The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-09-17
THE AFRICAN CAPTIvEs.

I luE lLlNLAN
The interesting account of the capture of ,ba
Spanish Slave Ship Amstad, given in our last
will be remembered by the reader. The case IS
these captives, thirty seven in number, excites
much interest in every quarter, and able counse,
consisting OF Messrs Choate of Boston, Baldwin
of New Haven, and Staples Of New York, have
been engaged TO defend them before the iudicio,
tribunal to which they are soon to be summoned
There are several important legal questions IN.
volved which giving rise to much discussion
in the public prints. The Boston Courier savs-
| We do not recollect any incident for man,
years, the occurrence of which has caused so cen.
eral feeling Of deep interes. in tho commu6tv
as the of the Africans captured in the Span.,
sh schooner Amstad Irhere and for ,ohat ara
they to be tried, are questions that have been dis
cussed in some of the newspapers some contend
that they must be tried in the district of New
York-others in that of Connecticut. Some sun.
pose that they would be tried for murder-others
for piracy. We not sufficiently familiar with
the principles Of law involved in these questions
/ to arrive at conclusion satisfactory 10 ourself
much less, to present an argument that may salts.
| fly others.
These unhappy wretches in gaol. The
crime for which they committed in the tech.
nical language OF the law, is called murder or nj.
racy-perhaps both and the punishment of 9th,
er Is death. In the language OF humanity they
| have committed no crime at all. kThey have at.
tempted to regain the liberty, in which they were
born, and which has been wrested from them by
robbers, pirates, and murderers In making this
attempt they have done nothing more than every
man in America would have done in similar cir.
cumstances, If he had courage enough to do IL =
nothing than the laws of God the laws %
man, and the instincts of nature justify and de-
mand. The unsophisticated common sense of
mankind revolts the idea of their having com.
mittcd any crime.
captives, presume, will be 10 present the case
to grand jury, and, if twelve men be found
TO say that they guilty of murder piracy
they must then be arragned, and tried by another
Jury, before whom all the arguments that the nge.
nuity of lawyers can devise, will be urged with
eloquence of the most accomplished orators of the
land, 10 obtain conviction. Can Jury Of twelve
men be found in the FREE states, that will convict
these captves of a crime that will subject them Ia
the punishment Of death We hope not. For
the honor ola people, who call themselves enlght
ened and free for the honor of human nature
If human natu re be not totally depraved and past
all redemption-we hope that there are not twelve
men in our country, who would disgrace the name
of an American by rendering a verdict of guilty
But perhaps the Court will decide that the case
is not within its teton, and that the prisoners
must be delivered up to the Spanish government
to be disposed of as that mercilul tribunal may de
j eide. We all know, in such case, What the end
would be,
We that, in the lew of the conven-
y onal laws of nations, the presen points of
great difficulty subjected 10 the laws Of humanity
or morals, or religion, the is simple one
as can be imagined, and requires casuistical
gument. Every man; whatever be his nation, pro,
ession, or complexion, feels that the prisoners pei
formed deed OF Chivalry, that would, If they
were not Hack, command admiration and applause
Joscph Cinquez the daring leader of this band
of captives, Is a hero worthy TO stand by the side
of the noblest Roman, whose name graced
the pages of history. And shall he be hung for
striving 10 regain his liberty and give it to his fe
! low-capiives ? Shame, shame, the law
--.t.y, Which si'~iI Lr;us his life u erm
nation If they hang this noble fellow, the scat
fold, on which he suffers will be throne more
brilliant than ever Alexander Napoleon sstupon
He ought TO enjoy the liberty for which he so
million fire Americans.
These unhappy men in jail at New liza.
ven. a gentleman ofNew York, who has recent.
ly visited them, at the request of the abolition
OF that city, describes them occupying four
five different apartments, and being as comforta-
all decentIy clothed, and great care is taken with
their food. They said TO be of mild and
che srful temper. Their leader, however, Cnquez
(Anglice Sankee) is less cheerful than the rest
An Immense concourse of people daily visit them,
and hopes entertained that some one of the
African resident in New York, may he found
who is able to hold communication with them and
learn netting of their history. They have
| hitherto been regarded Congoes, but
supposed 10 be Mandingoos, and are ignorant of
the Congo language,
FOR THE CALEDoNIAN.
On the 18th of February, 1899, took split
Of -