The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-03
Il STRANGE STORY.
A "Reminiscences Of the Slave Trade-The
Wanderers Cargo.

} A peculiar case. concerning the restoration
of recaptured Africans to their native country Is
soon to be brought before the United States Gov
ernmens for action. A Washington special to the
! the New York Herald Gays:
| MANY persons will remember the excitement
| caused through the country In 1862 during the
| administration OF President Buchanan, by the
| capture Dl the SLAYER Wanderer, and the kldnap-
| ping OF the recaptives on board at Savannah, Ga.
by United States Vessel-of-War cruising or Cuba.
When boarded, the Africans were found 10 be In
such condition that It was necessary to run the
vessel into the first port that could be made.
cruiser put into Savannah. President Buchanan
| was anxious to have the vessel brought at once
| to some Northern port. Before this could be ef-
fected lawless gang boarded the SLAYER at night,
| brought out the negroes and run them or TO-.
wards the Gull, distributing them In the country
so that future efforts 70 recover them proved un.
aYailing. About two years since Rev. A. D. Phil
| lips, i. missionary OF the Southern Baptist Con-
| ventton, In Yoruba, Central Africa, having re-
turned, after twelve years, to revisit his friends
| and when addressing congregation Of colored
people Of Mobile about the people Of Africa In Or.
der to lusLr, tie the character OF their language
repeated the Loru's prayer In Yoruoa. A group
OF negroes In tile back part OF the house broke out
into shout OF delight, which was mistaken for re-
lgious enthusiasm by the preacher ill., az the close
OF his discourse, they came lnronging towards him
and addressed him In their African tongue They
told him they were part Of the company carried
on from the Wanderer, and described how they
were first seized In their own country, sold and
put on board the slave ships. They were traders
in Yoruba. In good circumstances, and with con
nectlons of high standing. Their party were on
trading tour to some towns west Of Abeckuta
when, at On exposed point on their road, party
OF slavehunt!ng DanomeJs rushed on Them from
an ambush, seized then and bore them on to a
town upon the coast near Porto Novo, where the
Wanderer was lying of the shore to receive
them. Since the war they have gathered into q
small community, retaining their language aud
keeping themselves separate from the other
blacks about them. They have become Chris
tians, are thrifty and enterprsing, and are very
eager to be sent back to their native country that
they may meet their families again and be useful
to their people. The question now arises whether
the former laws relating to the restoration Of re-
captured slaves applies to these native Africans.
The late Sec etary OF the Interior heslated as TO
the power given him under the laws Of Congress,
and the new Secretary. Mr.. Delano. will probably
appreciate the same difficulty. Hence Congress
may be called upon to decide this question, and
even wider questions, as to the demands OF many
enterprslng freedmen OF the South. who are eager
to return to their native land for the purpose OF
spreading American civilization among the blacks
In Africa.