New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-06-20

THE CASE OF Tu6 ORION.
What does our venerable Secretary OF State
intend 70 do II the case Of the SLAYER Or'on'
According n the doctrines which Mr Csss has so
z.sl.usly maintained on the subject OF na'ionA
dsu,y. and tue exclusive province OF every u'''on
10 look after the enforcement Of lie owe laws
e.cec,slly tros. scsinst the African slave-trad--
the case Of the Onon would seem to present. al
;,,riDeeuert Of our msrtime rights which Mr.
Cas-, canpct consistently allow to Pass without no.
tice.
The Orion seems TO have been unquestion.by
an American vessel ard, for augat that appears,
she vas regularly furnished With papers As suen'
She clrsr-d regularly from this port III JANUARY 'as'
without exciting any suspicion, and sailed Tor
,he R,yer Congo, the same po;nt where the famous
slave Yacht WaDdrrer obtained her cargo oi an
csrs Upon arriving off SHARKS Point. at the
month If the river. the Orion encountered the
Eugli.h steamer Triton, lying thrre on the wa'ch
for ssyers. Though Que Eugl'h cruiser had alread,
allow ed her "a pass on the strength of her auio'r
can papers, the captain ut the Triton stopped ner
and refused 10 allow Der IL proceed UP the congo
~ her MONT of destination. Ii Was IN vain that
Cant Harm. who commanded the Orion, protested
against this proceeding. relying upon the American
nationality of his vessel, and We dare say, qn"urg
with energy some Of Gen. Cass's right -o!-search
dispatches TO prove that this stopping or seiring
American vessels by British cruiser %. way OF EN-
forcing our American laws against toe sissetrade'
was a wholly unaccouutsbe aud grstuItous act.
All this eloouence and argument had no effect 90
the British commander lie took the course usual
IN such cases with British cruisers. and Of which
such bitter complaints have occasionally been seut
home by our naya officers IN tue coast OF Africa,
IA greedy interference on the part of the brtl-h
with our specinl American right Of capture. lie
advised the captain 10 tnul down his dag, throw
overheard bis papers and renoance his nalouaii'y'
thus yielding up the vessel aud cargo as the price
Of being allowed to go free, threatening otherwise
to deliver him over to the American steamer
Marion, sOuieWh er- near on the coast Ii would
seem ~ if the real destination and business of the
Orion had been known only to Captain Hama,
who on the strength Of that knowledge, and At the
liability TO which he might be subjected in case
he fell into the hands of al American cruiser,
was quite ready to agree to the British Cap
tain's proposal But the first mate and
the rect &C the not liking the idea of losiog
their wsgrs aud being turned adrilt on the African
beach would not consent, and the fret mate eit 10
boat to lay the case before the American Coa'ul
a, ST Paul De Loanda. On the way thither be
fell in with the United States steamer Mrrion.
whose commander proceeded 10 Sharks Point to
HI .farC h4en
present On board the Marion il is reasonable to con
cude from all be has said aud written on the sub
;.ct that HE attention would have been exclusively
ergrossed by the outrage committed on the Amerl-
cen flag, 10y the attempt of British vessel to In
tesere with the Drum. Commanded Brent OF the
Marion seemed to think, on the other hani, tnit
the question whether the Orion was or was not
engaged in violating the laws of the United
States v IS the first tnlug 10 BE- considered. He
sent two Of his ,ficefs ~ board 10 overhaul aud
examine her, who found her provided With all the
convenience, for &C ;OmmOdatDg a cargo Of SLAVES
extra water.casks. as nsny IS l26 in number, each
cslable of containing 1876 gsllons large qu nifty
of inferior rice, two ret. Of copper boilers for
Cooking, large quantity of medicines such as
sayers are commonly provided witt, plank enough
~ make an extra deck, boop-iron which might
easily have been converted into fetters; IN
fact, all the coDveniences for taking on board,
with az hours preparation, cargo OF a
tLOnssbd SLAVES. Upon the strength OF these
SUSPICION. circumstances Commander Brent seized
the Orion sud sent her home aud though the crew
baye been discharged on the ground of their ignor
8nce of the nature Of tie voyage, there can be
little doubt that the vessel will be condemned.
Captain Hauns, who died on the passage home,
made 10 secret that she was fitted out for the
slaye-uade He only insisted that his part Of the
enterprise consisted merely in taking toe vessel to
Punta de Lena, thirty miles up the Congo River,
when he vas to be paid off and provided with a
passage home.
We have some curiosity to see how this case will
be treated at Washington, and what opinion will
be expressed Of The conduct Of Commander Bent
in thus acceI ting British sd n tie enforcement Of
our laws, AID ~ thus receiving prize from the
bands Of British csptors. We think Commander
Brent Sid eIsctly ss he ought and that it is dolly
BY accepting aDy assistance that offers that there
is much chance Of enforcing our laws against the
slave trade. The question is Mat Mr. Secretary
Cas- thinks on the subject.