woman, and child in it, were sunk under the sea, than surrender one slave that had sought protection under the flag of England."

The Agent, (Thomas Spalding) nothing daunted, now assumed the diplomatist, and addressed a long argumentative despatch to Admiral Griffith, commanding on the Bermuda Station, demanding the fugitives, and promising to furnish him with a particular list of the slaves claimed, which he expected to receive in a few days from the United States. The Admiral very cavalierly assured Mr. Spalding that it was quite unnecessary for him to wait at Bermuda for the expected document, since there was, neither at Bermuda nor any other British island or settlement, any authority "competent to deliver up persons who during the late wars, had placed themselves under the protection of the British flag."*

From British Governors and Admirals, our Government now turned to the British Cabinet, and found that there also it was held a point of honour to keep faith, even with runaway slaves. Lord Castlereagh declared that the Government never would have assented to a treaty requiring the surrender of persons who had taken refuge * State papers-14th Cong. 2d Sess. - Senate documents, No. 82.

under the British Standard. Again was the demand made, and again was it unequivocably rejected. But the administration refused to yield, and insisted on a reference of the question to the decision of a friendly power, and named the Emperor of Russia as umpire. After tedious negociation, this point was carried; and in 1818, a convention was concluded at London, submitting the true construction of the treaty to the Emperor, who decided in favour of the slaveholders. It now became necessary to determine how the number of the slaves, and their value, should be ascertained. Another negotiation ensued, which resulted in a second convention, by which it was agreed that each party should appoint a certain number of Commissioners, who should form a Board to sit at Washington, to receive and liquidate the claims of the masters. But difficulties soon arose. The American Commissioners insisted on interest, which the others refused to allow. Negotiations again commenced, till at last the British Cabinet, wearied with the pertinacity of the American Government, and sick of the controversy, entered into a third convention, (13th Nov. 1836) by which the enormous sum of ONE

MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND DOL

LARS was paid and received in full of all demands.

Thus after a persevering negotiation, conducted for twelve years, at Washington, in the Chesapeake Bay, at Bermuda, at London, and at Petersburgh, did our Government succeed in obtaining most ample compensation for the fugitives. Commissioners were then appointed to distribute this sum; and after fixing an average value on each slave proved to have been carried away, it was found that a surplus still remained; and this surplus was divided among the masters!

Having now seen the success that attended the pursuit of fugitive slaves, let us next witness the

EFFORTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RECO

VER SHIPWRECKED SLAVES.

Considering the extent of the American slavetrade, it is not surprising that our SLAVES are occasionally driven out of their course; and are sometimes wrecked upon the dangerous reefs abounding in the neighbouring Archipelago.

On the 3d Jan. 1831, the Brig Comet, a regular slaver from the District of Columbia, on her usual voyage from Alexandria to New-Orleans, with a cargo of 164 slaves, was lost off the Island of Abaco. The slaves were saved, and carried into New-Providence, where they were set at liberty

by the authorities of the Island. A portion of the cargo, (146 head) was insured at New-Orleans for $71,330.

On the 4th Feb. 1833, the Brig Encomium, from Charleston to New-Orleans with 45 slaves, was also wrecked near Abaco, and the slaves carried into New-Providence, where, like their predecessors, they were declared to be free.

In Feb. 1835, the Enterprise, another regular slaver from the National Domain, on her voyage to Charleston, with 78 slaves, was driven into Bermuda in distress. The passengers, instead of being thrown into prison as Bermudians would have been in Charleston under similar circumstances, were hospitably treated, and permitted to go at large. These successive and unexpected transmutations of slaves into freemen, roused the ready zeal of the Federal Government. Directly on the loss of the Comet, instructions were sent from Washington to our Minister, to demand of the British Government the value of the cargo. In 1832, another despatch was forwarded on the subject. The instructions were again renewed in 1833; the Secretary of State remarking, this case "must be brought to a conclusion-the doctrine that would justify the liberation of our slaves, is too

dangerous to a large section of our country to be tolerated."

In 1834, fresh instructions were sent, and a demand ordered to be made for the value of the slaves in the Encomium.

In 1835, similar instructions were sent relative to the Enterprise.

In 1836, the instructions were renewed; the Secretary observing to Mr. Stevenson, "In the present state of our diplomatic relations with the Government of His Britanic Majesty, the most immediately pressing of the matters with which the United States' Legation at London is now charged, is the claim of certain American citizens against Great Britain for a number of slaves, the CARGOES of three vessels wrecked in British Islands in the Atlantic."

Thus for six successive years did the Cabinet at Washington keep sending despatches to their agents in England, urging them to obtain payment from Great Britain for these cargoes of human flesh. Nor were those agents remiss or reluctant in fulfilling their instructions. Numerous were the letters addressed to the British Secretary, claiming either the restoration of the slaves, or their equivalent in money.

From a long and laboured communication from