The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-04

our correspondents gloomy coloring but the
darkest features of their general picture are
those connected with the declared fraudulent
sale Of the slave ship Lady Suffolk toa Mexican
trader. under the authority of Buenaventura
Vivo. late Mexican Consul at Havana, and now
| Santa Annals representative at the Court of
| Spain. In this dark business. our late distin-
| guished Consul Judge Shsxkey, is implicated,
and so directly that we doubt not an immediate
investigation will be ordered in the premises by
| the President of the United States
1t is unnecessary here to recapitulate
the facts of this Mexican sale of the
Lady Suffolk. They are very distinctly
set forth in :" the papers" of the said sale,
and in the letters of our correspondents and
they narrow down the question at issue to
most dastardly fraud and forgery on the part
of the late Mexican Consul, or to most dis
graceful collision on the part OF Judge Shar-
key, in legalizing the transfer of slave
vessel; for that the vessel was sold as alleged
is abundantly proved by "the papers," and
that she was, in law, pirate, has been salts
factorily established.
Our correspondents are naturally enough in
dignant at the charge Of crime involved in these
papers" against Judge Sharkey. He is
man who has hitherto borne the highest charae-
ter for manly honor and patriotic integrity. 1t
is difficult to believe that he could. under any
circumstances, be duped or corrupted into the
certificate which these papers" embrace
against him. We presume that Henry West, Of
H. 80 Ca IL
and William Smith, his agent are imaginary
persons but if there are such men standing in
the relations they are respectively represented
as holding in this bargain and SALE it is proper
that they should be discovered, and examined
under an indictment of piracy
The specification duplicating Judge Shar-
key is very explicit. 1t says that on the
18th Of May the United States Consul at
Havana granted certificate authorizing the
sale of the vessel, and that the same now
exists in the archives of the Mexican Consul
late at Havana Judge Sharkey will, of
course, deny or affirm the truth Of these state
ments, as the case requires. Nor do we enter
tain any misgiving Of fiat denial. or salts
factory explanation of the whole transaction.
to the extent Of his knowledge and information.
Senior Buenaventura Vivo the present Minis
ter of Mexico at the Court of Madrid, may or
may not be guilty to the extent to which
our correspondents have charged him.
actively engaged in the slave trade, and
made narrow escape, on one occasion. from
the penalties of the law. having fallen into
the hands of certain British cruisers. After
this, he abandoned the traffic at least for q
time, in disgust, and embarked in the legal car
rying trade between Mexico and Cuba In
this capacity he happened to come tavorably
under the notice of Mexican General who
had him appointed the Mexican Consul at
Havana 1t is reported that in this capacity
Senior Vivo, was very useful to Santa Anna
in communicating to him at Carthagena,
from time to time, the progress and drift OF
events in his native country. For this service,
rumor has it Senior Buenaventura Vivo is in
debted for his appointment to Spain; so that
his investment in Santa Anna was to Senior
Vivo good venture, as his name implies.
But if it should turn out that this ugly look
ing transaction with the Lady Suffolk was eX-
actly as represented by our Cuban and Mexican
correspondence fraudulent piece OF work on
the part of Senior yivu from beginning to
end-his recall or expulsion from Madrid
will be inevitable. There will be no help
for him. But we are not aware that there is
any law, except at the discretion of Santa
Anna, under which he may be more point
eddy punished for the outrageous fraud against
our late Consul, if such the affair of the Lady
Suffolk should prove to be.
General Pierce, at all events, cannot fail to
appreciate, to its fullest extent, the necessity
OF Immediately instituting searching inquiry
into this subject, from the beginning to the
end If our late Consul is neither guilty Of
high crime" or the stupid blunder Of dupe
in this Raarious business let his Excellency,
the present Minister from Mexico to Spain
abide by the consequences of a full exposure of
his INSCRIPTIONS conduct. The first duty is.
to elicit the facts in the case; and as Judge
Sharkey and Senior Vivo one most particularly
interested. we look to one or the other, or both.
for prompt refutation or explanation
The whole system of tricks and expedients
by which the slave trade is carried on in Cuba
gives o strong coloring of probability to the
allegations Of our correspondents; but perhaps
there may be some unexplained mystery in
this Lady Suffolk transaction which, when dis
closed, will change the present aspects Of the
case very materially. However that may be,
the occasion has arrived when our government
can no longer delay the duty Of prompt
investigation and some direct inquiries, also.
under cover of the Home Squadron, into GER
tain other transactions in the Island OF Cuba,
in which we are directly concerned. The honor
of our flag and the obligations due from us in
enforcing the general compact against the slave
trade demand the active nterposition in the
affairs of Cuba Of our federal administration