Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-06-05
SEARCH AND sEIzJRE OF AMERICAN YES
INFOarANr OFFICIAL pOCUMENFs.

of American merchant vessels, in reply to tn
resolution OF in Iuiry from the Senate, contsi
some very Interesting facts, set forth at cor
siderable length.
The first Of the documents is the statemer
made by Capt James NJ. Brightmsn, maste
Of the schooner N 3. B7rdes, OF Fall rivel
Massachusetts,, whose vessel was boarded b
/ A boat from the StgE, on Sunday, March q
! Il is substantially The same statement as ap
I peared in the public prints. When the SiE
fired blank cartridge be h0Isted the Amer
can ensign, but did not heave to. A shot wa
/ fired ssterH OF bis vessel WHEN the bFitisl
officer came aboard be asked the usual qurs
tiOus, aud said the Sitt WIS in search o
slavsrs, and took the N B Bor2sn for ons.
The second document is a letter from Secre
tary Cass TO Mr.. Dallas, dated May 12, al
ready published
The thru is from Mr. Blythe, o. S. Consu
General at Havana, dated May 8. He eonmu
nlcates he memorial and protest ~ passenger
on boarith corles ssised as SLAYER by thi
British, in Whirb they ssk restitution Of none,
and effects tasen from then; a sworn state
ment ffom Capt. Laurent, of the brig 4. 4
ChapHan, which vessel was not boarded, shs
having outssilsd the British steamer a state.
ment made to him bF an American resident al
Ssgua, 20 the effect that all the American YES.
sels-ffteen IN numbeT--at that port bad beer
boarded by British armed boats mentions
that the vessel whose bold was searched, and
her boxes OF sugar bored, was not an Aneri-
an, bat spanish ship, then in that port and
repeats ths Information previously given that
the Un ted States fsg is prostituted for the
purpoa es of the slave traffic
Next is the statement OF Captain Allen
HoRes, Of the Schooner Mobile, which, as re-
ferring 10 the most remarkable OF these pro
eeedings, and differing In some degree lrom the
statement originally Published, We give in
full
About 81 my eldest daughtsr-my family
were on b1aTd-csms to my room ana said,
Father, what is bat vessel doing o. looked
nut Of NY window, and saw that she was run
nirg down for Us. ! vent on deck to answer
be hail. As came on deck the mate said to
ne, That is an English war steamer I told
him 10 set our ensign, which be dit In the main
riggingi the steamer Kept on until within bail
ing distance be ther rounded 10 on my weather
Quarter. As be came 20 / saw The EHglieh e
at bic mizzen peak, which vas the first had
seen f l.. soea heard, twice in SUI cession,
something like the crack Of ride, but could
hardly believe be was hiring at me and lying
within hail. ! soon heard another report, and
likewise the whistle Of the bail The mate
came 10 me and said, They are fring at US,
and With ball, too then ordered the vessel
pilot. After that there were two shots fired
into us-one ball striking he vessel about eight
feet abatt the fore-ehannels, (where the mark
can how be seen,) the other going over The
heads Of the men working amidsbips, striking
the water 70 the leeward
Ny men being in danger, ordered the jibs
to be hauled down, thinking that might stOp his
firing.
& About A O'Clock bis boat came alongside,
with, sb near as can recollect, SIX men aad al
officer, all apparently unarmsd, with the excep-
ton Of the officer, who wore his side-arms.
The officer, dressed in the British naval uni
form, came aboard; came aft, and without
asking for the captain, begaL to esk Questions
Where the vessel was from, where bound,
where 0sned, her name, and number Of men
sld passengers, SC. 10 which | gave the
usual answers. I then asked him what be
meant by firing into my vessel aud frightening
nv wife and children. he said, Why did you
not hesve 10 when you saw a man of-Sar to
windward With her ensign fying?' / told
him il was common to see American and Span
sh men ofwaT in the Gulf with their coiors
iging. and they had never stopped or inter.
fered with me, and it would not do for me tc
heave to aud wait the motions Of every man-of
war ! saw with colors q ing. He then asked
for nv papers. started to go TO the cabin tC
get them, when he. knowing that my family
were there, and without an Invitation, immedi
atel followed NE.
." showed him nv enrolment and license
After looking at them a moment be said, YoJ
should have g register told hin our coasters
dad not have registers, but sailed under Ii
eense, and if he was not satisfied here was ny
clearance from Mobile in regular form.
I" After looking at them awhile be laid then
on the table. | asked him If be took me for
~ IA AZ ~ s.HM - H.
ing that was not a SLAYER, it was strange thel
should want to board ny vessel and insult nj
flag in such manner; that they bad no righ
to do it. He eaid they had, and that they nsI
orders 70 board every vessel going up or dowI
the Guf, and that it was very lucky for me tha
hove to.
+" then told him if be had got through
should like 10 pursue my voyage. He then lef
ny vessel, without 50 much as saying 'gOOG
day.
In the course Of bis visit asked him hos
I should have known be was a man-of-wsr. HI
said could have seen their penHant. | tod
bin / had a long one which | very often set
He said if be saw me with one set be woulG
haul It down for me-"
Next is the s,ateme0t of Capt. Foulkes, oi
The Topic Bird, substislly the same as pre-
siously published.
Then Follows a long communication from Mr.
Consul By the Of an earlier date, April 20, re
porting that British war vessels were eXer, is
iug a disagteeabie espionage Over American
vessels in the port Of Havana, and eommuni
catiGg sfHisvits and other information respect
ing The capture Of the Cortes by the British
guabost FOriUErd. Respecting the COriss at
far, Mr.. B be says;
- The C0TfSs arrived here on the 20ih G
March from New York, under the command O
her sole owner, Adam A. Small@y Oh the p
/ be appointed bis mate James NJ DIrand, mas
/ ter Of the schooner, and executed at this ofic
/ in favor Of sal Durand power OF attorney
au lriziug hin to,sell the schooner ifhe eou'C
or charter her Sue Gle red at this Office o
/ he 18Th inst. fer Anuob0n, with an assOrte
cargo. anc sailed the next morning Toe pal
lies interested in the cargo have since ful
mshed me the charter party and the bill {
ladii z, which I herewith transmit to the D.
psrtment.
q Captain Dursud's conduct, as disclosed
he testimony, seems TO have been very stTang
It seems to be the fixed opinion of the ma
that be sold the vessel fer consideration
What were the contents of the paper whiC
the mate and meh say was signed by the ca
tain. have not been able to ascertain If u
vessel was really bound on a slave Voysg
then the captain should certainly he punish'
for prosrituting the hig OF our country to SUI
a purpose. Il she was not, and her comma nd
30 represented her, for consideration then
8 equally guilty, and should certainly be pu
shed
" Since the occurrence, have eonveTsed wi
a respectabl and intelligent American ms
chant Of Msia1zas, Mr.. Roger Horner, vi
met the commander OF the gunboat For Sard
that city, and assured me that he officer b
stated to him that the Cortes had neither p
Ders nor fig. This statement, Of course,
untrue. The MAZE and all the men state th
he flag was exhibited, and the papers produce
examined, ard copies Of them taken. IL the
men have periursd themselves, and no pape
and flag were exhibited, then it shows coll
sion between the Commander Of the COrtes a
he person seizing her, as the CoTtes certain
took from this Office regular papers lea
from the same gentleman, Mr. Horner, that
master # the Cortes has sailed from Mantanz
? TO the city of New York. In any view of t
conduct Of this man. the propTiety Of an inv'
. tigati0n is manifest"
The sworn statement Of William Archbo
6rst mate Of the COrtss, is 50 extraordins
that we give the major part of it, emily renal
T ing that the counter statement of the co
mander of the Forward has yet to be receive
The captain Of the man-of-wsr board
4 us, and demanded of Captain Dursnd to
his papers. Captain Durand presented
D papers our cOlOIs were up at the time I;
= examined the papers, and founG some IA
d with them I d. aot know what be obJec
: to, bat it was mostly in relation to he p
ssngers the British officer took copies Of
the schoouer's papers our captain at the q
did not know that the British officer was
commander of the gun boat, and said to b
. you now have copies Of my papers. take ID
: to your captain and be will find them CORE
I. or words to this effect. The captain OF
= man-of-wsr returned them to bis vessel,
n remained there for a short time; when
returned, be informed Captain Durand that
schooner was prize, as she was bound on
~ slave trade; be stated that be bad reeeI
information before be left the harbor OF
M Vsna, and that be knew US as soon as be
Us. Captain Durand told me TO haul the co
down; / obeyed his orders | then asl
show DO we stand now, when our colors
v downT The captain Of the manor war
On me be would take US as pirates. then
,n qussted Captain Dursnd TO allow me to set
he eolors again, for had shipped upon lay
an VOYAGE, and wished TO be taken as such, a
er did not consider any foreign man-of-wa
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