Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-08-17
The AmiStad Claim.

The brief Congressional reports, now in vogue,
have already informed our readers that the Sen
ate of the United States has again passed an APP
preparation for the payment OF a SUN of money
TO those who claimed the " Amistad Negroes
freed by decision of the Supreme Court-as
the price Of those negroes. We have no reason
to suppose that the House of Representatives
will support this vote so to make it n law but
it is a curiosity on this day when Martin Yam
Buren,, who-as Prcsident-attempled to do by
Executive authority what the Senate attempts to
do by this act is probably receiving the nomina-
ton OF n conscientious convention as Presideu.
tlal candidate on the ground of his love of tree
dom. The Providence Journal gives the follow.
ing account of the history Of this matter, so in.
teresting to-day - Boston .1dv, Oh
"The evidence showed and the law decided
that these men were justly free. They were
seized in violation Of The Spanish law, he sam
lstad Slaves" so Called; the men who seized
them were liable to be Tried and punished as pl-
rates, and would have been, had they been taken
by an American cruzer, or if the Spanish gov
eminent had properly kept its own treaties and
enforced It's own laws. The captivcs had as good
a right, by every law, human or divine the
laws Of the United States and by the laws of
Spain, TO rise against their captors as so many
citizens of Rhode Island would have had, if they
had been seized by Darbary corsair So the
Supreme Court unanimously decided When
these poor fellows arrived here, the vessel hav-
ing been deceplively stcered in the wrong Girec-
ton, the whole pow or of the general government
was brought against them. Ignorant, friendcss
and destitute, their situation claimed the at,cn.
ton OF few generous men vino rovided them
with counsel, and in the service of freedom and
OF humanity, carried their case properly before
the courts. Fighting the government at every
step, they succeeded in establishing the freedom
Of the captives. Martin Van Buren-thc Ee,
Soil cdndiddfe-was then President of the Uni
, ted States. lie did everything in his power tc
send the negroes bnck to the slavery from which
, they had rescued themselves. in the anlicipa
> ton that the decision of the Circuit Court would
be against them, he kept a vessel of the nav,
off New Haven 10 take them Immediately back
, without giving them n chance for an appeal t,
the Supreme Court. Noble employment this 70
The United States Navy transporting negroes
> TO Cuba in aid Of the slave trade Noble em
poyment this for the President of the Unite,
States Fit man this for the standard bearer O
; freedom!
i "But thanks to the judiciary, the influence o
f the Executive was folled. The men were de
n clared free, and were restored to the countr,
= from which they had been stolen The Spaniard
n who claimed them, next had the unparalleled i'm
= pudencc TO ask Of Congress the value of the ne
9 groes If man had been caught in the act O
. stealing and compelled by the courts to restor
e the property, should claim It's value of the Leg
: stature, it would not be more impudent Thes
y are the circumstances under which Mr.. Polk ha
4 twice recommended to Congress the payment
J, this claim these are the circumstances unde
. . which the Senate of the United States have vc
;, ted to take $4,000 out Of the pubic treasury
" and to give II TO the Spanish claimants of Ties
!. liberated captves! OF course, it will be ndg
: nany rejected in the House"
II The locoioco Senate has just voted to pay III
x Spanlards Tor these slaves ont of the Treasury
e but the Wing House give an indlgnant-No!