Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-03

chased these people with the full knowledge
that they were Africans, newly imported and,
OF course, free by the laws of Spain. Indeed,
they could not be ignorant of that fact These
miserable victims, at the time Montez and
Ruiz purchased them, could not utter word
OF the Spanish language; their dialect manner,
and appearance, showed them to have recently
come from the African coast Such evidence
no Cuban could misunderstand
But to proceed with the statement Of facts
On the 28th Of June, just sixteen days after
they had been imprisoned in the barracoons at
Havana, they were taken therefrom and ship
ped on board the /" Amistad,n which sailed for
Principe on the same day, with crew COM
posed Of the captain two sailors, and cook
Montez and Ruiz were also on board
On the ist day of July while sailing along
tho eastern coast Of the island, tho Africans
rose and claimed their freedom. The captain
and cook attempted to reduce them to subjec-
ton, and were slpin; Montez and Ruiz, and
the two sailors surrendered the ship to the
Africans They immediately sent the sailors on
shore in the boat, and retaining Montez and
Ruiz on board, directed them to steer the ship
Tor Africa. But during the darkness of night,
they directed their course northm ardly, and on
the 26th of August, bong sixty days from the
time of leaving Havana they came to anchor
off the Connecticut coast, near tho eastern
shore Of Long Island
While the vessel was thus riding at anchor,
Lieut.. Gedney, of tho ship Washington, en-
gagged IN the coast survey of the United States,
took possession of her, and Of the cargo and
people on board, and carried them into the port
of New London.
Dates at this point will be found material,
before | close my remarks; and ask the at
tention Of the Committee particularly to the
fact that on the 29th of August, Is39-being
precisely two months and one day from the
time OF leaving the port of Havana--Montez
and Ruiz filed their claim in the District Court
of the United States, demanding these Africans
as their slaves
On the 18th September, 1889, the Africans
filed their answers to the claim of Montez and
Ruiz setting forth the facts as have related
them, and denying that they were or ever had
been slaves to Montez and Ruiz, or to any other
person but that they were and ever had been
Free
Here will remark that the Africans were
strangers in strange land, ignorant Of any
language save their native dialect, without
friends, without influence, and without money.
One would have reasonably supposed that the
sympathies Of all men and all Government Off
cors would have been enlisted in favor Of these
prosecuted exiles, who had been thus torn from
their homes, their country, their kindred and
friends. The dictates of our nature are in fa-
vor Of the oppressed, the friendless of those
who are incapable Of defending their own
rights.
Yet feel humbled as an American, when I
say that the President sent orders TO the Uni
ted States Attorney for the district Of Connec-
ticnt, directing him TO appear before the court,
and in the name of the Spanish Minister to
demand these Africans, in order that they may
be delivered over to their pretended owners.
This order was complied with; proofs wore
taken; the case was prepared by able counsel,
who appeared for the slave dealers, and fully
argued it before the District Court A ship
was sent into the vicinity, where the court was
sitting, with directions that If decree were
pronounced against the Africans, they should
be hurried on board and sent to Cuba, to be
garroted and gibbeted, without waiting for
them to appeal to higher court
| mention this fact as illustrative Of the man
ner in which the Executive influence was
welded against these down-trodden strangers.
lt is due to those who come after Us that these
truths be placed upon tho record Of our de-
bates, in order that posterity may understand
tho views and feelings which guide statesmen
OF the present age.
But, thanks to that Providence which gave
ms Government OF laws, instead Of the will
of despot, to control the fate OF frcemen, the
court after the most patient hearing and con-
sideration Of the case found the Africans TO
have been imported in violation Of the treaties
and laws of Spain-that they were frecmen,
aud not slaves 70 Montez and Ruiz, or TO any
other persou-and ordered them to be set at
liberty
We should have supposed that this solemn
decision of an authorized tribunal would have
satisfied the Executive but an appeal was
taken to the Circuit Court The decree Of the
District Court, however was rcafirmed in the
Circuit Court and an appeal was taken to the
Supreme Court OF the United States. Here, sir,
in this Capitol, the case was again argued, be-
fore tho highest judicial tribunal Of the nation.
The Attorney General appeared on behalf Of
the slave-doalng pirates, and all the influence
OF his reputation, his Official character, and Of
the Executive, was again welded in favor OF
this Spanish slave trade. The whole case was
again argued and considered, and the decree
Of the District Court was again affirmed. Bot
can do no better here than to quote the words
OF the court who in making the decision, said
" IL Is plain, beyond controversy, IL we cx-
hmtue tne tNiueUce, tnhb tntte UtpfOcS ntNer
were the lawful slaves Of Ruiz or Montez or
of any other Spanish subjects. They are ma
tives Of Africa, and were kidnapped there, and
we're unlawfully transported TO Cuba, IN viola
ton Of the laws and treaties Of Spain, and the
most solemn cdicts and declarations OF that
Government. BY these laws, and treaties and
edicts the African slave trade is utterly abol-
ishcd the dealing in that trade is deemed a
heinous crime and the negroes thereby intro
duced into the dominions OF Spain are declared
to be free. Ruiz and Montez are proved to
have made the pretended purchase Of these
negroes, with full knowledge Of all the CIR
cumstances. And so cogent and irresistible IL
the evidence in this respect, that the District
Attorney has admitted in open court, upon the
record, that these negroes were native Africans,
and recently imported into Cuba, as alleged in
their answers TO the libels in the case y
Now, sir, ask the gentleman from Virginia,
mir. Bayly when he reports his bill to reverse
this decision, TO show that these judges learned
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