Richmond Enquirer

[From the Boston Daily Advertiser of Nov. 7]

SLAVE TRADE. At the Circuit Court of the United States now in session in this town, before his Honor Judge Story, the Associate Judge, and his Honor Judge. Davis, the District Judge, came on for trial, on Thursday morning last, two indictments, viz.: one against Joseph Findley Smith, late of Baltimore in the District of Maryland; the other against Adolph Lacoste, lately residing in the City of New York, wherein they were charged respectively, with violations of the act of Congress of April 1818, prohibiting the slave trade. These trials continued until Saturday evening. and resulted in the conviction of both the prisoners; the jury having been prompt in their return of verdicts to that effect. The prosecutions were conducted on the part of the U. States, by George Blake, Esq. district attorney, and the defence by J.T. Austin, and Stephen Hooper, Esquires.

It appeared, in the course of the evidence, that Smith was the master, and probably owner in part of one of the offending vessels, to wit the schooner called the Plattsburg, (the same vessel on board of which former placies and murders were perpetrated by the four convicts who were executed last year:) that this vessel was fitted out from Baltimore, and sailed from thence on a slaving voyage under the command of Smith, in December last; that the other offending vessel, to wit, a schooner called the Science. was equipped and sailed from the port of New York under the command of the other defendant, Lacoste, in the course of the last autumn: and that both vessels were encountered in the month of April last. on the coast of Africa, while engaged in the procurement of slaves, and taken possession of by the U. States' ship of war Cyane, Trenchard, master, and sent for adjudication to the port of New York. The crews of the vessels consisting principally of foreigners, shipped at foreign ports, were immediately released from imprisonment, and set at large. after the conviction of the above mentioned principal offenders. The court now stands adjourned to the 25th of the present month, at which time it is understood that sentence will be pronounced upon these convicts.

The following documents are translations of papers found on Capt. Lacoste, and produced on the trial. We publish them for the purpose of showing the course of the trade in which he was engaged.

NEW YORK, 31ST. DEC. 1819.

Mr Francisco Mattheu, St. John in Porto Rico.

DEAR SIR--In consequence of the orders that I have received from my brother. Don Pedro Malibran, of Trinity in Cuba, I consign to you the American schr Science, capt. A. Lacoste, with a cargo of sundry articles, as per bill of lading and invoice, amounting to $2,896 59.--Be so good, immediately after the arrival of the Science, to effect the sale of her cargo, in the port of Trinidad in Cuba. You know that my brother was born in Cadiz and is acknowledged at Trinidad in Cuba, as a Spaniard.--Consequently I imagine that there will be no difficulty to make him owner of the schooner Science, and of her cargo. In effecting this change. I request you to give her the name of La Dichosa, and to cause Don Juan Termison, to be acknowledged as her captain who goes on board for the purpose of filling the office of captain de papel (nominal captain) Captain La Coste has my orders to pursue his voyage, and repair afterward to Trinidad in Cuba. I rely on your attentions for accomplishing the end of my desires, and I must recommend to you the greatest speed wishing that Dichosa may be detained in your port but a very few days."You will then have the goodness to make the disbursements which shall be necessary for this effect. and with the greatest economy, and you will debit them to me in our account current. The remainder of this letter. containing further directions we omit on account of its length. It is signed.] E MALIBRAN.

NEW YORK JAN. 1. 1820.

Capt. Adolphus Lacoste, on board the American schooner Science, destined for St. John of Porto Rico,

DEAR SIR--The object of the present is to lay before you my instructions relative to the voyage which you have engaged to undertake. together with me.

1st. It is agreed that you should repair directly from New York to St. John de Porto Rico.

2d On your arrival at the aforesaid port, you will deliver the letter enclosed to Don Francisco Mattheu, who is your consignee. If by chance, this gentleman should be absent. you would consign yourself to Don Jose Gruu, or to Don Fernando Graupera. with whom I am connected in business and in friendship and you would act so that they might make good the place of Don Francisco Mattheu, who as for the rest is certainty at Porto Rico, all this being only by way of precaution.

3d."You will remain at Porto Rico only so long as is absolutely necessary to change the flag, and you will install the Spaniard who is on board as Spanish Captain; but it is understood between us that he shall have only the title of it, for the command of the schooner belongs to you until your arrival at Trinidad in Cuba. The Spaniard will be only Captain de papel, (nominally captain)

4th "At your arrival at Porto Rico, you will discharge your crew, excepting those who shall wish to pursue the voyage, and then you will make the necessary arrangements with those who shall be disposed to remain with you, according to my instructions to that purpose.

5th. When despatched at Porto Rico agreeably to the usages of that place you will pursue your voyage toward the point agreed upon, and you will manage so as to obtain there a superb cargo in exchange for the merchandize which you have on board the Science and which I consider much more considerable than is necessary for a single cargo for I know of expeditions of the same kind, which have doubled the number that you can carry. and which had not more merchandize than you have: this for your government In case then that there should remain to you some merchandize (which I much hope) after having obtained a handsome and heavy cargo you will bring it back to Trinidad. in Cuba, and it will serve for a second voyage.

6th. On your arrival at Trinidad, in Cuba, you will find there my brother Don Pedro Malibran, by whom you will let yourself be entirely directed since he is the owner of schooner Dichosa and of the cargo.

7th. Besides the general invoice of the cargo on board of the Science, I forward to you in a small box marked F G. watches of English manufacture, double cased, which I authorize you to exchange at the places where you are to take your cargo ; either for gold dust or for elephant's teeth of a handsome quality. - You must consider that those watches cost $10 each, and you must regulate yourself consequently to make an exchange of them which may be advantageous to me. For this small object, as well as for the transaction of all this operation. I refer myself absolutely to you well persuaded as I am that you can correspond to the confidence which I repose in you -I doubt not but you deserve it.

8th I cannot recommend to you too much the choice of the cargo which you go to seek. and I beg of you to give all your attention to it and to act agreeably to my separate instructions relative to the manner of trading in the countries where you are going. These instructions are given by a very experienced person, and it is important to follow them as much as it will be possible for you.

9th. You will take care in concert with your consignee at Porto Rico to return to me the register of the Science. by the first opportunity for New York as well as the certificate. proving the landing of the merchandize entitled to drawback-to this end I forward two copies of it to the consignee.

10th. Here follows our conditions for the voyage which you are going to undertake I think you must have reason to be satisfied with them; as for myself. I subscribe to them willingly I allow you $50 per month, to be reckoned from the day on which you have taken the command of the Science until your arrival and during your stay at Porto Rico. and to be reckoned from the day of your departure from Porto Rico, until your arrival at Trinidad in Cuba, with the Dichosa, $60 per month, with a privilege of four Heads, which I authorize you to buy with a part of the cargo at your disposal; moreover, $2 per head delivered at Trinidad in Cuba

11th. There shall be allowed to the Spanish captain (Juan Martin) $50 per month as soon as he shall take the title of captain of the Dichosa, and until his arrival at Trinity in Cuba : moreover $2 per head on the number of persons delivered to Don Pedro Malibran

12th. There shall also be allowed to the mate (Haight ) $40, to be reckoned from the day on which the Science shall become Spanish property. moreover $2 per head as aforementioned for the Spanish captain.

13th As for the rest of the crew who shall have embarked at Porto Rico, you must govern yourself according to the usages of that place for similar voyages.

14th. On your arrival at Porto Rico, you must procure about 50 shackles; in the barrel that you have on board the Science, there are only 4 pair, and 50 pair hand-cuffs. Let me hear from you on your arrival at Porto Rico, as well as on your arrival at Trinidad in Cuba. I wish you a prosperous voyage, and I entreat you to believe in my attachment.

E. MALIBRAN.

I. the undersigned, translator of languages. do certify, that the foregoing translation from the French, is true

F. SALES.