New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-03-15
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
MIR. Adam. on the Ami.tad Case.
Hovss or RxrArsrSrArivrs March ? is'


Borsy OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 2 ls47.
The question coming up on agreeing 20 pro
po.ed appropriation for making indemnity TO Tie
proofetors OF the Amistzd the Spanish vessel
which became some years ago the subject OF 1is2'
ton before the Judicial tribunals Of the U States
Mr. ADAMS rose 70 address tne H0uss, and irnrneol
ssey there was general foskng Of the more dissse:
seats Of the bail and the members came nocknz rom al
sadss to listen 70 the osy speech made ~ Mr a To-.
session Hls voice. though stl feeble va" hInef 10 lss
tore than IL bad been when ne LATELY sokes ie"
on resaning his seat
The Reporter was suffered 70 spproaeh very nesf 70
the venerable speaker and took such notes a. ne could
When FIRST heard Sir A. was O5sUfylng tost ne cecfe
t.rv az ststs ia lstier from him which mad bfea read
81 the Clerks table IA rs.si.u 70 tbs c2n o. the per
lab Govsromeni must have been mistaken - 70 'ls
facts Of the Case IL Was Impossible 10 eot'a h.re
known the merits Of the case or be never "oao lave
sssned bis name such yer He said the secretary
must have been mistaken oecs9se vas no; TACT tne
the Spanish Minister bad ever demanded the nesfOes O
he Anisd ss slaves but as freemenas hey Lsa been
declared 70 b. BY the Supreme Court OF tas intel
Plates 10 consequence Of which ceesrauon ihey nad
been DISCHARGED and sent back 70 then Own country az
free But whether free CT slsves, TBS Spanish hinsie
neyer demanded them &c slaves. What he demanded
rad been that the President Of the United States snood
rot suffer the courts Of the United 5ties u notice tns
case but that Tbs should be seized and delivered Up
"a ssssssjps ANY one who would look into the nistcfJ
Of the case would this 10 be 40 When the ercft
tsry Of State refused 10 deliver them up on tns 5ioen
Of their not being slaves tbs Spsnsh Minister
having ever demanded him on that ground ne hsd o
nnsDded them not slaves but a. ss,sssins ne "she
70 have them delivered up 10 the Spanish 6o,ernmsnl
and sent 10 Havana 70 be executed - m1rceTeni Ia
which esss ali claim Of their 10 them az properly
most have been forfeited lie wanted 10 have them ted
end executed for hbeTsrny themselves
Mr. A Insisted that there not even mo snsooN OF
. vTetence for the epanish demand Of indemnity -
Tbess groes were not slaves they never bad been
slaves. The Supreme COurt proDouneed them 70 -
fr,emsp and az such entitled 10 the value Of me te'
eel which they he'd taken possession Of And ihs sef
they had suffered Two years Imprisonment INC -
rotary Of state could not have been ~ aasiD'eo -
fseu or be would have sanctioned me osi''Nu
of Indemnity a. q fair claim On this Government ~,
il was true. these mcn had been oemanoso y nus
end Montez. II there sDy property 10 tns case
These after the negroes had iiSen ana
themselves by ssyng tho captain bad oectivea ths
by steering the sbip 10 the coast OF Africa hs ths
negroes supposed but 20 the coat OF Apnefee 'na
abe was ultimately wrecked upon me oesco o. Lohs
Island There the chip taken possession Of oy Lieut.
edpev in the United States naval service ana the men
eoaotisd TO jail. Rus and honiez were at once noe
rsed snd d.mznded the negroes ~ tner propsiy ou'
The supres Court decided that they hsd no Jost ca NJ
and directed the men be liberated The oensnc OF
The Spanish minister looked 10 tnen 81 saves 81
all Tit the opinion OF tho secretary tha nis %
rnasd wa fair and ought 70 have been compiled WIZ
uoder the et 9th OF 10Th article ofour treaty win SPAN
the egroes have been given up not a. ssVss oO
a. eriosls and they would have been sent y Suoe hl
acufed 10 that those who claimed u Se iner ""nfs
rnust have lost their value entirely Their clsi he'd
occupied the Supreme Court for two weeks Sno the
court declared that these negroes were The slaves Of 10
man upon earth.
Vstbs ,ery extraordinary letter Of the Secretary Of
etate which hsd rad here giving HE opinion on
the claim Of these spanish slave dealers IN oppoucD 70
the finding " Supreme Court 20 De a Jaw 10 tee
too Houses of Congressf II the question was yet e. 10
decided let II be decided by the Congress 81 Tue tnsd
sstss ard not BY the opinion OF The secretary OF oae
There had been long correspondence between inc
secrstary sod the Spanish Minister; and IL was true
that n the Supreme Court the Instructions OF The Secr
tary OF State to Capt Geduey we're considered Inc
spanish Minister made one demand Tor these negroes
nj CAnn
the secretary Of State had not demanded them. The
groubd Of the spanish Minister was that the Court
could take cognxsnce Of the case ou thar the RE
sidsnt by hs gubernstoriai power as President
shouId seize he ship and the negroes and send them TO
Cuba.
And now this same Spanish Minister came here and
ked the people Of the United States to pay sJ0OVO 70
the pretended propretors Of these men when he hsc
at the time never demanded them as property but ne
ssssssns Such total peEversion oil me ~noe supJec'
pever had been Witnessed God forbid that any claim
should be allowed by Congress which rested on
He hoped therefore. that the House would not agree
10 mako any such appropriation. The demand II sue.
cessful. would be perfect robbery commtea on Inc
people of the United staios Neither these savedosers
nor the Spanish Government on their behalf had any
claim 20 this money whatever
His friend from Ohio mir Gddines) had told the
House what was tho real history OF the This Rus
and Montez negro sayotrsders at Havana in open
yolston OF tho laws OF Cubs itself they purchased
cargo of fresh negroes recently brought from the coas,
Of Africa and shipped them contrary to the laws OF
Spain having complied with the custom OF those en-
RACED In the same Infamous occupation by giving the
Spanish Governor bride Of ten dollars apiece for their
negroes for overlooking the lava and winkng at their
violation. In this they carried on their trade
Tho negroes In defence OF their natural rights as
men, and put to death the captain Of the vessel and
Of the owners and having thus recovered their hber
ty were deceived by those traders who guided them
here when they were seized and treated a. pirates.
while their betrayers were at once Get free Their
whole esss had been adudiosted after full investigation
and the free and returned TO their native cOun'
try And this claim for indemnity Get up by spain was
asrly destitute Of any foundation In justice or truth
fseversl other gentlemen having siso spoken to the
question the appropriation was heretofore reported
rsjectedl