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

Comfy Of the varions Departments of Gop-
ernmsnt,. Construction Of Treaties; Lay Of
Nations !, Natural Rights of Persons;- Duty
Of An 10 Sustain The Doctrines on ivhich our
Government icas Founded.
SPEECH OF Mr.. GIDDINGS.
DELIyERED in COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE
HOUSE ON THE PREsIDENT's MESSAGE DE-
cEMBER 2l, 1853.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: | rise to call the attention
Of this body and Of the country to that portion
Of the Presidents Message which recommends
to our favorable consideration the claims of GER
tain Cuban slaye-dealers They profess to have
owned tho people on board the schooner Amis-
tad, who, by their own valor regained their
freedom in 1889. The President desires that
we shall make the necessary appropriation to
pay the slave merchants for the loss of their
contemplated profits.
Mr.. BAYLY. The gentleman is correct, and
the Committee on Foreign Affairs will report a
bill for that purpose.
Mr.. GIDDINGs, (resuming) thank the
gentleman for this open avowal Of the inten-
tions Of his committee. We may always look
TO shareholders for frank declaration Of SEN
faces Of the North who hide behind false issues,
aud keep out Of sight until kicked into view.
Laughter.
The proposition of the Presidents is important
1t involves the observance Of our most solemn
treaty stipulations, which bind us to exert our
influence TO abolish the slave trade rather than
TO uphold and encourage it; it involves our ma
tional honor aud the welfare of our race
Sir, as early as 1877 Spain took upon herself
the most solemn obligations to abolish this
slave trade. This obligation was contained in
her treaty with Great Britain of that year.
In perfect good faith, the Crown Of Spain,
by its decretal order, Issued soon AFTER declared
the slave trade abolished throughout her do
minions, including her Colonial possessions
and asserted the freedom Of all Africans who
should be thereafter imported into any of her
National or Colonial ports. Our own Govern
ment had, from its commencement, expressed
its adherence of that traffic. Soon after the
adoption Of our Constitution, Congress passed
laws 50 far rs authorized to modify its charac-
| ter, and as soon rs permitted by the Consttu-
tion, they prohibited it under severe penalties
Indeed we have declared it piracy, and hang
the Americans engaged in it. as unfit for hu-
| man association.
By the 10th article of our treaty at Ghent,
BILE with the principles Of humanity;p and we
stipulated with Great Britain 10 exert our in.
hnence and power to eradicate from the earth
this "execrable commerce in human flesh ~
and we now sustain maritime force on the AZ
rican coast at an annual expense Of from two to
three millions of dollars with the avowed in
tention to destroy forever this nefarious traffic
France, too, has long exerted her influence TO
attain this humane object; and the civilized
nations Of the earth stand pledged to the puri-
fcation OF our race from a traffic 10 abhorrent
to every feeling Of our nature
While those four great Powers which have
mentioned, were thus soiemnly committed to
this policy, while tho Christian world held
this slave trade in unutterabe abhorrence, GER
tain Cuban slave dealers continued to violate
the laws and treaties Of their Own Government,
the rights OF human nature, and the laws OF
God, by importing and enslaving the unoAend-
ing people Of Africa.
In 1889 they imported cargo of these inof.
fensive victims to Havana, in the island Of Gu
ba. According to the proof exhibited before
the Judicial Department Of Government they
we're seized in Africa, about the middle Of April,
by force carried on board the slave ship, and
on the 10th June Of that year they were land
cd in Havana and imprisoned in the barracoons
Of that city.
On the 22d of that month, Don Pedro Mon
tez obtained a license, or permit, from tho Gov
ernor General to transport three "Ladinoes,"
or legal siaueS, from Havana 10 Principe, on the
south side Of the island and on the 9th Of tho
same month, Jose Ruiz obtained a similar per.
mit;to transport forty-nine Ladinoes," or legal
sidpes, to the same port. These permits were
obtained, at all times, by paying tho customary
| r. l. L.. 49,. 49, uIraa
legal, giving liberty 10 transport only slducs J.
and the fraud consisted in transporting Afri.
cans who were free, under the permits TO trans
port slaves The permits we're conclusive evi-
dence Of the payment Of tho duty, as between
the Government on the one side and Montez
and Ruiz on the other. But these Africans
we're in no way parties 10 these permits, knew
nothing Of their being granted; and need not
say their rights could not be affected in any
way by them. Every member will at once see
they were in no respect admissible evidence
against the negroes, who had been imported in
fraud, and in violation Of Spanish treaties and
Spanish laws
mention these facts at this time for the rea.
son that, in ell the litigation OF this claim be-
fore tho courts, all the attorneys and agents
who have advocated it rely solely upon these
permits, not TO show that the duties were act
ually paid, but to show that Montez and Ruiz
at Subsequent day, shipped "Ladinocs,p or
legal siaues, under the authority of those per-
mIts. The attempt is to make these permits
testimony Of tho subsequent conduct of Montez
and Ruiz. And apprehend the Chairman Of
the Committee on Foreign Affairs Mr.. Baylyl
will be compelled to rely upon these permits,
instead Of showing Us proof Of the fact that
thesc people had been actually held in Cuba
as legal slaves bespeak his attention to this
point II they had been long resident in Cuba,
trust he will give us the proof Let us have
the depositions of those who owned them, for,
IL they had been owned there, some enc must
have owned them, and we want bis evidence, or
that Of some person who knows tho fact
Now, trust the gentleman will not follow
the example Of his predecessor, who gave us
the certificate of some individual unknown 10
us, who states that Montez and Ruiz were hon.
orabie men | look upon such evasions as no
compliment 10 the common sense OF this body,