Bending Spanish vessels to Key West, and after a collusive sale had been effected, the vessels returned to Havana, to be dispatched to the coast of Africa under American colors. In this way, the Spanish schooner which went to Key West as the Espartero, came back as the Thomas, with American papers. A well known Spanish slaver went to New Orleans as the Conchita, and came back as the American schooner Encautadera.
American vessels were privately sold in Havana, the American registers were retained, and the vessels proceded to the coast of Africa under American colors. The buyer generally stipulated that the American captain, or some American citizen to represent him, should remain on board, and the fact of the transfer remain in abeyance until the vessel arrived in Africa. The American captain retained the command, to mislead the commanders of the British cruisers; but he gave it up as soon as the slaves were received on board, so as not to expose himself to the penalty of piracy in case of capture. The American flag and papers protected them from the right of search by the British cruisers — the Portuguese flag and papers shielded them from the penalties of piracy if captured They were provided with double captains, double papers and double flags.
The American flag thus became involved in the slave traffic. In 1849, the British consul at Rio, in his public correspondence, says: "One of the most notorious slave-dealers in this capital, when speaking of the employment of American vessels in the slave-trade, said, a few days ago: "I am worried by the Americans, who insist upon my hiring their vessels for slave-trade."
Of this there is also abundant and distressing evidence from our own diplomatic officers. Besides a lengthy correspondence from a preceeding mintster near the court of Brazil, the President of the United States transmitted a report from the Secretary of State, in December, 1850, to the Senate of the United States, with documents relating to the African slave-trade. A resolution had previously passed the Senate, calling upon the Executive for this information.
In these documents it is stated that "the number of American vessels which, since the 1st of July, 1844, until the 1st of October last (1849), sailed for the coast of Africa from this city, is ninety-three. . . . Of these vessels, all, except five, have been sold and delivered on the coast of Africa, and have been engaged in bringing over slaves, and many of them have been captured with slaves on board. . . .This pretended sale takes place at the moment when the slaves are ready to be shipped; the American captain and his crew going on shore, as the slaves are coming off, while the Portuguese or Italian passengers, who come out from Rio in her, all at once become master and crew of the vessel. Those of the American crew who do not die of coast-fever, get back as they can, many of them being compelled to come over in slave-vessels, in order to get back at all. There is evidence in the records of the consulate, of slaves having started two or three times from the shore, and the master and crew from their vessel in their boat, carrying with them the flag and ship's papers; when, the parties becoming frightened, both retroceded; the slaves were
