Africa and the American FlagFoote, Andrew H. (Andrew Hull)
History
Africa and the American Flag
Foote, Andrew H. (Andrew Hull)
Africa, West -- Description and travel; Liberia -- History -- 1847-1944; Slave trade -- Africa, West
“Inclosed are affidavits, with other papers and letters, in relation
to the seizure of the American brigantine Chatsworth. This has been an
exceedingly complicated case, as relating to a slaver with two sets
of papers, passing alternately under different nationalities, eluding
detection from papers being in form, and trading with an assorted cargo.
“The Chatsworth has been twice boarded and searched by the commander,
and on leaving for a short cruise off Ambrizette, a boat was dispatched
with orders to watch her movements during the absence of the Perry. On
returning from Ambrizette, additional evidence of her being a slaver
was procured. Since then the affidavits of the master of the Chatsworth
and the mate of the Louisa Beaton have been obtained, leading to
further developments, until the guilt of the vessel, as will be seen by
the accompanying papers, is placed beyond all question.”
The Italian supercargo, having landed most of the cargo, and his
business being in a state requiring his presence, was permitted to go
on shore, with the assurance that he would return when a signal was
made. He afterwards came within hail of the Chatsworth, and finding
that such strong proofs against the vessel were obtained, he declined
going on board, acknowledging to the master of the Louisa Beaton that
he had brought over Brazilian papers.
The crew of the Chatsworth being foreigners, and not wishing to be sent
to the United States, were landed at Ambriz, where it was reported that
the barracoons contained four thousand slaves, ready for shipment;
and where, it was said, the capture of the Chatsworth, as far as the
American flag was concerned, would give a severe and an unexpected blow
to the slave-trade.
After several unsuccessful attempts to induce the supercargo of the
Chatsworth to come off to that vessel, a note in French was received
from him, stating that he was “an Italian, and as such could not be
owner of the American brig Chatsworth, which had been seized, it was
true, but unjustly, and against the laws of all civilized nations. That
the owner of the said brig would know how to defend his property, and
in case the judgment should not prove favorable, the one who had been
the cause of it would always bear the remorse of having ruined his
countryman.”
After making the necessary preliminary arrangements, the master, with a
midshipman and ten men, was placed in charge of the Chatsworth; and on
the 14th of September, the following order was sent to the commanding
officer of the prize: “You will proceed to Baltimore, and there report
yourself to the commander of the naval station, and to the Secretary
of the Navy. You will be prepared, on your arrival, to deliver up the
vessel to the United States marshal, the papers to the judge of the
United States District Court, and be ready to act in the case of the
Chatsworth as your orders and circumstances may require.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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