Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-12-24
REWARDING PIRATES.

President Pierce recommends in his message
payment for the selfomancipnted slaves of the
Amistad. To their dscredt, Polk and Fillmore
both did the same before him. Committees Of both
Houses approved the measure, but Congress could
never bo brought to the point of granting $4,000
to these pirates for the loss of their chattels Pres
ident Pierce again offers the gross indignity to
Congress and the nation, Of repeating this infamous
What is this claim so pcrtinaciously urged upon
Congress by the Executive? Just this: Monies
and Ruiz were two Spanish piratcs-pirates by the
law Of Congress. Their business was stealing
human beings in Africa, and selling them into
slavery in Cuba. One of their cargoes asserted
their right to be instead of chattels heroicay
'ubdred their oppressors, took possession of the
schooner and landed in Connecticut President
Pierce now instead Of demanding that these pirates
shall be hung as the laws Of Congress prescribe,
insists upon it that they shall be rewarded-inssts
upon it that the same Congress which votes appro-
printons to the United States Navy to catch the
pirates should, when they are caught and landed
on our own shores, instead of furnishing them ac-
cording to law, vote money to the pirates to reim-
burse them for their loss.
President Pierce says the claim rests upon obi
cations imposed by our treaties with Spain. II
this be so, an outrage not against justice and lib
erty only, but against Congress and the nation and
the treaty making power should be called to n
serious account for rledging itself to sustain the
saye-trade in direct contraycntion Of the long cx-
pressed will Of Congress. The President saws
'good .tliM requires is prompt Adjustment" Good
faith to Spanish and American pirates may require
that Monies and Ruiz should be paid $4,000, but
good faith to Congress and American law requires
that they should be hung.
Our Presidents have been remarkably devoted to
the interests Of these two Spanish pirates. Not
only have the Presidential recommendation we
have referred to been made, but President Van
Bureu, during whose administration the matter was
adjudicoted by the Supreme Court, gave the whole
weight Of his influence against the captives, and he
so confidently calculated on the of that in
iuenee with the Court, that he dispatched vessel
from the Potomac to New Haven, to seize them as
soon as the Court should have decided against them
and place them at once beyond the reach of those
friends of freedom, who were sleeplessly watching
for their deliyoranco. Fortunately for the moor
captiyes, the Court decided in their favor to the
chagrin Of Van Buren and the sad disappointment
Of Monies and Ruiz and their sympathizing friends
in this country. And since that time our Presi-
dents seem bound to redress the suerings and loss
of these pirates at all hazards. Perhaps they will
succeed, If they do. by their importantly, it will
only add new occasion to the despots Of Europe to
eeF at our professions and mock at all pretensions
Of free government as they will.
4 condensed statement Of the prominent facts Of
the case will be found ip anolhe: column. copied