“Whereas it is reported that persons declared free by the
Proclamation of Emancipation and by the recent Amendment of
the Constitution are now kidnapped and transported to Cuba
and Brazil, to be held as slaves, and that in this way a
new slave-trade has been commenced on our southern coast:
Therefore,
“_Resolved_, That the Committee on the Judiciary be
directed to inquire if any further legislation is needed to
prevent the kidnapping of freedmen and the revival of the
slave-trade on our southern coast.”
The Senate proceeded to its consideration, when Mr. Sumner
explained it.
Before the vote is taken, I desire to state some of the information
that has come to my possession. For instance, here is a letter from
Alabama, from which I will read a short extract.
“Another big trade is going on,--that of running negroes to
Cuba and Brazil. They are running through the country, dressed
in Yankee clothes, hiring men, giving them any price they
ask, to make turpentine on the bay, sometimes on the rivers,
sometimes to make sugar. They get them on the cars. Of course
the negro don’t know where he is going. They get him to the
bay, and tell him to go on the steamer to go around the coast,
and away goes poor Cuffee to slavery again. They are just
cleaning out this section of the country of the likeliest men
and women in it. Federal officers are mixed up in it, too.”
* * * * *
MR. JOHNSON [of Maryland]. Who writes the letter? Give the name
of the writer.
MR. SUMNER. It is from a person in Alabama, whose name I am requested
not to communicate; but the writer is well known to members of
the other House. I have also a letter from the District Judge of
Florida,--his name is familiar, and will be found in the official lists
of the country,--communicating a letter received from a person well
known to him, and for whom he vouches, in Florida, dated December 14,
1865, from which I read a brief extract.
“I am advised that certain parties here intend to make a
business of importing negroes into Cuba. It is said that there
have gone two vessel-loads of them already. Titus & Co. have
bought a steamer for the ostensible purpose of carrying fish
from Indian River to Charleston, but most people think that his
will be carried the other way. There have been more gunboats
ordered down in that region to look out for the fishmongers.”
Here are two letters from different States, Alabama and Florida. Add
also verbal communications received during the last week from Texas,
from Louisiana, and from Mississippi, three other States, all to the
same effect, that in each of those States a system of kidnapping has
already been commenced, and a new slave-trade started on that coast. I
do not know that the laws on our statute-book are sufficient to meet
this untold enormity. I desire that our Committee, in which we repose
such confidence, should apply themselves to it, and see if there is any
remedy for this terrible crime. I desire, also, that every branch of
the Government should do its duty in this business: that the Department
of State should address all its agents in Cuba and in Brazil, requiring
them to look after the liberty of these people, to which we are
pledged; that the Navy Department should forward proper instructions to
our cruisers; that the War Department should send proper instructions
to our troops in that region; and that the President himself should
take notice of this unexpected enormity of outrage, and see to it that
everything possible is done to arrest it.
Mr. Davis, of Kentucky, thought it “altogether probable that
the Yankees have reopened the slave-trade.”
The resolution was adopted.
* * * * *
February 7th, Mr. Clark, of New Hampshire, from the Judiciary
Committee, reported “A Bill to prevent and punish Kidnapping,”
which he stated was upon a resolution introduced by Mr. Sumner.
February 15th, the Senate proceeded to its consideration, and
it passed that body.
May 18th, the bill passed the House of Representatives, and,
May 21st, it was approved by the President.[35]