New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-27

are open to a free black man should there be any
attempt to claim him as a slave, SO THAI there IS
no chance of oppression on this point.
The Commissioner adjourned the case to TINS
day at o'clock, when ii possible. ne says they
would have a larger rOon
---e.-
III Treatment of Emlsrants oil Passenger
ships.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TRi8JNE.
SIR As affecting subject OF very great inn
portance to hundreds Of thousands who annually
reach the shores of this grea. and Hourisbing
country in search Of that means and existence
and remuneration for their labor which owing to
the oyercrowded state Of the population in Ea
rope or owing to defective laws, they have been
unable to find there, take the liberty OF request
ing the insertion in your paper Of the following
few lines.
Having determined on voyage to this country
for the purpose of ascertaining the treatment aud
requirements of emigrant passengers on board
ship their treatment and proceedings immediate
" on their arrival in this country. and their pro
spects of employment in the various states of the
Union with view of spreading such useful IN
formation as l shall have acquired on my return
| to Ireland and England, | sailed from Liverpool
on the eth of October last in the "EV asbington"
| one of the Black Star line of Packets. Com
| mander A. Page, having selected that ship as the
largest emgrant vessel aioat, and as bringing
out on that voyage the largest number OF emf.
! grant passengers who ever sailed in c single ship
| from Europe for America.
AS ! believe that the bad treatQent received
! bv the passengers on board that ship is not an
isolated instance but is often even much sur
passed, feel it my duty to call public attention
! 10 the fact, and thereby endeaYor more strongly
to awaken the attention of the propretors OF emf
grant ships to the desirabilty and humanity OF Sc
ecting such officers for the higher and su6ord
| nate commands OF their vessels aa shall, II pos
] sible combine with nautical skill, certain
smoupt Of consideration for the comforts and feel
| ngs of their passengers more especially as the
| class OF enigrant passengers, VINO sail IN their
| sbins usually occupy that position in life IN which
DrotectiOn consideration, and fair dealing on the
! part of others is most wanting me complaint
! which | have to make is which IS substan-
tinted in document OF which the following is
| copy. signed on the evening before landing at
! York. bv one hundred and twenty OF the
passengers, and which, but for the hustle OF pre-
peration for landing, and, above all the tear OF IN
| reference en- the part OF the officers OF the
ship would have received the unanimous sig
natures of all the 9l6 passengers who were old
| enough to write at all
! CORY SIR WAsHINGToN of New YORK, ID Dec lS5u
We testify warning To- ana or tne saAa Oh qtqte
epirants that the passengers ge1eray on ooatu OF ts
noble ship Washington Commander A Page, have been
S OlhcSTS we ave
not received oeidH NE quaHuly OF PROVISIONS ailo"e w
Act OF Parliament and stipulated Tor ny Us IN our contract
Here follow 1870 signatures of which have the
originals my possession.
also inclose copy OF letter which, Mt the
! request of my tellow-passengers, presented to
! Commander Page on the 3lst OF OCTOBER the snip
having been advertised to sail and ali the psssen-
gers ON board on the 2dth-he being the man from
! whom, more than from any one else Justice might
| have been expected in case OF foul play from his
| subordinates ,o-
! RESPECTED SIR We the undersigned, passengers on
board lie ship Washington paid for and secured our pas
ares IN her in the confident expectation that the allowance
Of provisions promised in our contract ucAes Wond DC
sbfy delivered 10 US Four entire days having expired
since lie day on which some OF having been on board
from that day and most OF Us from before nat day. he snip
was epp ned 10 sail and entire days since she act
ey sailed from the port of Liverpool without our naYlng
water and many OF having made no provision TO meet
.uc az emergency, reques! that yon viii inform Us
when may expect TO commence Receiving Tue ao"
ance when is Que.
Here follow eleven signatures.
! P S-From van, Of convenience OF writing and par
cugrY from the fear OF being lHiefiefed VAN " tne I'm
GERS OF The ship no signatures lave been Proceeted
vitb Otherwise 500 might have been added " me
ADMINISTRATORS he First Mate Nj Williams, knocked
me down lat upon Tie decS win DO" II uIe aee an
oiler day bas elapsed without provisions Beng tTq 9u
The following was the mode of reception OF the
! above letter. | said
Captain may speak 10 You for moment
CdDi1la.-NLsl about
/ S[tsef-A letter about pfoYsons
Captain Il. 49,,
read through about 0ne-thlrd OF Ine !ee.eE'
when the Captain SAID
Tbss enough know what You are You are damned
pirale damned rascal ard will put you In !rons ana On
( bread ana water for the rest OF ihe voyage
The iirst mate then came up and pQsneG ne
down on the deck.
spcb conduct as the following vas not unire,
auent. delicate old man named John McCofco-
] ron aver washing his stockings was stooPLng
DOWN wrinsing them when the first mate pow
erc4l nag came up behind him and gave him g
severe kick with his knee on the lower extremity
nj his back, which threw him down upon the deck
in consequence of which the poor n an " as ooged
IN 90 70 the water closet frequently every DAY
inr some DAYS aftergard, passing blood each time
~ otbar occasions the first and fourth mates took
II INTO their heads TO play the hose upon Passen-
ears IN OCCUPATION of the water closets, drenchlng
them ron head TO foot. and have on several
occasions seen the first mate without proyocatlon
strike passengers with his hsts and KNOCK them
down. could furnish my Journal OF incidents
the yovaee. or | could mention many lndIyIdua
cases Of brutal treatment, but that an anxious
10 avoid trespassing upon your space
have since seen some OF the passengers wnoE
sent in the w ashington on her preceding
voyage. and learn from them that no provision
yrere issued On that voyage 70 the passengers III
the fourteenth day, and that no meat was lssue'
drring the whole VOYAGE, although the Compan,
engage 10 supply enc pound OF pork Tree OF bone
to each passenger, weekly, have also ieafne
rom passengers whom ! have sent IN yarioo
other ships belonging to the same line OF packets
tnnt the treatment CT the passengers on board
some OF those ships has been similar or worse
while that on board Of others mas been Fef33 lI'
| aud kind on the part OF tue officers as on D'af