an, Spanish, and
Portuguese vessels at Gallinas. The American flag was a complete
shelter; no man-of-war daring to capture an American vessel. The
slave trade on that part of the coast is the universal business
of the country, and by far the most profitable, and all engaged
in it who could raise the means. Extensive wars take place in
Africa, for obtaining slaves from the vanquished. Different
towns and villages make war upon each other for this purpose.
Some are sold on account of their crimes, others for debts. The
slaves are all brought on to the coast by other blacks, and sold
at the slave factories, as no white man dare penetrate into the
interior. Some of the blacks who have been educated at Sierra
Leone, have been principal dealers in the slave trade."

The decision of the District Court of Connecticut on this question of
property, was to the effect that since their original introduction into
Cuba was plainly illegal, they were free by the law of Spain, and of
course could not be the property of Spanish subjects.

The subsequent proceedings were undertaken on behalf of the United
States' Government. "The District Attorney, Mr. Holabird, filed his
claim under Lieut. Gedney's libel, on two distinct grounds; one that
these Africans had been claimed by the Government of Spain, and ought to
be retained till the pleasure of the Executive might be known, as to
that demand; and the other, that they should be held subject to the
disposition of the President, to be re-transported to Africa, under the
act of 1819." The Court finally decreed that the Africans should be
delivered to the President of the United States, to be transported to
Africa, there to be delivered to an agent appointed to receive and
conduct them home. Against this decision, though it is what he had asked
for, Holabird appealed on behalf of the United States' Government, and
through a protracted series of law proceedings, it was finally carried
before the Supreme Court of the United States, the highest tribunal in
the nation. The counsel employed on both sides, in the different stages,
were of the highest reputation; and finally the venerable John Quincy
Adams, after an absence from the Courts of nearly forty years, during
which interval he had filled the highest offices of state, at home and
abroad, in the service of his country, did not think it beneath him to
defend the Mendians before the Supreme Cour