[71] Between 1854 and 1856
thirty-two persons were indicted in New York, of whom only thirteen had
at the latter date been tried, and only one of these convicted.[72]
These dismissals were seldom on account of insufficient evidence. In the
notorious case of the "Wanderer," she was arrested on suspicion,
released, and soon after she landed a cargo of slaves in Georgia; some
who attempted to seize the Negroes were arrested for larceny, and in
spite of the efforts of Congress the captain was never punished. The
yacht was afterwards started on another voyage, and being brought back
to Boston was sold to her former owner for about one third her
value.[73] The bark "Emily" was seized on suspicion and released, and
finally caught red-handed on the coast of Africa; she was sent to New
York for trial, but "disappeared" under a certain slave captain,
Townsend, who had, previous to this, in the face of the most convincing
evidence, been acquitted at Key West.[74]
The squadron commanders of this time were by no means as efficient as
their predecessors, and spent much of their time, apparently, in
discussing the Right of Search. Instead of a number of small light
vessels, which by the reports of experts were repeatedly shown to be the
only efficient craft, the government, until 1859, persisted in sending
out three or four great frigates. Even these did not attend faithfully
to their duties.
Pages:
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305