Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-07-07
THE SLAVE TRAFFIC.

The Journal of Commerce notes the fact that
from the port of New York there is a regular
slave traffic So faT the parties escape by the
cunning of the law, but says the Journal:
More frequently the SLAYER elutcS the vigil
auce of the United StatcS officers by engaging
in an ordinary trading voyage and changing
her destination, cargo DC. to suit her convenience
We are informed by the deputy United States
marshals that they well satisfied that at least
fifteen slave vessels have sailed from this port
within the last twelve months aud three within
the last three weeks With such audacity IS
the vilany prosecuted that while Marshall de
Angels was occupied about the seizure of the
Braman, (Shose officers were on trial for engag-
ing in the slave trade,) advantage was taken by
another vessel of the same character to glide
down the river and escape. 1t is well known
that within sixty days Ill old vessel was bought
for 800, and retitted and altered to a topsail
schooner, loaded with logwood and whalc-bone,
and cleared for European port in command offs
captain who was convicted at Philadelphia short
time since of being engaged i'll slave-trading, yet
there were no circumstances which would justi-
fl the issue of warrant for her detention, though
the officers entertained doubts as to her real
character and objects.
'tThc IMMUNITY with which these transactions
are carried on may be seen from the fact that
during the last year there have been but five
prosecutions for any breach of the laws relating
to this matter, and of this number the Govern
ment succeeded in procuring one conviction, viz:
the captain Of the julia Morgan. Not long ago
Mr. Crawford, her britannia Majesty's Consul
General in Cuba, called the attention of Mr..
Champion at Washington to the fact that sla-
vers were fitted out il this city, and asking his
interference 10 prevent the sailing Of vessel that
was then nearly in readiness. In the instance
alluded to, Don Jose Egea left Havana for New
York (as Mr.. Crawford asserts in order to pur-
chase, through certain house, piIOt-boat or
fore-and-aft schooner capable of bringing over
| five hundred slaves from Africa to Cuba-the
vessel to be provided with water, &C., and thus
( prepared to sail from New York for her destira-
| ton, where the slaves were in waiting. Mr..
Crawford remarked, in connection with his dis
patch: Almost all the slave expeditions for some
time past have been fitted out in the United
States, chiefly from New York, where there must
be some establishment, ship or Quitting, car
pcnter's or builders yard, specially undertaking
such business for the sIavers.' Most of the YES
sells fitted out in the United States for the slave
trade sail from New York, but considerable
proportion of them go from other, ports. The
vessels ordinarily selected are of medium size,
costing not more than S., 600 to $1,000, bought
with the expectation that they will be destroy
ed when their cargo is secured and finally dis
charged. Traders calculate that if but one
vessel out of four proves successful they can
well afford to incur all the losses and assume all
risks"