The Feliciana Democrat., 1859-04-30
Tbe felitiana ltmotrat.
THE ECHO PRISONERS.


number Of twenty.three were sworn in.
His Honor Judge Wayne charged, them at
length, and more especially upon the act Of
May, 1920 making twelve o'clock The wit.
nesses in the Echo cases were called, and after
some time spent in dclberation, two bills of
indictment were found, one against the sixteen
prisoners now in Jail, and the other against the
one sent to Africa on board of the Niagara
This finding of the Grand Jury will raise the
question of availability IN the law in n case rs
marked and decided as could well occur; and
that onr readers may have clear concep-
tion of the matter, we will give brief state
ment of the facts Of the case and the proceed.
ings.
The facts and circumstances of the arrest
will be more fully seen from brief abstract of
the testimony Of Lieut. Chas. G. Carpenter,
which was taken before the Commissioner of
the United States, upon the question Of COM
mtmcnt Hesays that he is the Third Lieu
tenant Of the United States brig Dolphin. Capt
Maf1it, which vessel on the morning ofthe 2lst
Of August 1858, stood out from the port Of
Sagua In Grande, and down along the coast
towards Cardenas; that upon coming out of
the port, they saw another vessel steering in
nealy the same course until near three o'cl ok,
when the Dolphin. keeping away to run into
port, the other vessel stood off from the coast
The fact was reported to the Captain who d.
rected chase, and when within a mlcnnd.n-
half of her he ordered English colors to hc
hoisted and blank carriages to he fred that
she might show her colors Not doing So
shots were fired across her bow, when she hoist
cd American colors. The dolphin then hauled
down her English colors and hostcd American
and firing at the main-top-sal the fugitive yes
sci hove to- An armed boats crew, Lienten
ant Bradford in command. went on board
The hold was found to he full Of negroes; they
took possession: sent all but three of the per-
sons found on hoard the Dolphin; received
thence prize crew and sailing in the compa-
ny with the Dolphin for a time, in the dircc-
ton of Key West, they were ultimately order
cd on to Charleston. and delivered the negroes
to the Marshal Of ,hc District. On board the
vessel when captured, which had the name Of
Echo mon the stern, there were no papers nor
log hook to indicate her character. The men
found on board and who had been sent to the
Dolphin, were subsequently brought back; and
being released from confinement and sent for
ward to work. they worked chcerfully and well
for the balance of the voyage
1t was mentioned few days since, that the
prisoners were taken for trial TO Columbia, at
which place occurred the first session of the
District Court after arrest. Then there was
q decided feeling in opposition to the law;
and the Grand Jury. to whom bills were sub
mitted fail to find them A motion was then
made for their discharge, which was pressed
with great zeal, the argument upon which was
published the in Mercury abont month ago
The motion was successful, however, and the
prisoners were ordered back to Charleston for
trial at the present term The United States
will be represented by James Conner, ESQ
District Attorney. and the prisoners by L. w
Spratt and r. De Trcvillp, esq. Of Charleston
and Mnxcy Gregg, Esq of Columbia
Chnrlaon Mercnry
We have copied from the Charleston Mer
curry the foregoing minute details of judicial
proceeding in that city, because they relate IL
subject which is deseryedly attracting a large
share of public attention
A despatch received since The article was
put in type announces that the persons who
were indicted, as above for violating the laws
of the United States forbidding the slave trade
have been acquitted
In the language of Judge Campbell, "tht
act of Congress Of May 1920, denonnces as
pirates those citizens Of the United States, o
ships company of a vessel engaged in the
slave trade, who shnll land from such n vesse
and forcbly seize, or decoy or bring, or carry
away from any foreign shore, or any who for
chilly detains or confines on such vessel any
negro or mulatto who is not slave under the
laws of any Of tho States; or who attempts tc
sell at sea as a slave such person; or lands
him from the sea, or transfers him 10 another
vessel to be landed and disposed of as n slave
But, says the judge. the laws Of the Untet
States do not stop at providing pnnishmen
against the immediate agents and instruments
of the trade. (We have chosen to omit tht
coarse abuse and vulgar expletives of the learn
ed functionary) "No citizen of the UnteG
States, as owner, master, factor, can build
equip. fit, load, or otherwise prepare any shiT
or vessel, or engage one to sail from the Uni
ted States for the purpose of engaging in th
trade; nor can any citizen of the U. State
take on board, receive, or transport from an,
of the coasts Of Africa, or other foreign plac,
or country, any negro, mulatto, or person o
color not an inhabitant nor held to labor un
der the laws of any of the States, for the pur
pose of holding selling, or disposing of such