North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-09-25

WB6sc anaf, plan ana sln'Illes sUd uppF
these, their fate is 10 be determined.
Il Any intelligent person, therefore, cal
Judge for himself, how far these blacks have
offended against the laws OF nations gene
rally, and our government 10 particular
Calling the Transaction by its most harss
appellation, they murdered Spanish cap
iain and the mulaito cook Of Spanish YES
sci, bound from one port Of Cuba 10 ano-
Their. No branch OF our Government car
try them FOR this offence. Agsln--lhey
seized Spanish vessel with money and q
cargo on board; for this they are accoun-
table TO the Spanish Government. Twist
it as much as possible, il will be difficult for
the most astute lawyer, under all the cir
cumstances, to make this out to be a special
act OF piracy in violation OF the laws Of ci-
vllIzed nations. Again, II is sud, they
were cruzing about the high seas, hosting
red flag when approached, and therefore
were actually pirates. This is not cor
rect inference. They were heating about
of our coast at the mercy of the winds /;
because they had been unable to reach their
home, whense they had been so recently
stolen from. They molested no vessel, nor
any individual; they paid for water; and
had they not been captured, would have
sailed that night for the coast Of Africa.
Who will say that in all these movements
they were not ustifable' We despise the
humbug doctrine OF the abolitionists and
the miserable fanatics who propagate them;
but If men will traffic in human flesh; steal
men from their homes on the coast OF Air-
ca, and sell them like cattle at Cuba, they
must not murmur il some Of the men steal
ers get murdered by the unfortunate
wretches whom they have wronged and
stolen. We will suppose that this same
schooner, after the murder, had, in crossing
the Atlantic, fallen in with British vessel
of war, cruising to intercept the slave ira
de, there is no doubt but, that under these
circumstances, the blacks would all have
been taken to the coast of Africa and set
free. Ii is certain that the Spanish Co
vernment, at Havana, recognizing the right
to steal, buy and sell blacks will instantly
demand the slaves OF this government; il
is also possible that this government will
give up the men, and sell the vessel and
cargo for sIavage; in that case it is also
cerain that every ane of the male blacks,
who rose on the captain wilb executed.
The various questions that will arise will
be most curious; and the great difficulty
will be that the vessel they seized was not
SLAYER; that they had been sold as mer-
chadize in Cuba, and seized a merchant
vessel, and killed merchant Captain. |
This alone will constitute them pirates IN |
the fullest sense OF the word. Had thew |
merely seized the vessel, without numbering |
any one, and tried to take her TO Africa, |
our government would have been justified |
in sending them back 10 their native homes
Or had they rose on the Captain Of the sla-
yer that brought them from Africa, and
murdered the Captain and all the crew, by
the laws of God and man, the laws of ma
ture and OF nations, they would have been
perfectly justified. But their having been
landed at Havana from slave ship, sold
there, and reshipped, although this only
occupied ten days, will totally alter the as
pect of their position, and be the main
ground OF all the arguments for delivering
them up and treating them as pirates. 1t
. hard case, for had they rose on their
Captain & bis crew two weeks before, or
been driven into Halifax or Bermuda, they ,
would now have been free as the winds of 5
Heaven. AS it is they will probably be hung.
Let the case be decided as il may, they in {
NJ probability, will have to suffer- Ii is la ;
nentable state OF things. II is no: improb ,
ihIe that these blacks are some Of the ;
laves that have been stolen from Africa. I
" the connlvance or imbecility of Her
Ionsul Trist; for it is said that all these {
Spanish slavers have American cut regis ,
ers. There is treaty between England ;
md Spain for the suppression of the slave /,
rade on the high seas; here then is case i,
or the interference Of the British Govern ;
nent. There is no treaty on that head !,
'etween this country and Great Britain. :,
ut there is law Of this country which .
ecIares all those slavers that carry blacks '
rom Africa to the West Indies to be nj :
aies, and DEGREES the punishment accord =
ngly. Again, these slaves were taken and =
old contrary 10 the laws OF all those conn. q
res OF Europe, which have international :,
reaties and mixed commissions for irving =
he Captains and crews of slavers, and lib. !,
rating their cargoes. Under all these g
circumstances, their case is a very curious 7
me-; and the ultimate disposition of those =
Unfortunate wretches will be looked for :,
nth the utmost anxiety by all classes OF y
Dofety. ln the mean time. the Abolition. =
is are moving heaven and earth to eIec, :,
aeH release; several members ofthe socie. :
have left town for Connecticut 10 see G