New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-07-25


-, ,..rr,s ~ his country after an absence Of
twelve or fourteen years, within which period his
bis,orv has been a singular and interesting one.
some short time ago gentleman OF this City
while travelling in the Island OF Cuba, stopped at
the iagsnio. A sugar estate Of wealthy planter
named Don Gaspsr Hernandez, about twenty
miles from Matanzas. While examining the ma
chinery Of the sugar works he was addressed in ing
lsh by one Of the apparent slaves employed about
them and the result OF guarded conversation that
ensued was 70 inform him that the slave was IN ruin
free American citizen wrongully held IN slavery
HE story wa this lie had been shipwrecked many
wears before ON the coast Of Africa in the ship Jupiter
employed in the service OF the Colonization socieiy-
with the rest Of the crew he had made MS way along
the enact for about 100 miles TO the slave station a, Gal
russ where ne was wei received By the proprietor
Don Pancho Ramon who promised him passage ia
the e-s vessel 10 Cuba-from which Island II would BE-
ary u reach the United States. The slave cargo which
he thus accompanied being duly landed IN the nesnpoi
hood OF Mataizss Lyle was cooped with the rest 81
his color ia The bsrrucoons" and soon found himself
At work as slave the estate where he was thus iound
by a stray wavlar.r from his own country. tie had
made more than one Unsuccessful attempt for HE free
dom and had at this time given up the thought o. Il ID
despair Conscious that secrecy was the nrsI cohouoA
OF success in any attempt to procure his Liberation IN
that country where he soon would have Disappeared
recoyerably and without trace the gentleman thus
providentialy made acquainted with his situation, ao
stained from giving him any other hope than general
remark that he would forget him The result Of the
matter was that after farther inquiries had been made
the case was laid before the Secretary OF state, VINO
fully entered into il and readily responded to the call
made upon him 10 demand the Liberation OF the MAI
and TO urge it, if necessary with all the energy Of the
Government and Nation on the same grounds ss though
rs subject had been the highest in the land instead off,
poor and oppressed negro Our popular and excellent
Consul al Havana Gen X. B. Campbell OF South Caro-
lima also entered into the spirit of the instructions
which he received from the State Department. with his
characteristic zeal and ability. Great caution and pru-
dence were required, the danger being that no 'uch
Stare poyd BE- found ON inquiry if suspicion Of the Oh
iect in view should have preceded the effective action
ton by which its attainment was to be secured. The
upshot of the whole has been the arrival Of the
freeman at this port above stated, with sum OF
money of S22lI 49, rs his wages during the eleven
wears Of his serytude with interest beside his expenses
home
Gen Campbells conduct of this matter is entitled to
all praise the more So that he is South Caroinian,
and not a Northern Barnburner The letter in which
he announces the result Of his efforts is creditabe to
him, that we have asked permission of the gentleman
TO whom it was addressed publish the following ex
tract from it
On the 10th day Of June / received certain instruc
tons from the Secretary Of State accompanied with
letter from you to him in relation to the tree negro,
John Lyle, in the possession oil 6aspar HeTnandez
have this day July y received the negro and shall TO
morrow dispatch him 10 the United States under the
charge OF my son, Lucius Campbell, to be delivered
to the Secretary as freeman, with S22ll 50 as
his own property after expenses of small outfit, pas
sage sc are paid thank you for referring the Sec
rotary TO as suitable person to accomplish your
object and to the negro those just rights which
have been go long and cruelty withheld from him. IL
has cost me trouble, time money, and odium also
with certain class but these all tIihes in com
parison with the victory achieved the rights asserted
wrongs redressed and the happiness hope conferred
on an unfortunate man who had so unjustly been made
the creature OF anohers WILL and the degraded victim
of the taskmaster; for although not an abolitonist,
feel strongly for the kidnapped black as for the OPP
pressed OF another color.
You are aware my dear sir that my proofs were de
fcent and that the Courts here have already decided
that the possession of slave is satisfactory evidence OF
the right and Justice of possession, unless the negative
proved Under these circumstances, deemed II ad
vsabc 70 secure certainly the liberty OF the negro un
der the most advantageous compromise possible ana
hatter myselfhat the compromise made VIII meet your
. The records of the state Department, am told,
will show that John claimed in Tacons adinistra-
ton but the best terms that could be had was the tree
dom Of the negro upon paying the amount OF tne Pui
chase money In this instance, and with me, General
Roncali has behaved with great propriety
Another letter from an American gentleman in lila
vana received at the time, thus testifes 10 the
merits OF Gen Csmpbells skilful and efficient pro
ceedings in the matter
"Gen Campbell has been eXerting himself strenu.
ously in favor of colored American citizen named Ly
tie and thing he has succeeded admirably. should
ha that should lend him truth
full testimony among such OF your friends as imagine
very easy sustain and carry forth their principles no
matter what soil or amid what people and inshtu'
tons. timely compromise has done away win the
chance of dangerous measures on the individual Tor the
removal OF proof OF the act The Captain General has
lent ready cooperation in this case and again thnk
that the Consul deserves much credit for his agency
Reasonable wages with interest and expenses home.
ward are quite favorable terms especially when you
learn what General Tscon answered on previous eN'
animation OF the same case during his Government
also think, at the request OF some American agent
II the purport that the man should Obtain his
ransom by paying for It.
General CampbeIl's hosp,s5le kindness to all his
countrymen arriving in Havana and satisfactory per
Torrance OF the duties Of his Office have long made
him eminently popular as our Consul al Havana as
he had formerly been in Washington in his former ca
pscity as a Member OF Congress from South Carolina
Whatever may be the chances and changes Of parties
it is to be hoped that such officer may long be al
lowed to serve the country the post which he both
graces and honors.
-- Two curious circumstances, as we understand
have occurred in the history of this The first s
that when Hernandez first learned the man 10 be an
American and not an African, he required the Slave
merchant Martinez take him back, but the difficulty
of the defective title got by reducing the Price
to guarer Of me first agreed upon, showing that
the precious pair OF bargainers in free flesh and blood
perfectly understood what they were about The
dealer on the African coast Don Pancho Ramon) had
acted fairly by the man, and given him letter to the
house in Havana explaining his true character The
damages which have been now paid to Lyle have
been we understand contributed equally by the two
The other circumstance is that at the time oil his De-
ing landed ard taken to the bsrrscoon Lyle sent let
ter to the American Consul then at Matanzas (nsmed
Shoemaker according to his recoection) and had an
interview with him, in which he claimed protection
The functouary on the point OF sailing ior the
United states and replied by telling him to go and re-
main quietly at the estate Of Hernandez Tor month OF
two and he would see about his case Lyle never
heard farther from or OF him and twice, when be
made his way to the Consulate at Mstsnzas, he was
told BY the person in charge that there was no record
l..Hw