The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-01
The Slave Trade.

The Slave Trade.
ADDRESS or THE GRAND JURY OF THE UNITED
STATES FOR THE DISTRICT or MASSACHUSETTS
TO TEE PRESIDENT.
[From the Boston Atlas June SOL
The Crane Jury of the United States for the
district OF Massachusetts, have addressed letter to
President Pierce, in regard to the mode Of treat
ms mt Of certain persons arrested on the coast Of
Africa, on suspicion Of having been concerned in
the slave trade Of which the following is copy
CIRCUIT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMkRICA
FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS.
At Circuit Court Of the United States OF Ameri.
ca for the district of Massachusetts, holden in Bos
ton within and for said district on the
day OF June, in the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty. four, the jurors of the
United States, within and for said district respect
fully represent to the President of the United States
that during their present term they have investigated
sundIy violations Of the laws prohibiting the slave
trade and have found bills Of Indictment against the
master, mate and -- of the brig Giamorgau.
This vessel, which now lies at the Navy Yard in
Charlestown, under libel for condemnation, was
seized on the coast of Africa the 9th Of April last
by the United States armed brig Perry, Lieut.
Richard Page commanding. She was chased and
captured by boats, under Lieut.. John Downs, and
was brought into this port by him as urize-master
The vessel was fitted complete for SLAYER and was
proceeding to her slave station to take board her
human cargo when 80 opportunity captured. On
board the SLAYER were two Portuguese. who are
shown By the evidence before US to have been the
pllnclpal OHenueT6. One OF tnem Waa the 6uperCar-
60. who had fitted out the vessel in New York, and
who is manifestly one Of the principal agents in
the slave trade carried on by American vessels
with the Southern African coast. The substance Of
these facts must have been known to Lieut. Page; yet
to our surprise, we find that, while he seut to the
United States the captaio, first mate and three of
the crew of the shaver, he released the supercargo
and the second mate, who were the most guilty per-
SONG The act of April 20, 1918, makes 1t crime
for any person to ft out or prepare any vessel in
any place within the United States to be employed
in the slave trade. The act Of May 10, 1900, sec
tion d, makes it the duty of the commander Of any
shall seize any vessel employed in the slave trade,
"to apprchend and take into custody every person
found on board Of such vessel, being Of the officers
or crew thereof and convey them to the civil autho
rites Of the United States in some of the districts
thereof" The supercargo was, to all intents of
the low, an officer Of the slave vessel, for he
tilely controlled her movements, and his release
by Lieutenant Page has left him at liberty to
pursue his atrocious traffic, and to take of, by
some other vessel the very cargo of human
beings he had prepared for the GIamorgan.
The act Of March Sd, 1919, section l, confides to
the President of the United States the power to cm
ploy armed vessels of the United States to seize all
vessels of the United States found engaged in the
slave trade and we therefore deem it fitting to pre-
sent TO his attention the condlct of Lieutenant
Page; for If this practice be followed or is common
on the coast it may well account for the fact that
the slave trade IL still continued under the Ameri
can flag, where the only risk the most guilty par
ties run is to have their vessels seized aud them
selves set on shore to find others take their CARGO
Confident that the President will most cheerfully
apply all bis official powers to the suppression Of
the traffic, and believing that it Is essential that
more stringent orders should be given to the COM
manders on that station, and that they should be
held to strict account for vigilance and fidelity,
the Grand Jurors very respectfully present the fore
going as the result Of their Investigations in the
premises.
TRIAL OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE BRIG GLAMoRaAN
FOR BEING CONCERNED IN THE SLAVE TRADE.
From the Boston Post.
In the United States Circuit Court, at Boston, on
Thursday the case of Caspar Hermann, charged
with being voluntarily on board as captain of the
brig Glamorgan, engaged in the slave trade, was
commenced. District Attorney Halett, for govern
ment; j. H. Prince for the defence.
Mr.. Halett, in opening the case, briefly recapitu.
lated the facts which he should attempt to prove.
The Glamorgan sailed from New York to the coast
Of Africa and there landed her cargo afterwards took
also came on board, and proceeded to lay a slave
Geek This deck, the District Attorney said was of
rough plank, laid over the water casks in the hold,
but few feet below the main deck, and in this mar
row aperture the living cargo was to be packed.
Mr.. Hallett alluded to the fact that in addition to
the captain and mate, who are here under indict
ment for crime which is punishable with fine and
imprisonment only, there was also on board Por-
strument in this nefarious traffic, and who, if he
bad been sent home, would probably have been tried
for piracy which our laws declare engaging in the
slave trade to be. and which is punishable with
death. But from some unexplained cause Lieut..
Page, of the United States brig Perry, when he
seized the vessel set this supercargo and the men
he had with on Shore and thus the chief criminal
has escaped, to continue this nefanous traffic.
This supercargo had with him number of negroes,
who are employed to fit up the slave ships and
transport to them their cargOes. It has sometimes
happened said Mr.. Hallett, that these black aids,
after all the negroes have been shipped from the
shore, have themselves been carried off by the
SLAYER, and the captains, when demonstrated with,
have excused themselves by saying that it was very
difficult to distinguish one black from another In
order to prevent these mistakes the black aids of
the slave trade have been in the habit of tatooing
themselves on the forehead. The District Attorney
then alluded to tho facts Of the capture of the ella
morgan by the U. s. brig Perry; that the former
was much the best saller and would have escaped
had not the wind failed which enabled the boats of
the Perry to overhaul her. The Glamorgan, when
first hailed, displayed the American flag, which was
not to be found when boarded by the Perry.
The witnesses for government were then called,
including two Portuguese Of the crew of the Ola.
morgan, who were brought here as prisoners, but
whom the grand jury refused to indict:: The chief
features OF the testimony as Swallowed forth above
were given in the primary examination before the
U. s. commissioner. The defence will be that the
accused was not the original captain Of the Ga-
morgan, but was engaged after she put back to New
York. that he was ignorant Of what was going on
until the slave deck was laid and that then he re.
monstra'ed, refusing to have anything to do with
the business.
One of the Portuguese crew testified that he had
not the least suspicion Of the nature of the voyage
until the slave deck was laid.
Arrival Of the Surveying Party.
Iron the Chickaaaw Intelli0encer1