The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-15
RENtWED ACTIVITY AM ING TIE TRADERS.
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NV AGIIa lI3s IN POLITICAL CIRCLES
Where and HOW the Vessels are
taCtea QUO.
The New Issue Of the Black
Republicans.
The Expenses and the Profits Of
Successful Voyage.
How the rrallic is Regarded by the
United states Courts.
Number Of Vessels Captured and Condemned
by the UUit.d states District Coatt
Of New York as Siayers,

cosp o. sbe African slave rade-tne cspa for
cut o. nheh eiurnshsd usoly 10 those ports where
.cS republ principles are dominsnt II Is COW
set established fact a.t ueary Tnole Inc slave
nee s d,iea ion, Portland, Mes Be drd aad
oser sastsrn ports, usy be regarded as the very
suopgbolds o! ,pat party
TIE Kaosas question having fllf led Its oojsct,
ann heipg party Issue, tnsy
bave raised one based upon thst increase
ertsy shicb in the African slave trade, aod
~oih directly attributable 10 the policy OF the parry
sEaip.t y, such cutlery cnus. Of
source CT iumeuse pccuoisry profit TO themselves,
make political Capital Tor their party BY get, ny up
Niger ss,tA,on that is nos "assuming propor-
soas" winch the Sc ward leaders Tor the
tess of tie black republicans the approaching Pfesi
GENITAL csmps,su 10 this gay. in tue Kansas agd.
ton, hese wire workers not only fill their breeches
pockets. but iuuoduce . black policy
The reports which reach from time to
TINS in regard TO the landing OF slaves not only in Cao
bus in Foa and other Southern stses sudden
sno increased activity IN Ine slave trade aud corron'
what have stated. Developenen.s mad
during tue past year regard to the traffic
free black republic of Liosris also engaged tns
usfic, and wnsn the Freush tree slave plan proml
gs,ed the President Of the repuoc oagansd 20
share he purchase mooey for four huonred head
Of negroes He ools oid this bat he persuaded
tie French captain in ~hoss vessel they to
ed carry hs operations exclusively in the
territories which be One Pres,den) governed Now tns
that ,he cApturei sold by the natives
Ct Africa so vel known that has ceasst 70 astonso
peope; but that the led free and ghsened negroes
Of Liberia should engage 10 the business, is soma
tnrs thai nard expected. rnere
shcn may be ,nis ction, aud that is tia
whole droves Of actually been taken through
aourosa, the capital If the ioerau republic, and ate
| WI
permitted place, it aosurd TO talk about abo
inon ct the slave traoe The OF prevention
lac, utterly iUe thu: they only embcdep
those engaged ia traffic II 10 notorious taas to-
mixed British com mission which has been established IN
Cuos check upon the trade in that island, is wholly
yoweriess for the perform Of It's duties this pscu
lar and that 1t treated with rdicue aud contempt BY
the Spanish os,als, always ud mesus 10 eute its
vigilance plans. Then again despite Of
naval force which kept up by this country ADD England
for the suppression Of the rade thousands OF slaves
taken every year from he various slave depos along the
COAT Ano hos is a. home With ourseves9 We uave
laws which been proved again and again 10 be al
most wholly Imperative even In cases in whco
doubt could be entertained TO the guilt OF the par
ties accused Of being participants IN the Illegal traffic
fact ana mas veil be stated in all ito naxsdness,
that the Courts OF United States do not reg srd the
trade illegal occupation although it s declared to
piracy by lay. THIS may sartle those who i'm ,giae
and the Con- should be 10 s;cordsoce
With each Other, bu. 1t is fact which contro
verted. A brief eta iement is necessary here TO the
proper understanding OF the legal aspects Of the
subject When tue old thirteen coionle, wer,
struggling for independence the traffic regarded
legal by all nations. Up TO the year 1903
susiona TO prohibit the landing Of slaves out Law was
passed in 1894 for bidding Americans from engaging in
under penalty Of 1000 aud the forfeiture OF the vessel
passed the year 1900 sccordiog
provisions Of which penalty Of ST. 900 Inflicted any
who should be coovisted OF having voluntarily
| on board > vessel engaged IN the trade.
perusa Of tle the subject OF the slave trade
makes fat clear however, and that is that the
coast Africa citizens free carry the
business Of factor without fear of moiestaisu
The prohibition OF Congress affects only those who
engaged slave ships, aud is virtuAlg prohibition
at all By the lay of 1897 oEn-rs masters or fActore
found guilty Of hng any vessel within jarlsdic
Of the United States for ra,, suejec: to
increased penalties Iu 1878 the prohibition placed all
citizeDs with reference to this trade transferred TO
he vessel, and It enacted that vessel should
der penalty Of forfeiture Of the vessel ana cargo 10 de1
out by person persons for the purpose Of
ing negroes persons Of color from country
other 10 be sold So slaves Toe fact Of fitting up
vessel for The purpose conclusive aud the penalty
incurred thereby though the vessel should not have
Jeff the p1rt Any who fs q vessel for the
poraton Of negroes be ne owner master factor saith
the law, snail beable TO fine and Imprisonment 10 1912
The Ashburton treaty agreed 10 bstween Eogand
the United States ny which they bound lhemselves
keep feet Of vesssls, carrying eighty gaus the Af
Can coast for the suppression Of the slave trade rns
however had not the desired result owing either to
insignificant force employed in this duty or the expe
rienae and superior knowledge Of coast which the ira
thath HAL eau
afew s'ayers which, however, has no. Interrupted the
traffic for slaves shipped exported az
| and vigorously ss before.
That New York, Boston, New Bedford Bristol Portland
and other Eastern ports the chief places which savers
fitted on. s fact too well kno TO admit Of denial
and tnis may be traced to the ambiguity aud defective
character Of the law, which, while branding the slave
tfs6e az piracy leaves oopkoes large enough for
greatest oepder to through spd all but renders
wilton impossible. The Law merely says that no Ameri
can citizen shall t out ships American port for the
purpose OF engaging In the slave trade Bat the
la- does not prevent a citizen from building ship
and as,lng her out thoroughly for the Arcsn coAs.
aud the live cargo che TO receive there, nor
does tpupish the without whose co operation the
whole scheme would fall to the ground BE is looked
olon only rs az eeep for aposher the person for
wnom he acts haze legal title and q legal control OF
me vessel no prosecution be sustained against the
eiIzen VINO in tie eve OF the Law was Carrying on a.
Legitimate uEce protected by legal enactmepts Tor the
courts have decided that citizen has q right 10 se
HE goods aud and carry on his trade exceotng in
all cases where specially prohsiteI by Law and nv ,he
letter OF tbe stste that he be tried for 40 ineo
the spirit Of the statute or f,r
gossy io mors ao. and hat only be convicted Tor
contravenaon Of toe precise terms of t6e statute itself
THE CHANGES IN THE SLAVE TRADE AMI rio
STATISTICS.
The American slave trade which s slmos, coeva
with the discovery OF the continent, has been Cub
jet 70 great vicisstudes, and has been car
RED On by different nations With varying saccsss
The S9sniards spd Portuguese the first to embark
in 49, and for some time these nations enjoyed complete
monopoly OF this lucrative trsc. The Anle, and the
newly settled dsricts Of Brazil received the first cargo
Of negro landed in America Bat the cavaliers Of
Spain, who at this e engaged in founding colony
in Hocai America, unable 70 cope with the Eogsb
IN profitable commercial speculation, and the slave
TAe therefore paesed into the hands Of English taders
una rapidly Increased 10 importance Liverpool Ia Ia