Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-01-06
The Slave Trade Re-0pened

1t is no wonder that foreigners cannot COM
preh,en'sssHzz government and our people--t is "a
hard task 10 ourselves, SO contradictory are
the facts and the professions, the events
IN one part OF the country and the events
in another, at one and the same period. While
President Buchanan is announcing that 6 Cuba
is the only spot where the African slave trade is
tolerated, and is grieying thcreat, out of his
extreme regard for 4" benighted Aric,. land
while MIR. Toucy, Secretary Of the Navy, is
pleased to report that all rumors of attempts to
land cargoes of slaves upon our Southern coast
has proved unfounded--at this very time we
have apparently reliable intelligence that eighty
slaves, direct from Congo, have been disem-
barked I" inSood condition ut some point be-
tween Florida and Georgia, where they readily
brought 500 each, making an aggregate Of
$56, 000" The government organ copies from
a Charleston paper, a statement that the yacht
Wanderer had arrived, having previously
landed further South, after dashing froic on
the broad Atlantic, and doing, no doubt, some
naughty things, She will, however, receive
cheerful and torgiUing welcome." Not word
of comment does the Union make upon this an
nouncement, although it knew we'll enough
what " the naughty things and " the cheerful
and forgivmg welcome meant. Within sight
OF the Capitola merry party assemble at one
of the hotels and become indeed - cheerful
over the Wanderers feat, and drink success to
all such future enterprises. More than this, the
Washington correspondent of an Adminstra-
tioh Journal writes that " the Wanderers case
was deliberately made as an experiment to test
the constltutionality of the United States laws
against the slave trade. Mr.. Lamar of Geor-
gia gaze notice to Secretary Cobb that the case
,oould be made"
We submit whether these several statements,
when put together, are not enough to puzzle
and startle all plain-minded citizens. What the
precise facts are, and what will be their consa-
quences, is for time to solve. But yet there is
little room to doubt that the Wanderer has ac.
tually imported and disposed OF II cargo of AZ
rlcan negroes, who are to become slaves on our
Southern plantationsr In June last this vessel
was seized under suspicious circumstances But
on the earnest protest of her owner and com
mander, Capt. Corrie, aplanter Of South Caro-
lima, she was released The next we heard d
her was through the letter of naval off
cef on boafT ne T. S. ship Vincennes. of tn,
coast Of Africa, which stated that the yach
Wanderer and the brig Helen are both up thu
Cango after slaves, so reported. y The write
added :" Keen eyes are upon them. and the,
VIII have to be smart to get off. y But get Of
the Wandcrcr did, for our next tidings from he
reported her at Brunswick, little port of entr
in Georgia.
AS to the statement, SO automatically made
regarding the pioneer nature of the enterpris
towards the re-opening of the slave trade, an
the notification thereof to Secretary Cobb, it
too remarkable to be passed over, although it
truth remains to b sited. Various events hay
lately transpred which lend it strong coniirma
ton. But we prefer to wait and see what step
are taken by our authorization some woul
seem to DO unavoidable before commenting up
on the great issues which appear to be wrapt u
n this singular eyent.--Bosfon Journal