Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-12-01
The Hanging Of Gordon, the Slave
Trader.
BY EDWARD EVERETT HALE.

New York was the great center
where the slave traders of the world
brought their vessels. Havana was
the great center where they laid theil
plans. Boston, New Bedford, New
London, Cadiz, Barcelona the West
ern Islands, and l know not where
else, were the minor places in the OPP
Grafton. The voyages We're arranged
at Havana, the ships were partly fit
ted in New York, thence they slipped
to sea, picked up the rest of theil
equipment and the right papers else.
where if New York would not answer
and brought up on the western coast
l have seen the record which Mr.. Arch.
ibald, the English consul and commits.
sioner in New York, kept of one hun.
dred and seventy-one of these vessels
in three years time. His secret
agents boarded them in New York
harbor, and described them for him in
detail, even down to the brand of CT.
gars which the captain had in his cab.
in. Mr.. Archibald sent the descrip
ton to the Admiralty and they to the
coast. "Let me 60 below" said an
English officer, on board of SLAYER
in one of the African rivers. "You
go at your peril" said the captain
brave in the perfectly regula- r~r-~s
he had, in the stars and stripes over
his head, in the new coat OF paint he
had taken at the Western islands, and
in fact, perhaps, that though he sailed
a bark, he was now brig. "You 60
below at your peril a will take
che risk said the Englishman went
below and found all the slave fittings
casks, cooking stove, hand cuffs, and
the rest, and of course seized the yes
sci. The out-witted captain, white
with rage, swore between his clench
ed teeth, "You would not have known
me but for your bloody English con
sui in New York" Almost every mar
of the projectors was known to th'
English government through thii
steady secret service. But they al
ran riot till Mr. Lincoln came in, anC
then one fine day one Gordon was al
rested for slave trading, another da,
he was tried, and another he wa
hanged
Yes, my friend, he was hanged.
know about what is called the sacred
ness of human life. For my part,
believe a mans life is as sacred as hi
liberty, and no more so. And | be
lieve that when his country require
either his life or his liberty, she ma
use it, If she takes the responsibility
Whatever Gordon's life may hav
been worth to him or his friends,
think this country put it to a very goo
use when she hanged him. In thi
case, | am very glad my country too
this responsibility. A storm of pro
test was made against his DEATH
Twenty-Five thousand people petition
ed Abraham Lincoln TO spare tha
mans life, aud Abraham Lincoln +
fused. Gordon was hanged. And a
through the little ports and big por
of the United States it was known Thu
slave trader had been hanged. An
when that was known, the America
! slave trade ended. Ali up and dow
little African rivers that you uev'
heard the names of, it was known thi
an American slave trader had Det
;, hanged; and cowardly pirates trei
: bled, and brave seamen cheered, whe
: they heard it. Mothers of childre
= thanked such gods as they knew no
= to thank; and slaves shut up III Da
; racoons, waiting for the voyage, g
. signal that something had happent
which was to give them freedom. Tn
something was that Gordon was han
/ ed. So far that little candle thre
= its beams.
- | am told, and believe, that VIII
Il that poor wretch was under senten
n of death, his friends kept him IN
p quor to the moment of his death
a anxious were they lest he should co
% plicate some of them by confesSiC
!. And when he was dead shey celebr'
a ed his death in the last great orgy
:. the slave trade--in one drunken fea
4 they held together--so rejoirced VT
y, they that they had escaped his ties
- mony. Such is the honor amo
e thieves I-AtLantic Monthly for De