The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-04-20

New providence, where We're set at heerty by
the authorities of the Island. A portion of the
cargo, (l46 head) was insured at New Orleans
for WI 1880.
On the 18th Feb. 1888 the Brig Encomium, from
Charleston to New Orleans with As slaves was
also wrecked near Abaco, and the slaves carried
into New Providence where like their predeces-
sors they were declared to be free.
In Feb. 1885, the Enterprise, another regular
SLAYER from the National Domain, on her voyage
to Charleston, with rs slaves, was driven into
Bermuda in distress. The passengers instead of
being thrown into prison Bermudians would
have been in Charleston under similar circum-
stances, were Hospitality treated, and permitted to
90 at large. These successive and unexpected
transmutations of slaves into freemen, reused the
ready zeal of the Federal Government. Directly
on the loss of the Comet instructions were sent
from Washington to our Minister, 10 demand of
the British government the value of the cargo. In
1882, another despatch was forwarded on the SUBJ
ject. The instructions were again renewed in
1888; the Secretary of State remarking, this case
MUST be brought to a conclusion-the doctrine
that would justify the liberation of our slaves, is
too dangerous to large section of our country to
be tolerated.
In 1884, fresh instructions were sent, and de-
mand ordered to be made for the value of the
slaves in the Encomium.
In 1885, similar instructions were sent relative
to the Enterprise. >
In 1886, the instructions were renewed the
Secretary observing to Mr.. Stevenson, In the
present state of our diplomatic relations with the
Government of his Branic Majesty, the MOST i'm
medately pressing of the matters with which the
United States Legation at London is now charg-
ed is the claim of certain American citizens a.
gainst Great Britain for number of slaves, the
cARGoEs of three vessels wrecked in British Is
lands in the Atlantic
Thus for six successive years did the Cabinet
at Washington keep sending dispatches to their
agents in England, urging them to obtain pay
ment from Great Britain for these cargoes of hu-
man flesh Nor were those agents remiss or re-
luctant in fulfilling their instructions. Numer-
Gus were the letters addressed to the British Sc
cretary, claiming either the restoration of the
slaves, or their equivalent in money.
From a long and labored communication from
Mr.. Stevenson 10 Lord Palmerston, we extract the
following moroccan.
The undersigned feels assured that it will
only be necessary to refer Lord Palmerston to the
provisions of the Constitution of the United
States, and the laws ofmany of the States, to sa-
tisfy him of the existence of slavery, and that
slaves are there regarded and protected pro-
perty that by these laws, there is in fact no dis
tinction in principle between property in persons
and property in things and that the Government
have more than once, in the most solemn manner
determined that slaves killed in the service of the
United States, even in state of war, were to be
regarded as property, and not as persons and the
government held responsible for their value
No answer having been vouchsafed to this let
ter, and the argument being exhausted, MIR. Ste
venson tried the virtue of diplomatic hint that
n Lit to clio
expressing his hope in letter to Lord Palmer
ston, that the British Government would not
longer consent to postpone the decision of sub
ject which had been for so many years under its
consideration and the effect of which can be
none other than to throw not only additional i'm
pediments in the way of an adjustment and in
crease those feeling of dissatisfaction and irrita
tation which have already been excited; but by
possibility tends to disturb and weaken the kind
and amcable relations which now so happily SUBJ
sist between the two countries and on the preser-
walton of which, so essentially depend the inter-
ests and happiness of both.-L Letter of the 3lst
December 1856.
How this hint was received we are not inform
ed but it is certainly not creditabe to the British
Government, that instead of a prompt and frank
refusal TO deliver into cruel and perpetual bond
age, innocent men who had provdentiaIly been
tuloWH uhueI us pToeclon, OF 10 eStllldle tnelr
value in pounds, shillings, and peace it had, at
our last accounts avoided giving decided answer
to the demands of the Washington Cabinet, under
pretence of taking the opinion of the law off
GERS of the crown.
The negotiation was made public in conse.
quence of a call by the Senate on the President
9th Feb 1887 for a copy Of the Correspondence
with the Government of Great Britain in relation
to the outrage committed on flag, and the rights
of our citizens, by the authorities of Bermuda and
New Providence, in Selling the slaves on board
the Brig Enconium" and " Enterprise" engaged
in the coasting trade, but which were forced by
and stress Of weather into the ports of
those Islands"
The language of this resolution, indicates the
influence exerted by slavery over the Federal
Government Should a murderer escape from
England and land on our shores, we refuse to
surrender him to the justice of his country but
when the West India authorities refuse to deliver
two hundred and eighty-seven innocent men, wo-
men, and children, thrown by the tempest under
their protection, into hopeless interminabe slavery,
the Senate solemny pronounce the refusal to be
an outrage our flag, and the rights of our citi-
zens. Moreover, the Liberation Of these persons
is spoken of as seizure of them and the Slarers
carving human carpoes to a market are most au-