Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-05-24
The RecaPturcd Africans--Message
FIR m the President.

The following message from the President
of the United States was transmitted To the
Senate on Saturday, 10Th inst:
10 the Senate and House Of Representatives.:
On the 10Th If April last, Lieutenant Ora
ven. of the United States steamer Mohawk,
captured the SLAYER Wldtire, on the coast o.
Cuba with five hundred and seven African
negroes on board. The prize was brought
into Kew West on the 3lst April, aud The
negroes were delivered into the custody OF
Fernando j. Moreno, Marshal of the South
ern District of Florida.
The question which now demands immedi-
ate decision il, what disposition shall be
made of these Africans? In the annual mes
sage to Congress OF December 6. 1858, | ex-
pressed my opinion in regard to the cOnstrbc-
ton of tue act of the 81 March, 1919, ''in adj
dition to the acts prohibiting the slate trade"
so far as the same is applicable to the pres
ent case. From this l make the following
extract:
.'Under the I'd section of this act the
President Is authorized 10 make such Tcguia
tions and arrangements a. he may deem eX-
pedient for the safe keeping. support. and re-
moval beyond the limits Of the United States
of all such negroes, mulattoes. or persons of
color, captured by vessels of the United
State, as may be delivered To- the marshal of
the district into which they are brought, ana
to appoint person OF persons residing upon
the coast of Africa Us agent or agents for re-
ceiving the negroes, mulattoes, or persons OF
color delivered from on board vessels seized
in the prosecution of the slave trade by COM
manders Of the United States armed vessels.
"A doubt Immediately arose as TO the con-
struction of this act. 1t is quite clear from
its terms that the President was authorized
TO provide Tor the snfe-keeping. support, and
removal of these negroes up till the time OF
their delivery To the agent on the coast of
Africa; but no express provision was made
for their protection and support after they
had reached the place of their destination.
Still, an agent was 10 be appointed To re-
ceive them in Africa; and it could not have
been supposed that Congress intended he
should desert them al the moment they were
received, and turn them loose on THAI inhOs-
pitable coast to perish for want OF food. or
TO become again the victims of the slave
trade. Had this been the intention OF Con-
grvss. the emplo yment OF an agent TO receive
them, who Is required to reside on the coast.
was unnecessary; and they might have been
landed by Our vessels anywhere in Africa.
aud lett exposed 10 the sun rings and the
fate which would certainly await them.
Mr.. Monroe, in his special message OF l7th
December. Sls, at the first session after the
act WAS passed. announced To Congress what,
in his opinion, was It's true construction. He
belived il 10 be his duty under il To follow
these unfOrtuuates into Africa, and make
provision for them there until they should
be able TO provide for themselves. In com
manicafing this Interpretation OF the act To
Congress, he stated that some doubt had been
entertained a. 10 its true intent and meaning;
aud be submitted the question 10 them, 80
that they might, should IL be deemed adj
visable. amend the same before further pro-
ceedings are had under it, Nothing was
done by Congress To explain the act, and
Mr Monroe proceeded 10 carry IL into execu-
ton, according to his own Interpretation
This, then, became the practical cOnsuuc-
IiOn"
Adopting this construction of President
Monroe. 4 entered iuto an agreement with the
Colonization Society, dated 9Th September
1858, To receive the Africans which had been
captured on the shaver Echo from the agent
NJ the United States IN Liberia: TO furnish
them during the period of one year thereafter
with comfortable shelter. clothing. aud pro-
visions, and 10 cause them ~ be instructed
in the arts Of civilized life suitable tn their
condition, n. the rate Of $3.50 for each indi-
yidual. IL was believed that within that
period they would be prepared 10 become
citizens OF Liberia aud 10 take care of them
selves. AZ Congress az not thea In session,
and there was DO outstanding apprcpriS
Iicu applies Bile 10 this purpo-c. the Society
were oAliktu 10 urtfetiu TOT payment on thc
future aouOn of that body. | recommended
this appropriation, aud ,eyepty-hve thousand
doll RS were granted by the act Of 81 March,
1889. lthe consular aud diplomatic bill,l Ito
enable tlie Presidvnt Of tie UGiied States 10
carry into effect TIE act OF Coagrrss OF 81
March. 1919. aud any Subsequent acts now
In force Ior the suppression OF The slave
trade"
%. this appropriation there remains une1-
pended the sun OF tNvnGy -iOur Thousand three
hundred aud hny dolisrs aud ninety cents.
fs24, $50 90.l after dodaciing from Il al adj
vance made by the Secretary OF the Interior
ouI Of the Judiciary fund of eleyea thousand
three hundred aud iorsy-sigh1 dollars aud Zen
cents, (sll .34s.lo.l
l regret Ia ssss that, under the mode adept
ed Ia regard to the Africans captured on
board the Echo. tbs expense viii be large;
tut this seems, Ia gTsst extent, to be ineF-
table. without violation ot the laws Of hu-
mainly Interpretations apan this scale fOF
those captured on board the Wsldare will not
lse les taaa enc hundred thousand siallaTr,
aad may considerably exceed that sam. Slill
it ou gut 10 be observed that, dariag The te-
Tlod When the Goseramrus itself through iss
own agent, undertook tie tAsk % providing
for captured negroes la Africa, the cost pei
head sas mach greater than that which i
agreed 10 par tks Coloalzsllcn Society.