Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-06-11
Mr., FIGASIERE TO GEs. CASE.
V,, -


SIR--You will perceive ny III, enclosed copy OF
latter addressed To her Britannia M.l-stys Minister
IN Washington. that WA led Ia wrl:e II IN order 10
repel unound-d impuations ch-t by Lord Napier up
me- as the partner o c"Inuirr!il esthbilshinent
u this city, which for som- iii.ir ha> been III liquida
,ion and nn longer exists Tn-as inputatons having
been made in an official form addressed to you az
Secretary of State deem proper 10 lay the atore
aaid copy before you tor the information OF our gov
,rument in regard 10 the American named vessels
which were owned by me-; and, while doing so, allow
me 10 say that long ~ improper British lnteier'
enc. with our vessels continues. and unwarranabte
suspicion is created against them, our legitimate
trade with Africa will not only be lniured-as know
u; nv cu.t-but destroyed, you truly slated IN your
r.py of lOth of April last to Lord Napier. refer TO
,h, UNIV srranabie inference Of Mr.. Gaorie! in his
despatch TO the Earl of Clarendon, dated Losndo, Ju
!y 81, 1874 copy OF which WAS transmitted 10 you
nv the British legaOn-in relation 10 the brig Char
lote.
If that vessel was to be considered a slaver be.
cause che had specie freight the proceeds-grant.
ing it were so-of unlawful trade, rs well might the
President and directors Of the bank where 1t had
probably been Deposited before SHIPMENT DC alralgu-
ed rs slavs traders.
But suffice To say in relation to this vessel and
every other owned by me, and in the employ OF the
said 6rm which cleared for Africa that my late house
vas ey.r ready TO give bond with sufficient security
for their return to the United States, and in one In
stance if not more did pro1-r 10 give such bond and
security 10 the proper authority which were declined
by said authority. have the honor to be, very re-
specuy, your fellow cltizsn and obsdent servant
&. j. DE La FlGANlERE.
To the Hon. LEWIS CAss, Secretary OF State.
MIR. rIGASIERE TO LORD NArlERE.
New YORK, May -, 1858.
MyLoRp-I have read very recently in the public
journals of this city letters with your name under
written purporng to have been officially addressed
by you to the American government, the publication
Of which is no doubt taken from some Congresslon.
al document
written nv you and under this impression have to
make the following remarks in regard to some pas
ssees in your note 10 General Cass. dated washing
ton 2i,h December, 1857. You therein state "the
number of vessels captured and condemned on the
cosst forms but small proportion of those Of which
the character and movements warrant suspicion
without iustifying actual seizure. "ln The category
of ships visited and questioned hnd the following
suspected slavers, denounced or incidentally men.
toned in the dispatches when nave reacneo me from
her Maiestys government
..Ths North Hand was chartered at New York, os-
tensby for the purpose OF carrying sustenance to he
starving inhabitants of the Cape de Ferd ialands'
but with An ueror to alavs voyage she was
boarded on the African coast under American coors
but in the absence Of convincing evidence, could
NOT be arrested. She is believed to have delivered
cargo of slaves in Cuba and to have been destroyed.
In this affair, where benevoence was made subser-
vieut 70 crime the notorious house OF Figaniere,
same category "the bark lsa de Cuba, and the brig
Charlotte OF New York, belonging to the firm OF FL
gsniere."
two Fieanieres of the late firm, which you most un
vsrrsntaby thus endeavor to defame.
DEFY either your lordship or any other official of
Her British Majesys government to prove that either
the Isla de Cubs-now lying at one ot the wharves
of this cty where she has been since November last
lbefore the date of your etterl-or the Charlotte in
her four voyages 10 Africa, or any other vessel owned
by me as an American citizen land not by the firm,
as YOU aver.) while 30 owned or employed in the
business of the said firm, by regular charter party,
were ever engaged, directly or indirectly, in the
slave trads .
In regard TO the N. Hand, which you 20 roughly
handle il behooves me TO rectty the bunders you or
your government have been led to make in reference
TO the firm in question:
When the starving condition of the inhabitants Of
the Cape de Verbs became known in this city, in 1885,
ths Consul General Of Portugal-my brother, and
head partner ot tbe late trm-raised subscription
among the countrymen, az did the merchants OF the
Corn Exchange OF this city.
The n Hand was chartered by the Portuguese Re-
lief Committee TO convey both the Portuguese and the
American contributions; and these not occupying all
her space portion Of cargo, to the smonn OF fifteen
hundred dollars for the account of parties in the
Cape de Verbs, was sbipped in her.
So far and no farther was the late firm busy IN re
spect TO the affairs of this vesse and If she, after
having delivered her cargo went to the coast Tor ne
proes the firm was more accountable Tor the nn
lawful Act than il would be for the commission OF q
murder in an office il had once occupied, and from
which il had moved before the crime committed.
But, my Lord, according to your own statement,
,bsre appears to have been no evidence that the NJ
Hand did take, or was going 10 ship, cargo OF ne'
proes: for had there been any she would have been
orrasted by the British manofwar that boarded her,
notp ithstsndng the display of her American colors
And, indeed, you only say that she is believed 10
have delivered cargo Of slaves in Cuba and to have
been destroyed and yet yon assume and take II Tor
granted that such the actual fsct and thereupon
Won proceed to denounce ths house OF which was
lately partner. You do not even say by whom the
story was believed.
There is no story too absurd for the belief OF some
people, and doubtless there are come who VIII con-
tinus TO believe this story although they may have
saen that the n. Hand, instead of having been de-.
stroyed at Bremen in the commencement OF 1897
and is now, from official reports of the Treasury De
psrlmen, Of the United States, known as the brig
Wsitns and yet, upon mere suppositIon, you un-
hesatingly aud grossly directly charge US with an
infamous crime, under preteI OF benevoieace. Were
not your lordship enjoying certain privileges which
the comfy Of nations invests person holding your
high position in this country its courts should decide
this question b-tS-en us.
In conclusion ii the commercial firm alluded to-
which only formed and commenced business on
the first Of April 1856, notorious as your o,u
ship waI pleased TO designate H. 1t "as iaaoe 20 oy
such gra'utous ard untounded accrsa,ons OF p,''su
,iicias (see at. British Consul IN Baltimore, henry
George kuppers original report OF auIy ~ io'o' 70
the Earl Of Csrendop aided and ahetted oy toe aor