The Liberator

The Slave Trade.—Our late Consul at Rio, Mr. Gordon.—The papers recently announced the pardon by the President of Captain Pendleton, condemned some time ago, for having been concerned in the Afric in Slave Trade; also the acquittal of Captain Libby, at Portland, who was tried for the same crime. Both these individuals were prosecuted, we presume, in consequence of information communicated to the Government by our able and indefatigable Consul at Rio, Mr. Gordon. On what grounds or for what reason Mr. Gordon was suspended in his office, we have not heard. That his efforts to detect and expose the agency of American citizens and American ships engaged in the traffic for slaves, were very constant, vigorous and effective, we know. A mass of papers, containing abundant and conclusive evidence of the extent and atrocity of the traffic as connected with American vessels, and the countenance, to say the least, of American captains, was communicated, in compliance with a call from Mr. Adams, by the President to Congress, in the early part of the past session, and laid on the table, but not printed. These papers contain a great amount of evidence in relation to this Capt. Pendleton and the Montevideo, and several other vessels, (the Gannecliffe and Sea Eagle among them,) and very strong evidence of the guilt of several American Captains. The details of the voyages of these vessels from Rio to Cabinda, and also to the Delagoa Bay on the Eastern Coast of Africa, were taken by Consul Gordon from men under oath, who were on board these vessels, and much important information was elicited in regard to the prosecution of this abominable traffic, at these great marts in Africa. If these papers are not to be published, it is desirable that gentlemen of Congress should examine them, and give to the country the leading facts they contain. The slave trade is no subject for concealment or disguise. If American ship owners or American Captains will become allies of the notorious slave-traders of Brazil, if they will convey their vessels to the harbors in Africa contaminated with this traffic, and there, after all arrangements have been made for receiving on board cargoes of slaves, formally transfer these vessels to Spanish or Portuguese crews, and withdraw, while the slaves are actually coming on board, to a vessel prepared for their reception, and return, they should be exposed to public indignation. The testimony obtained by Consul Gordon, show that these things were done in several cases during the last year, and afford information not only as to the points in Africa where the Brazilian slave trade is most vigorously conducted, but as to the means of its facilities and success. We could hope a pardon has not been extended to Captain Pendleton without some good cause. The crime for which he was condemned, is not one entitled to special clemency.