SIR EDWARD THORNTON to the EARL OF DERBY. MY LORD, Washington, February 28, 1876. I HAD the honour to receive on the 25th instant your Lordship's telegram desiring me to report upon the law and practice of the United States with regard to fugitive slaves for the information of the Royal Commission which has been recently appointed to inquire into that matter. I take it for granted that this instruction refers only to the law and practice which have prevailed since the abolition of slavery in this country. Before that time there is little doubt that a slave who should have taken refuge on board of an United States man-of-war in the port of a country where slavery prevailed would have been restored to his master by the officer in command. But since the abolition of slavery it is quite the contrary. I cannot, however, discover that there is any law or practice upon the subject in the United States. I am assured by the best authorities that there is no law, and, on application to the Secretary of the Navy, he informs me that he is not aware of any instructions upon the subject having been issued by his department to naval officers, or of any case having been reported with respect to a slave who had taken refuge on board of an United States manof-war, and whose restitution had been demanded by the authorities of the country in which the slave's master resided. Mr. Robeson, however, gave it as his opinion, and every one to whom I have spoken upon the subject concurs in that opinion, that at present no officer would for a moment think of giving up a slave who had taken refuge on board of his vessel, in order that he might return to his condition of slavery. It is thought possible that cases may have occurred since the abolition of slavery where slaves have so taken refuge, and where the officers in command have not met the question directly, of either giving them up, or refusing to do so, but have evaded it by ignoring the presence of such persons on board altogether. But I am convinced that at present no officer in command of an United States vessel of war would give up a slave who had taken refuge on board of his ship, unless assured that he would not return to a condition of slavery. I have, &c. The Right Hon. the Earl of Derby, &c. &c. EDWARD THORNTON. U. S. OF AMERICA. Circular Instructions as to Slaves taking Refuge on British Ships of War. (See p. 172 of this Appendix) 1856 Case of Fugitive Slaves on board Her Majesty's ship "Daphne" at Mozambique. (See p. 177, et seq., of this Appendix) 1869 Case of Fugitive Slaves on board Her Majesty's ships "Nymph" and "Dryad ;" and seizure of Dhows at Majunga, Madagascar (See p. 175, et seq., of this Appendix) Cases of Reception of Fugitive Slaves on board Her Majesty's ship "May Frere," B.M., and British vessels generally (Persian Gulf) (See pp. 165-167 of this Appendix) Cases referred to: 1869 1874 Her Majesty's ship "Hugh Rose" at and were landed at Zanzibar at their own No. 2. 1871 - 1876 RECEPTION of FUGITIVE SLAVES on board BRITISH SHIPS OF WAR on the HIGH SEAS. Cases in the Persian Gulf in 1874. (See Parliamentary Paper, Slave Trade, No. 1, 1876, p. 163 of this Appendix.) Instructions to British Consuls in Brazil in 1856. (See pp. 172-174 of this Appendix). Case of certain Tunisian Soldiers who took refuge on board a British Schooner at Sfax, Tunis, in 1870. No. 5. PROTECTION to SLAVES at BRITISH EMBASSIES and Case of an Abyssinian Slave, liberated by British Ambas- No. 6. PROTECTION to, and MANUMISSION of, SLAVES at BRITISH CONSULATES abroad. Case of the Protection of a Negro Boy taking refuge at the British Consulate at Tunis Case of Slaves freed by Vice-Consul at Larnaca, Cyprus Case of a Negro who escaped from French Guiana and took refuge at the British Consulate at Boston, United States, and who was sent to England, and ultimately forwarded to Sierra Leone at the expense of Her Majesty's Government Case of Slaves freed at the British Consulate at Alexandria, by agreement with Turkish authorities - 1865 Views of Her Majesty's Government on the General Question (State Papers, vol. 59, p. 1,034). (See p. 151 of this Appendix) Case of Slaves taking refuge at British Consulate at Cairo, and refusal of the Treasury, as a rule, to pay for their maintenance Case of a Slave from a Harem who took refuge at the British Consulate at Monastir in 1871, but subsequently returned to her master Case of a Slave freed at the British Vice-Consulate at Damascus Case of Slaves seeking refuge in British ViceConsulate at Rhodes. Disapproval of Expenditure for their support, but consent of Lord Granville to pay if owners refuse Case of Slaves freed by British Consular Agent at Mansourah, Egypt. Circular instructions to Consuls issued by Mr. Vivian as to course to be pursued towards Slaves seeking protection at British Consulates, and consequent Manumission No. 3. SEIZURE of SLAVES by BRITISH NAVAL OFFICERS in FOREIGN COUNTRIES. Case of Seizure and Removal of Mozambique Slaves by an Zanzibar during the year 1875, showing how the BRITISH SUBJECTS held in SLAVERY. Cases of a person alleged to be a British Subject held in Slavery in Cuba, in 1843. Views of Her Majesty's Government on the general question. No. 15. COMPENSATION paid by BRITISH GOVERNMENT for Case of Interpretation of Article I. of the Treaty of Ghent, of December 24, 1814. Treaty. Great Britain and United States. Ghent. December 24, 1814. State Papers, vol. 2, p. 357. Convention. Great Britain and United States. October 20, 1818. State Papers vol. 6, p. 3; vol. 20, p. 428. Opinion of Emperor of Russia as Arbitrator. April 22, 1822. State Papers, vol. 11, p. 781. Convention. Great Britain and United States. July 12 1822. State Papers, vol. 11, p. 772. Convention. Great Britain and United States. Noveinber 13, 1826. State Papers, vol. 14, p. 460. Monte Videan Circular as to Political Refugees in Reception of Political Refugees at the British Con- 1853 Asylum to Political Refugees at Her Majesty's Consulate at St. Domingo 1855 Asylum to Political Refugees at Her Majesty's Consulate at St. Domingo 1857 Case of the forcible removal of a Political Refugee from the Spanish Consulate at St. Domingo Question as to right of granting Asylum at the British Consulate at Tabreez and other British Consulates in Persia 1857 1858 1858 1860 1865 Question respecting the Protection of Refugees in British Consulates in Dominica Question of right of Foreign Missions in Peru to grant Asylum to Refugees Case of Claim for Protection at a British Consulate in Dominica, on account of a personal misunderstanding with the Government Question respecting Asylum in Foreign Missions Memorandum (A.S.G.) May 3, 1870. Admiralty Circular, March 1, 1869. |