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"American Complicity in Slave Trade," New York Journal of Commerce,
14 December, 1839, p.2.
To the Editors of the Journal of Commerce.
Gentlemen:--Having resided some time in Havana, from whence I have lately arrived,
and finding the Congress of the United States now in session, I would call their
attention to a most important duty, viz. the passage of a law to prevent the American
flag from being used in the slave trade.
And 1. I would recommend that this law be made to prohibit the selling or dispatching
for any part of the coast of Africa, any American vessel from any one of the West
India Islands; making it penal for any American Consul to authorize such dispatch
or papers. Vessels do not sail from the West Indies to Africa except it be for slaves,
or to carry cargoes of slave goods to the factories on the coast. Goods suitable
for lawful commerce are dearer at Havana than in the United States, and wages, provisions,
&c. are dearer. No one in the United States would think of carrying on lawful
traffic with Africa by way of Havana, and the law putting an end to the sale of American
vessels in the West Indies and their clearing out for the coasts of Africa would
do away with the American flag in that quarter. It would not hurt the commerce of
the United States at all, or if it did, humanity and our country's flag, now polluted,
would overbalance all the clamors from men who, making the proud boast of freemen,
are interested either in the slave trade, or in furnishing those floating hells in
which poor Afric's sons are brought away.
2. A law must be passed authorizing English cruisers to make prizes of and send to
the United States, where they shall be condemned and sold, all American vessels found
on the coasts of Africa within sight of land, if dispatched from any one of the West
India Islands; for if this law goes into force, American vessels will sail from Havana
without the consul's dispatch,--the government giving full scope to every connivance
for the benefit of the traffic. The sharp schooners and brigs that sail from the
United States are all sold in Havana, and the owner in the United States gets his
money for them; a charter is made out, and the papers of the vessel, flag, and name
on the stern, and American captain and crew, with a Spanish crew as passengers, go
in her. On the coast of Africa, she is sold to a Spanish or Portuguese captain or
house; then the American captain and crew become passengers, until she can land them,
but more frequently came back in the same vessel as passengers. This transfer on
the coast of Africa ought to be made illegal, and ever other transfer in any foreign
country, of American vessels, unless authorized by the signature of the consul or
Consular agent in the port where sold.
Full power should be given to all English men-of-war to overhaul all vessels under
our flag found on the coast of Africa, and ascertain the port last sailed from; a
strict search should be allowed for papers, the log book overhauled, a manifest of
the cargo shown, and if proofs are to be had of their having been dispatched from
the West India Islands, they are to be lawful prizes.
All collectors in the United States ought to be authorized, if they have any suspicion
of any vessel from the West Indies, touching at any port in the U. States for a clearance
for the coast of Africa, to order said vessel to be unloaded and her cargo examined
at the expense of said vessel; for if the law for not clearing from Havana goes into
force, vessels will leave there, and pretending to be in distress, carry full slave
tacklings, get a dispatch from the U. S., and then they are safe. I do not think
any one would be so daring as to load a vessel with slave goods and irons n the U.
S. Vessels of this kind must have a large quantity of water stowed in large leaguers;
they must have a slave deck formed; a caboose of tremendous size; carry a large quantity
of Rice to a Rice country; carry irons for the feet and hands of the slaves, and
many other things, which, if found on board, or going on board, would hinder the
voyage in a country like this.
All American Consuls or consular agents in the W. Indies, giving their seal and signature
to the clearance of any American vessel, bound to the coast of Africa, to be fined
$10,000, and be incapacitated from any office under the U. S. for ever after. All
Captains found on board of American vessels cleared from any of the W. India Islands
(even if not by Consuls) shall, if the ship's papers declare them American citizens,
pay a fine of $10,000, or be imprisoned for five years to hard labor in one of the
State prisons. 'Tis true, a law of this kind would, you might say, be a dernier [sic]
resort, but until such a law is made the American flag and papers will be abetting
and aiding in a most nefarious traffic. Until a law is made to this effect, our Consuls
and consular agents cannot lawfully desist from clearing out vessels which daily
sail from the Havana in pursuit of slaves. Could the government of the United States
be awakened to a sense of their duty, they would soon cause this disrespect to cease,--a
thing much to be desired.
