New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-05-30
ru~ LAT or THE ECHO TRIALS.

We have accounts from hey "est u the tria' W
C,p, Towt .+nd If the SLAYER Echo, which, as the
gallant captain had fully anticipated from the mo
ment il vas decided to transfer his case thther re-
,ul,ed in his scqut,al The fact that the Echo vas
on a slaye VOYAGE was, Of course, fully e0cueh
established; slso. that Townsend was on board
acting a. master 1t was further proved that the
Echo was an American ship, and that Townsend
WAS an American citizen But according to his
Honor Judge Martin. before whom the trial was
bad-no Circuit Judge being present-it Was nee
essary to prove still further, that the vessel vas
Owned or fitted out by an American citizen. 10
prove rhis fact the prosecution produced from the
records Of the New-Orleans Custom House
ITO which district the vessel belonged, and
whence she sailed or her voyage to Africa
certified copy Of her register. 10 which
Townsend Was represented to be the Own
or. But tie learned Judge anxious, sPpar-
emily like all the United States District Judges OF
whom We have ever heard to put such construc-
ton on the acts for suppresslng the slaFetrade as
will efeciuay prevent any convictions underttem'
held fret, that b.ug copy, this document couid
lot be admitted in evidences and, secondly,
tfat if il were admitted it did not prove
Towpsend to be the owner. This refusal to
receive the certified copy Of the register in
evidence. was very extraordinary. The came
principle would have required the Judge to reject
the register which vessel carries on board, since
that is ony SINH r copy from the records Of the
Custom House, certified in tie same way by the
Collector. Such absurd ruling as this defeats tie
yery object for which registration is established
Not less extraordinary was the doctrine said 10
have been laid do@n by the Judge, thst though
a register did prove the nationality ct vessel, II
did not prove the ownership BY citizen or citizens
of the United States II is not less the object of
the registration-cf vessels to establish the national
iiy than it is to establish tie Ownership. Indeed,
the former is absolutely dependent On the latter
A vessel cannot be American unless she belcogs to
American owners, and on every change Of owner
ship new register is required; nor without such
new register can any title pass. Not only is Capt.
Townsend the registered owner Of the vessel, but
be is found in possession Of her; and yet says the
LEANED Judge Marvin, there is no proof that he
owned her. Had it been question of the owner
ship Of an alleged runaway slave what District
Judge would not have been content with evidence
not a tenth part as strong!
The District Attorney then offered in e7idence
tie original bill Of sale of the Echo, from former
owner to Tow send, hut this was rejected, because
the hand writing Of the party who executed it was
not proved Had that been proved no doubt, the
learned Judge woud have set up that there was n"
proof that the party executing the bill Of sale had
ever owned the vessel.
However well the existing laws against the
save-trade might have answered for the sim
plicity Of the times when they were enacted
they are no match for the ingenuity Of our modern
slave-traders or the chicanery Of modern
Judges. Here is the point upon which the pro-
fession Of the Administration and OF Southern
members Of Congress of hostility to tie revival OF
the African slaye-rade can BE- and must be brought
tothe test If they are, as they 20 solemn! de-
clare opposed to the revival OF that trahc, they
cannot object to such an amendment OF the laws as
will prevent the setting up Of the mere bubbles
UPON which undoubted slave-traders are constantly
escaping conviction If they refuse to do that, as
in sIl probability they will, let this be made the
turning point Of the next Presidential cleo
ton. 1t is a question which deeply involves both
the honor and the political future of the country
If the defects Of the existing laws, and the absolute
necessity of amending them, i'll order to give them
with our existing batch of judges the slightest
chance Of being carried into effect brought dis
.nctl, before Congress and the couttry there will
be no longer any possibility Of playing fast and loose
on this question. AT present, We can hardly be
said to have any laws against the A rican slave
trade. So far as the conviction Of offenders goes,
they have been nulllfed not by any decisions of
the Supreme Court, but by the adjudicatons OF
few paltry District Judges, That being the case,
the question arises now, shall the African slave
trade be prosecuted with impuuity by American
ships and American shipmastersl OF the zeal with
which, under the encouragements thus held out,
this detestsble traffic is entered into, we are con-
stsutly finding new proofs in our Southern eN-
changes. The Richmond (Texas) Reporter OF the
Iiih inst contains the following advertisement:
- FOR SALE-four hundred likely AFRICAN
NEGROES, lately anded upon the coast Of Texas said
>u.groes Will BE- sold upon tho REASONABLE, tern.
oseiLtd dona' the res aide IL oas and t~b 1t
X. c. iIous,ou. or l.. r. g., Galveston.
In Tn, Jicksturg True Southron of the 18Th,
We find an account of an African Labor Supply
Association cf which the Hon. j. B. ID. De Bow IL
President. Ii is but too plain that if things be
suffered to 60 on in the course they are nov fahog
into il will not BE- long before the save-trade will
be carried on with as much open contempt Of the
laws against it, and with as much impunity as our
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