Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-10-29
TERMS OF ADvnRrrsrNG.
Jurisdiction I'm Slave Trade cases.

Among the capital cases to be examined was one
known as piracy usually considered as robbery on the
high seas. In this offence however, Congress has
ted special statutes of which enacts that robbng
vessel running away with vessel stealing feonously
from vessel to the amount of $50, shall be considered
piracy.
Another special law makes the carrying on of the
slave trade to be considered as piracy In 1894 United
States citizens were forbid to carry on the foreign slave
trade, and in 1907 the importation of slaves to the Uni
ted States made capital offence of this nature
Now to be engaged in the slave trade in general is de-
nominated piracy, and is punished cpitaly. On such
case, he was sorry to say would come up before the
jury but as he was not Informed as to the particular
evidence to be brought forward in the case he should
give no special instruction as to the law to be applied
to the evidence
On point, however, he wished to say a few Words
and those to apply to the question of jurisdiction. By
the Constitution of the United States all offences
against her laws committed within the limits of the
country TO be tried within the State and district
where such offences committed. This is provided
by the constitution. For offences committed on the
high seas the constitution makes special provision,
but has left it for Congress to enact such laws may
be deemed proper. On this point several acts have
been passed, one in 1870, and another late 1885,
by the general provisions OF both it is enacted that
when crime is committed on the high seas the offend
ers shall be tried in the district which they arc first
apprehended, or into which they first brought after
the offence is committed. But from the terms of the
statutes some doubts have arisen to their true
Ing and to the true exposition which should be given
thCm The one statute COntemplates that party NAV
be found in judicial district and if first apprehended
there there he is to be tried and the other has reference
to cases where the party is brought into the district
and the question arises what is the meaning Of the term
being brought into a district?'
The true Interpretation of the term seemed to him
without doubt to the first district into which
prisoner is brought after he is apprehended. sailor
may commit offence on board vessel and be taken
into port and from thence taken to another port and
district ana still be appehended and tried in the latter
for 1t is the district which he is apprehended that
he must be tried. But there are laws of the United
States which give certain officers of the government the
power of apprehension on the high seas and party
thus apprehended must be tried in the district into which
he is first brought If first brought into the district of
Massachusetts, then he must be tried here if first car
red into another district then it is there that he must be
tried
Under the various slave acts of the United States au-
thorty is given and it is made the special duty of all
officers OF the United States Navy, to cause crews and
V>SSelS found engaged in the slave trade to be appre
hended taken into custody, and brought to the United
States Under this authority it appeared plain to him
that party arrested the high for violation of
the slave acts is certainly there apprehended within the
meaning of the laws and must be tried in the first dis
trct of the United States into which he is brought.
1t is from this charge the conclusion is drawn that
Capt. Townsend, of the slave brig Echo in Boston
Jail, will be removed to the District of South Florida
(Judgc Marvn) for trial.
DEPARTURE AND COURSE OF THE PARAGUAY ExPED1
TION.Thc New York Journal of Commerce of Satur-
day last after noticing the departure of the Paraguay
expedition under the naval and military command of
Commodore Shuhrick, the Sabine taking out Judge
BOWlin and suite, says:
She thC Sabine) is TO proceed no further than Buenos
Ayre where the minister and his suite will be received
on board the u S. steamer Fulton which will pro-
coed Immediately up the river towards Asuncion the
capital OF Paraguay 1t is supposed by the Minister
that upon his arrival in the Fulton, at the mouth of the
rvcr-near which is the Paraguayan fort of the Tras
BOrcas--he will have some diplomatic communication
with the authorities OF Paraguay There he will de-
clare, in general terms the object of this special mission
1t will remain with the Paraguayan Government then
TO determine whether they will permit the Fulton to
proceed and in fact whether they will receive Minis
ter. Under decree Of the Government no ship of war
is to ascend the river without permission So there is
chance Tor crisis at in Judge BOwlns mission
The rlVcr Paraguay is navigable up to Asuncion by
vessels drawing not than thirteen feet water The
Fulton draws but eleven feet. We learn that Commo-
dorc Shubrcl can in Of hostites, land over two
thousand men. The Sabine will remain at Buenos
Ayrcs but furnish about three or four hundred men
for military operations
Judge BOwlin will deport himself in his mission with
the greatest degree of cvility towards the Government
of Paraguay, and will cndeavor to bring about an ad-
uStmcnt of present difficulties and the establishment of
mutually beneficial relations for the future between Par
aguay and the United States.
CoMPAssEs IN SHIPs.-Many persons, and among the
number seamen embracing most commanders of vessels
we understan entertain the notion that the magnet or
compass is not affected by local attraction like cargo
Of iron, if the latter is covered with non-conuct
ing material such dry tarpaun. This is great er-
rOr, and which have doubt has been the means
Of causing many fatal mistakes in navigation. Mag
nctism is different from current of electricity in the
important particular that the attraction Of the former
is not affected by the ntcpoStiOn of glass or an insula
ting material Place magnet compass inside of
glass vase and it will be affected by the presence of iron
on the outside OF the glass just if there no such
medium between them. The atmosphere itself, if dry,
is superior nonconducting medium to glass; therefore
the interposition Of tarpaun ad the top of irony
between the compass and attractive cargo is of
whatever.
There is one method, however of obvating local at
traction to great extent board Of vessels and can
be brought into by every captain that is to re-
move the compass far possible from the cause of
local attraction Thus if il is found that the compass
is affected by the presence OF adjacent body of ron
if the latter cannot be removed to greater distance
then take the compass away from it, If it is attracted
by cargo of irOn remove the compass to some posi-
tion high up the mast possible and it is our
opinion that every ship should carry compass its
mast as well as one on the quarterback.
The attraction OF magnetism is lnversey according to
the square Of the distance Thus the force of mag.
netic attraction is equa to four pounds at the distance
of foot from the magnet it is but one pound at the
distance Of two feet. From the consideration of this
law of magnetism will easily be perceived that the
greater the distance between the object of local arac
tiOn such cargo of iron, the hull OF an iron vessel
or the engines OF steamer-the disturbance OF the
magnets true action is greatly Iessened in proportion
Scientific -1meI1cdn.
The baltimore Democracy Preparing Resistance.
The Erchalge reports q movement among the DEM
ocracy of Baltimore with a view TO the overthrow of
Plug-Ugly despotsm. We congratulate our allies on
the auspcious Indication. They have tried every exec
riment of peaceful endeayor without effect let them or.
/