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New York Journal of Commerce, September 17, 1839, p.2
[Translated for the Express from the Noticioso de Ambos Musdos]
New York, Sept. 14th.
SPANISH SCHOONER AMISTAD.
We regret that we have to say that our friend Don Jose Ruiz has not yet been able
to write the narrative of his awful voyage, as his health is much impaired in consequence
of his long and cruel sufferings. We expect however to be able to publish the narrative
in our next number.
In the mean time we will give a brief answer to several writers of articles published
in the newspapers, and to some editors who have manifested opinions opposed to delivering
up or surrendering the slaves, opinions based either upon the mere suspicion that
the blacks were imported into the Island of Cuba in violation of the Spanish laws,
or upon the allegation that public opinion in this country being in favor of the
blacks, such surrender would be too much against the wishes of this nation .
Upon this first point we reply,--that the nation to which Spain has conceded the
greatest latitude on matters of slavery, is England, and that the Spanish government
has never acknowledged the right of English Courts to decide by themselves cases
of slave prize; but on the contrary commanders of English vessels, whenever they
seize a slave ship take it to Havana and delivered it up to the mixed committee,*
and it is this tribunal which declares the captured blacks free or otherwise. And
let it be borne in mid, that the capture of a vessel coming directly from Africa
with slaves presents a very simple case, and one which needs no further proof. If
then the English who have a right to capture such vessels, have no right to declare
the blacks free without the decision of the mixed committee, how can the government
of the United States or its Courts assume such right or authority in the present
case, when the owners of the blacks present documentary proofs of having furnished
them legally?
As to the point that public opinion in this country is opposed to the surrender of
the blacks, we say that besides this being a very doubtful matter, as the Southern
States think very differently from the Northern States on this subject, it is sufficient
to observe, that foreign nations have nothing to do with public opinion here, as
they have no concern with parties; nor do nations, nor did Spain make her treaties
with the Abolitionists or anti-Abolitionists but with the general government, whose
engagements are binding upon all the States, and frivolous pretexts cannot make void
and illusory international compacts and the law of nations.
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*Mixed Committee is a Committee composed of English and Spanish Commissioners, to
pass judgment in all matters concerning the slave trade.
