New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-18


yenient to aleee, that what seem to be meant lot
yater.casks are really intended for Oil-casks And
perhaps the very same casks may often be carried
out to serve either purpose, as circumstances ma!
turn out So, also of iron boilers to be used in pre-
pairing food, another evidence Of slsve-trading in
teniion Iron boilers are also used in preparing
palm oil, and an adroit outftter would be apt to
put on board such as might equally serve both pur-
poses. running the rick Of little Inconvenience
for the sake Of the suppression of evidence.
Then again, as the slave-ships always have
two captains, Spaniad and an American, 60
they generally have two outftters-a foreigner
who is the nominal owner, and an American, or
at least resident in America, who acts really or
nominally. as a mere commission merchant, asking
no troublesome questions and not interfering too
curiously with the business Of his principal, salts
fed with getting his commissions, whatever they
may be. Surely merchant Of average sagscitF,
especially with the aid ola dexterous clerk, would
have very little difficulty in arranging matters so
as to exhibit himself, by the aid OF his own books
and the testimony of his own clerk, as very in
nocert man, who knew nothing about what was
to be done with the vessels which he fitted out,
however clearly that intention might be proved
against the vessel.
Then again comes another difficulty, that the
witnesses that can be used to prove the completely
of the New-York merchant are generally only the
sailors whose credibility it is easy to attack, and
who Sc knowledge in the matter can only be par
tial and indirect. If to this we add toler-
ably respectable mercantile character on the
part Of the person accused, Jury little
j, alous as to the reputation of the city, and
the idea, natural enough, that while the trade
in slaves is perfectly legal between Baltimore
and New-Orleans, it would be rather hard to
hold foreigner to very strict account for engaging
in like traffic between Congo and Cuba-all these
circumstances combined must evidently place great
obstacles in the way of successful prosecutions
against merchants resident here for engaging in the
Slave.trade, but who yet-since by their means
alone facilities are furnished for the trade---are
by far the most guilty parties.
In the case of Mr. Echeyerria, the counsel for
the defendant took two polnts-frst, that the Mary
Peck was on a lawful voyage and second, that If
really SLAYER and fitted out such, the defendant
did not know it. 1t was very well to have this
second point to fall back upon, because, with all
the ingenuity of the defense, it is impossible not to
believe that the Mary Peek was fitted out as
SLAYER. If Mr.. Echeverria himself, after the
voyage was over, did not come to the same con-
cusion it is extremely difficult to understand why
he consented to pay the extra wages demanded by
the sailor who was the principal witness in the
case, which demand was based upon the alleged
fact that the voyage had been slave-trsding voy-
age We must conclude, then, that Mr.. Echever-
ria was acquitted on the ground that though the
Mary Peck was fitted out for slaye-trading voy-
age, yet while fitting her out he did not know it.
OF this verdict he is entitled to all the benefits
among which We hope may be, both to himself and
others, that of having his vigilance and theirs lit
tie quickened, and of looking a little more
cautiously into the real character of expeditions to
the coast of Africa, in which he and they may be
invited to participate.