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New York Morning Herald, September 10, 1839, p. 2.
Important from Washington-The Captured Africans
We learned yesterday from Washington, that Secretary Forsyth has had an interview
with the Spanish minister, relative to the Africans captured in the Amistad, and
that a correspondence or interview has taken place of some kind, in which the Secretary
has indicated a willingness to give up these men to the requisition of the Spanish
government. This intention of the secretary, however, requires the sanction of the
President, who, at the last accounts, was at Rochester, and whose opinions on the
Subject are not yet known. It seems that Secretary Forsyth bases his intention on
some clause of a treaty with Spain. If this be so, the government have the absolute
disposition of these men, and the proceedings at New London or New Haven, if the
government chooses to act, are null and void.
A most extraordinary excitement is preparing on the question, and how it will end
no one can tell. In the mean time, as the public is desirous of reading every thing
connected with the subject, we give the following communication from our correspondent
at New Haven, which was omitted yesterday:--
(Private Correspondence of the Herald)
New Haven, Sept. 5, 1839
Mr. Bennet:-- I have just returned from visiting the captured slaves, now confined
in our county jail. They were brought here on Sunday last, after an examination before
the judge of the district court, A. T. Judson, at New London, and are committed for
trial before the circuit court, to be holden at Hartford, by Judge Thompson, on the
17th of the present month. I met in the prison Mr. Leavitt and Mr. Stanton, the two
great apostles of abolitionism. They arrived last night from New York, bringing two
Congo negroes as interpreters, through whom they expected to hold sweet converse
with the mutineers. But, alas! for the benevolent designs of these philanthropists,
not one word could the prisoners understand, or the interpreters either. The scene
bordered slightly on the ludicrous. The ward of the prison was crowded with spectators,
principally abolitionists. In one corner lay two savages, apparently enfeebled by
seasickness, and entirely indifferent to every thing going on. In another, eight
negroes were huddled together, like a parcel of beasts driven in by stress of weather,
regarding the spectators with sullen apathy.
“Chockereee, hoo, yoo, yah!” said the Congo interpreter. The Africans looked at the
interpreter in stupid amazement, but made no reply.
The interpreter then called the attention of Faquorna, a stout and malignant-looking
savage who assisted in killing the captain, and repeated the same mellifluous words,
as well as he could remember. Some inarticulate sounds were heard in reply. Two or
three more similar experiments were made, with the same result, and the Congo gave
it up in despair, and pronounced the slaves to be Mandingoes. Their patrons, the
abolitionists, as gravely assented, and immediately sent to Boston, as was understood,
for a Mandingo interpreter.
With three or four exceptions, the prisoners are as helpless and inoffensive looking
a set of beings as ever was seen. The leader, Joseph Cinguez, is a muscular, athletic,
and extremely active black. He throws a summerset with ease and agility; and from
his compact and sinewy form is obviously capable of great exertion and extraordinary
endurance. The romance with which some of your city penny-a-liners have invested
him, is all moonshine. Let the reader conceive to himself a sturdy, sullen, desperate,
oily-looking negro, with all the most repulsive features of the Mingolian race, and
then make a hero of him if he can. Cinguiz is confined with three other criminals,
apart from the rest of the blacks, and no communication whatever is permitted with
him.
Cononno, the pretend cannibal, whose eyes are represented to have such a “savage
and demoniac expression” is a helpless imbecile, if not an absolute idiot. He is
the most disgusting object that the eye ever beheld. His teeth are all double, and
they project from the hole in his face - which, by courtesy, is termed a mouth -
not at right angles, but at all angles, and in every direction. He
is to be likened to nothing that bears the human shape. A ribbed-nose baboon, suffering
with the small pox, were a better similitude. He is not an object of terror to the
other blacks, however; nor are their delicate sensibilities revolted by his most
shocking deformity. They regard him without emotions of any kind.
The three little girls, and the boy, are in a separate room. The girls are from 10
to 12 years old, and the boy is about 11. They are all active and sprightly, and
give indications of greater intelligence and sagacity than any of the other slaves,
with the exception of Cinguiz. They are perfectly contented and amuse themselves
and the visitors by their ludicrous attempts at pronouncing English words.--These
children, and Antonio, the cabin boy, are detained as witnesses merely.
There is nothing peculiar in any of the other blacks, and as no one but Antonio can
understand them, and he is not permitted to communicate with them, it is difficult
to obtain any authentic information respecting the life or previous habits of the
leader, or any of his associates.
Great diversity of opinion prevails here as to the proper course to be pursued towards
the poor devils. The abolitionists are anxious for their unconditional release; and
other humane persons, who know this to be impracticable, desire that they should
be sent to Africa, on the ground that the charge of murder or piracy cannot be substantiated
against them, --because, their seizure or purchase on the coast of Africa, and transportation
to Havana, was in contravention of the Spanish law;--their re-shipment for Principe
was also illegal, and therefore their revolt and the murder of the captain, as a
means of regaining their liberty, is justifiable.
Eminent legal men view the matter differently, and many apprehend that serious obstacles
will interpose to prevent its adjustment; but if I remember aright, the very definite
and precise terms in which the 9th article of our treaty with Spain is couched, will
obviate all difficulty. By that treaty, the obligation to give up the slaves is rendered
imperative.
