were sorry to adopt it, whenever it shall
| be proved to us to be erroneous. Until that
happens, We have thought it proper to as
| sign reasons why we shall Continue to enter
! tain it.
AS to Mr.. WHY'S letter, the substance Of
which is faithfully given above, whoever
quotes that as an adequate REPUTATION Of the
| charge, against the British commanders, Of
! claudestinely selling the captured slaves,
must possess either happy stupidity Of IN
tellect, OF most invipcible assurance