The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-06
FRIDAY JANUARY 81, 1851.
SENATE

A communication from Mr.. Wright, last year
a delegate from New Mexico, asking the enact.
ment Of a law declaring New Mexico one of the
| United States, was referred to the Committee on
| Territories,
MIR Rusk reported bill granting the right OF
way for a telegraph from the Mississippi river to
! the Pacific ocean.
The resolution submitted by Mr. Mason of
Virginia, instructing the Committee on Foreign
Relations to inquire into the propriety Of provi-
ding by law for the payment Of the claim Of the
owners OF the Amistad, a vessel unlawfuy en-
gagged in the slave trade, was taken up, and Mr..
Chase addressed the Senate in opposition to it,
He said
In the year 1917 Spain concluded treaty with
the British Government for the suppression of
the African slave trade. That suppression was
to take complete effect in the year 1920, and the
King Of Spain issued an ordinance in conformity
with the treaty, prohibiting the continuance Of
the trade after that date, and declaring that all
negroes brought into any portion Of his dominiOus,
especially referring TO the colonies, should imm6-
dlately become Free In the year 1897 | think,
treaty to provide for the more effectual eIecu-
ton OF this original treaty was entered into be-
tween Spain aud Great Britain and another or
dinanee was issued particularly admonishing the
authorities OF Cub, to take care that the treaty
should be executed and its provisions enforcsAl
island Of Cuba or any other Spanish possession
after 1890 was free at the time OF the importation
and entitled TO be protected in his freedom. 10
the year 1889, some few months after the promul- |
cation Of this last ordinance a slave trader i'm
ported into Cuba cargo of slaves Of which hny- !
three were shipped on board the Amstad from
one port Of Cuba to another. These we're recent |
ly imported negroes, and under the treaty were |
free. They had been kidnapped in their own
1.v.v AL H.. - - L..
the laws Of nations and in manifest CONFIRMATION |
of the treaty Their condition as free persons
was not changed in consequence Of this importa-
ton. They were absolutely free. These per-
sons rs said before, were shipped on board the
Amistad for transportation from one port to an.
other within the island Ia the course OF this
transportation the negroes asserted the liberty 10
which they we're entitled by the laws OF nature
and guaranteed by the treaty, and took possession
OF the vessel, and insisted on being returned 10
Africa Instead Of that, the Spaniards who
claimed them as slaves, but who had now, In their
turn become prisoners, directed the course OF the
vessel into our own waters The negroes were
ultimately landed in Connecticut The Spsniaris
claimed them Ms property, and this CLAIM became
the subject Of judicial investigation. The DIS
trict Court Of the United States held in conform
ity with the treaty, that the negroes were free,
and had committed no offence against the laws OF
the Union An appeal was taken from 'hAt De
cision by the National Government, interposing !
in behalf Of Spain, to the Supreme Court OF the ,
United States by which court the decision OF 'he .
District Court was affirmed, and the freedom OF
the Africans established Now, the object OF TINS
inquiry Is to ascertain whether we will pay Out
OF the national treasury for these persons, orig
nally free--ncver reduced to seryitude-decided
by the Supreme Court to be free, and who were
returned to Africa by benevolent IN,
dividuals who took an interest In their fate ! r
have deemed it my duty to bring these facts to '
the notice of the Senate IL Is obvious, " this '
resolution IL adopted and reported upon, II VIII
open very wide field Of discussion.
Mr. Hale. The proposition is TO take the funds .
Of the nation and make good the loss which these