Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-16
0Qurcestcr 9aiIp Spp.
HISTORY OF THE AMIsTAD CASE,

municaton in the N. Y. Evening Post, giving
in brief a history of the Amistad case which
is to be discussed in Congress during the pres
ent session. He says
'For the information of members of the
present Congress, many of whom were not
conversant with the proceedings in the case of
the Africans of the Spanish schooner Amis-
tad, will you insert the following particulars
l. Fitty-four recently imported negroes,
held as slaves in Havana, were purchased by
two Spaniards, Messrs. Ruiz and Montez and
shipped on beard the schooner lei Amistad to
Principe, about one hundred leagues distant,
on the Island Of Cuba.
2 After being out four days, the negroes
rose, in the night, killed the captain and cook,
placed Montez, who had been a sea-captan at
the helm, requiring him to steer the ship for
Africa, and confined Ruiz below.
3. Montez steered eastwardy in the day
time, because the negroes could tell his course
by the sum- but put the vessel about in the
night They boxed about some time in the
Bahama channel, and at length came near the
coast of the United States.
f. In August 1889, the Amistad was near
the shore at CullOden Point, on the east end
of Long Island, where part Of the crew came
on shore for water and provisions, for which
they paid literally.
5, On the 10th August the vessel was espied
by Capt Gedney, U. S. N, in command Of the
brig Washington, employed on the coast sur
vey, who despatched an officer to board her.
Montez and Ruiz announced themselves as
owners of the negroes, and claimed Capt Ged-
ney's protection, He gave protection and car
ried the schooner into the port of New London.
.. The judge Of the United States District
Court (Judson) and the United States Marshal
were sent for by express. A hurried eXami-
nation was held on board the Washington, at
which the two Spaniards, and the cabin-boy
Antonio, a creole negro, were examined on
oath as to the facts in the case.
7. No person appeared on behalf of the AT
ricans; the judge had no communication with
them; but after the examination, the adults re-
naming alive thirty-eight in number, were
committed for trial for F'murder on the high
seas" The cabin boy, Antonio, and four chill
dren, three girls and one boy, native Africans,
were committed as witnesses. The whole were
then transferred to the jail at New Haven.
Montez and Ruiz went at large.
8. A few Of the friends of freedom met in
the city of New York, and appointed S. S.
JOcelyn, Joshua Leavitt, and Lewis Tappan a
Committee to secure donations, employ coun-
sci, and act otherwise as circumstances might
require.
8. The committee Immediately announced
their appointment, appealed to the public for
funds, employed as counsel Seth 2. Staples,
Roger S. Baldwin, and Theodore Sedgwick,
Esquires, and, after repeated inquiries, found
an interpreter native AfriCan-who was
able to converse with some of the prisoners.
10, On request of the committee at New
York, Rev. Leonard Bacon, Rev II. G. Lud-
low, and Amos Townsend Jr., Of New Haven,
consented to act as a committee to take meas
ures for giving intellectual and religious in
structiOn to those benighted pagans.
IL
September, 1885, where Judge Thompson of
the District Court, charged the Grand Jury
that 'the court has no jurisdiction of the Of
tence-if it was an offence-committed on
board Spanish vessel on the high seas" He,
however, denied the motion for the discharge
Of the Africans, and left the matter in ltiga-
ton in the District Court, subject to appeal.
II. The District Judge directed an inquiry
to ascertain where the seizure was made, SC,
&c, and the prisoners were remanded to the
jail at New Haven. Afterwards the court
found, in substance, that these Africans, when
seized were in the condition of treemen; that
they were born free; that they had been kid
mapped in their native country, and forcibly
and unlawfully transported to Cuba that they
were wrongfully and fraudulently put on board
the schooner Amistad, by Ruiz and Montez
that after achieving their own deliverance, they
sought an asylum in the State of New York,
by the laws of which they were free; and that
while here they were illegally seized by Lieut..
Gedney, and brought into the district of Con
necticut. The court decreed that the Africans
should be delivered into the custody of the
Executive, to be sent back to Africa.
boif IF tho I1ni+od S+o+oS ontoroJ on onaaI
Hclaiminr in nnrsnanco of demand mada mn
on tl,o,99 Nv tb T,in;to, ~ thl o. e
Sroir, y Go VIZ TOo-- -
ID TN ooso ,,os oror,,od boe,ro +bo G.,
,,,o CT 80 +1o Ir,'i4i S+ota ~, H. u
BALDWIN and Hon Jobn 0nincv - 4dar1s
TIE conrt did not sustain the snnaof and +bn
Afr;oore wore tborof,ro Iof, in dbar3,o of tho
oorornit+oo Who sont tbon, 70 tboir i've lard
With missionarv
TX Mr. Adams in q s,oocb n,odo 20 tho
IIoIso ~ I2aI,roso,tati,ro MI, . 1SA7 "a
1,nbiisbod in he National TnteIigencer stated
That the SPANISH minister had never demand.
ca tle negroes as saves put as 1reemen, as
tney haa 3eeh declared 10 DC by tne supreme
court, ana tilat tiey shOuid De uenVered up as
asSasslhs tllau il tley Iau Deeh uenVered up
tney "ouiu nave oeetl executed aV havana, III
Whlcn case an cam OF hulz ana Mortez 10 them
must nave pceh Iorielted that theTe was not
even tle sliauow Vi preteNt lor Vhe spanish
demand OF indemnify tlat such a total per-
version OF tlie "hole suDJect, as made by the
spanish minister ana the secretary Oh state,
hau never peeh Witnessed that the demand, II
successful, would be perfect robbery commit
ted on the people OF the United States; that
nelther ueir slave dealers, nor the Spanish
government on their behalf, had any claims to
the money asked Tor whatever; and he prayed
GOD TO i0rpld that any CLAIMS should ever be
allowed by congress winch rested on such q