The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-15

board with arms and with the officers and crew Of
the Creole, the brig from the British officer
then IA command, and conduct her 10 indian hey
where there a United States vessel of war. The
.oulsa and the Cong ess were American vessels and
the arrangement was made under the control OF The
American Consul. The captain was to come on boarf
with part of the crew Of the Louisa and the Congress
as soon as the Creole should be ready to leave Mas
sau. Frequent interviews were had every day witt
Captain " oodside, the Consul and the officers o.
the Congress, and the whole plan arranged.
Accordingly, on the morning of the 18th OF No
yember, Captain W oodside, it'll his men in boat
rowed TO the Creole AIuskets and cutlasses were
obtained from the brig Congress. Every effort hac
been made TO concert with the Consul, 10 purchase
arms of the dealers at Nassau, but they all refused
to sell. The arms were wrapped in the American
flag and concealed in the bottom of the boat sale
boat approached the Creole, negro in a boat
who had watched the loading of the boat, followed
her, and gave the alarm to the British officer in com
mdnd Of the Creole. As the boat came up to the
Creole, the officer called to them "Keep off, or
will fire into you" His company of twenty -foul
men were then all standing deck and drawn ~
in line fronting Captain Woodside's boat and were
ready with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets for ar
engagement. Captain Woodside was forced to with
draw, and the plan was prevented from being exc
cuted the said British officer remaining in command
of the Creole.
The officers and crew Of the Louisa and the Con
gress, and American Consul were warmly interested
in the plan, and every thing possible was done foi
success.
Indian Key is about 400 miles from Nassau
The nineteen negroes had thrown overheard ano
burnt all their weapons before they arrived at Mas
sau, and the aid thus offered of American sailors ant
arms was amply sufficient for the arrangement ant
supply of the Creole on her voyage If there hat
been interference the part of the legal authors
ties of Nassau, the slaves might all have been safe
ly brought to New Orleans II that interference
and caused the loss ofthe slaves to their owners.
On the same day, on which the slaves libe
rated, and before the Attorney General and the
magistrates came on board, the American Consul
and the captain had another interview with the Go
The Consul stated that thay wanted time to
write to Perdian Key, on Florida shore, to get a
vessel of war of the United States to come and pro
tect the brig and cargo on her voyage, and guarc
was wanted to protect the said brig and cargo in
the mean time. The Governor refused to grant one
for that purpose. The Consul then proposed to ge
the crews of the American vessels then in the port
Nassau, and place them the brig to carry her tc
New Orleans, and asked the Governor to station
guard on board, till the American sailors could be
collected but he refused
A proposition was then finally made to the Go
vernon, that the American seamen then in port and
IN American vessels, should go on board the Creole
and be furnished by the Governor to defend the
sci and cargo, Except the - slaves who to be
left behind on her voyage To New Orleans.
On the 18th, the Consul on behalf of the master OF
the brig Creole and all interested proposed to the
Governor to permit the 10 mutineers to be sent to
the tned States on board the Creole for trial, anC
this too was refused
Two half boxes tobacco, marked II. Barksl were
broken up and destroyed by the negroes, and abou
six seven barrels lying on the deck of the brig
were thrown overheard to make room for them L
walk the deck, the contents of which barrels they dc
not know.
On OIL ,har Al ..;l NJ, al a
Nassau, bound for the port OF New Orleans, leaving
Captain Ensor at said port unable to proceed IN,
voyage in consequence of the severity of his wounds
and nothing material occurred during the passage
aforesaid, until the let day of December, Il O'clock
p. NJ, " hen they made the South West Pass bear
ing North, by West, distant about II miles. AT
o'clock, A. NJ, took pilo, board, and crossed tn,
bar of the said Pass, in tow of the steamboat Shark
discharged the pilot, and proceeded up the river fo
the port of New Orleans, where they arrived tht
ID day of said month, when the necessary survey,
were called and they commenced discharging cargo
And thereupon the said appearers, and especially
the said acting master did protest and with their no
tary at then request, do most soemny and pubcl,
protest against the wind and the waves and the dan
gers Of the generally but more especially aoains
the instruction of the 10 slaves herein particularly
named, and the illegal action of the British auhor
ties at Nassau, in regard 10 the remainder Of the
slaves board said vessel the Of all the loss
and damage in the premises and that no fault, neg
gcnce or Encouragement is or ought TO be ascrbed
TO the said appearers, any Of the brig company.
Done and protested at New Orleans, this 9TH day o.
December, lsil the proesors herewith signing Their
respective names with said notary.
ZEPHANlAH G. CLIFFORD,
HENRY SPECK,
BLAIR CURTlSS,
JOHN SILVEY,
FRANCIS FOXWELL.
Mr.. Merritt and MIR. Theop McCargo have certi
fed on the original of this protest to the truth OF lh'
above.