New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-05-09
CAPT. MEIGS AND THE SHAREHOLDERS OF
KEY WEST

WAsHIS0roS, Wednesday, May 8, 1861.
II will be seen from the following me memorandum that
the President acquits Capt. Megs Of the complaints
which followed him from Key West, on his return from
reinforcing the forts Of the Gulf
MEMORANDUM.
DEPARTMENT STATE, WAsHIsaToS May 1861.
The Secretary of State has carefully read the letters
of the Hon. William Marvin, Capt. Hunt and Lieut..
Morton, sent or submitted TO him, by BrigG Tot
ten and has further required of Capt Megs an account
of the transaction referred to in these papers.
II appears from the information thus obtained that
certain shareholders ut Key West, in the State OF
Florida long time ago hired TO the public agents Of
the Government number Of slaves at very remuner-
alive prices TO be employed laborers In the orlt
cations of the Unsd States for term of years yet
unexpred. or these certain number not, II is be-
leved exceeding twenty, were employed IN the fort
fcations ut Iortugas when Col Brown arrived there
and having need of their help in reGr forcing and sup
plying Fort Pickens, he took them TO Pensacola and
employed them there in landing stores from the At
lanic and the Illinois at Fort Pickens
1t is not complained the papers before that the
masters are not paid for the labor OF the slaves, and
on the contrary, Capt. Megs distinctly understands
that the Quartermaster IL to pay the WAGES TO the
masters Of the saves at Key West IA heretofore. II
il not pretended that the Quarermaster mas violated
or intends violate the contract Of hire in any
II must be entirely immaersl 10 the master whether
the slaves work at the Torugas whether they work
nj Fort Pckens both the places are situated IN the
State Of Florida; they are alike safe under the Gov
eminent IN both cases, ana bnouid the conlfact De
broken by the public agents. the President will take
care TO see that due redres. il afforded. am not able
to understand what tereis wrong eensurabe in this
matter.
Some Of the letters say that the masters Of the slaves
hired them as laborers ut Fort Jefferson, and would
not have consented, if asked, to their being sent or
carried to Fort Pckens This special point not sus-
tanned by any proof On the other hand the contract
was made years ago, and for years yet to come aud
though il s assumed they were hired TO labor at Key
West, they were nevertheless actually found labor.
ing at the Tortugas without any objection on the part
| of the masters
IL ia not at ell probable that the Government when
hiring to work at lts Notifications In part OF
the State stipulated that they should not be employ ed
| In another within tho same State.
II 10 said In another letter that the transacion IL
is likely TO be represented throughout the Southern
States negro stealng as u disregard BY the Gov
ernment officers Of the igbts OF mastersi ar me com
meneement OF course OF interference with slavery,
leading to lis aboton; as the employment OF slaves
by the General Government In acts OF hostility against
the ma.sefs As forcing negro caves to make war On
the Whites &c., and II they shond be placed under tht
fire f guns without their consent, or the consent Of
their masters, it might be represented as inhumar.
These are very strained concerts. The papers snow
that tho eolored went from the one Post TO the
other voluntarily AID cheerfaly They can In no cas-
be exposed to fire. except from the citizens Of the Sat
Of Florida, u sn set Of direct and unlawfui WA