and detecting the slaves. I further understand, that the
evil will not be confined altogether to Africans, but will be extended
to the worst class of West India slaves."[85]

Undoubtedly, the injury done by these pirates to the regular
slave-trading interests was largely instrumental in exterminating them.
Late in 1817 United States troops seized Amelia Island, and President
Monroe felicitated Congress and the country upon escaping the "annoyance
and injury" of this illicit trade.[86] The trade, however, seems to have
continued, as is shown by such letters as the following, written three
and a half months later:--

PORT OF DARIEN, March 14, 1818.

... It is a painful duty, sir, to express to you, that I am in
possession of undoubted information, that African and West India
negroes are almost daily illicitly introduced into Georgia, for
sale or settlement, or passing through it to the territories of
the United States for similar purposes; these facts are
notorious; and it is not unusual to see such negroes in the
streets of St. Mary's, and such too, recently captured by our
vessels of war, and ordered to Savannah, were illegally bartered
by hundreds in that city, _for_ this bartering or bonding (as
_it is called_, but in reality _selling_,) actually took place
before any decision had [been] passed by the court respecting
them. I cannot but again express to you, sir, that these
irregularities and mocking of the laws, by men who understand
them, and who, it was presumed, would have respected them, are
such, that it requires the immediate interposition of Congress
to effect a suppression of this traffic; for, as things are,
should a faithful officer of the government apprehend such
negroes, to avoid the penalties imposed by the laws, the
proprietors disclaim them, and some agent of the executive
demands a delivery of the same to him, who may employ them as he
pleases, or effect a sale by way of a bond, for the restoration
of the negroes when legally called on so to do; which bond, it
is _understood_, is to be _forfeited_, as the amount of the bond
is so much less than the value of the property.... There are
many negroes ... recently introduced into this state and the
Alabama territory, and which can be apprehended. The undertaking
would be great; but to be sensible that we shall possess your
approbation,