Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-12-06
A "Reminiscences of the Wanderers
Cargo.


We copy as follows from the special
Washington correspondent of the New
York Herald:
A peculiar case, concerning the resto-
ration of recaptured Africans to their
native country, is soon to be brought
before the United States Government
for action. Many persons will remember
the excitement caused through the coun-
try in 1859, during the administration of
President Buchanan, by the capture Of
the SLAYER Wanderer and the kidnapping
of the recaptives on board at Savannah,
Georgia. The Wanderer had been over
hauled and captured by "a United States
vessel of war cruising off Cuba. When
boarded, the Africans were found to be
in such a condition that it was necessary
to run the vessel into the first port that
could be made. Though fearful Of the
result, the commander of the cruiser put
into Savannah. President Buchanan was
anxious to have the vessel brought at
once to some Northern port Before this
could be effected a lawless gang boarded
the SLAYER at night, brought out the ne
groes and run them off toward the Gulf
distributing them in the country
so that future efforts to recover them
proved unavailing. About two years
since Rev. A. ID. Phillips, missionary
Of the Southern Baptist Convention, in
Yoruba, Central Africa, having returned,
after twelve years, to revisit his friends,
and when addressing a congregation of
colored people at Mobile about the peo-
pie of Africa, in order to illustrate the
character of their language, repeated the
Lords prayer in Yoruba. A group Of
negroes in the back part Of the house
broke out into shout of delight, which
was mistaken for religiousenthusiasm by
the preacher, till, at the close of his dis
course, they thronged toward him and
addressed him in their African tongue.
They told him they were part of the com
pany carried off from the Wanderer, and
described how they we're first seized in
their own country, sold and put on board
the slave ships. They were traders in
Yoruba, in good circumstances, and with
connections of high standing. Their
party were on a trading tour to some
towns west of Abeclouta, when, at an ex-
posed point on their road, party
of slave-hunting Dahomeys rushed
on them from an ambush, seized them
and bore them off to town upon the
coast near Porto Novo, where the Wan
derer was lying off the shore to receive
them. Since the war they have gathered
into small community, retaining their
language and keeping themselves sepa-
rate from the other blacks about them.
They have become Christians, are thrifty
and enterprising 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 re-
lating to the restoration of recRptured
slaves applies to these native Africans.
The late Secretary of the Interior hesi-
tated as to the power given him under
the laws Of Congress, and the new Secre-
tary, Mr.. Delano, will probably appre-
ciate the same difficulty, Hence Con
gress may be called upon to decide this
question, and even wider questions, as
to the demands of many enterpFising
freedmen of the South, who are eager to
return to their native land for the pur-
pose of spreading American civilization
among the blacks in Africa.