Article for Spanish paper
Description
An article written by a "member of the committee appointed to act on behalf" of the Amistad Captives for a Spanish or Spanish-language newspaper. The article is addressed to readers of the paper, "many of them Spaniard by birth, and naturally sympathizing with their countrymen," who, "should understand fully the reasons of the late arrest of Messrs. Montes and Ruiz." The author states that the members of the Committee entertain malicious feelings toward Montes and Ruiz but must "adhere to the immutable principles of justice and righteousness in acting for the weaker and more defenseless Africans." The arrest was made in consequence of advice from respectable persons of the legal profession and of having legal questions of whether the Amistad Captives are slaves according to Spanish law or free men. The Committee also sought punishment of Montes and Ruiz if it appeared "that the poor negroes had been cruelly and barbarously treated while in the custody of” the Spaniards. The article mentions that there are two men acting as interpreters; they "understand the vernacular tongue of the Amistad negroes.” The writer makes note that he would not be one to harass "any of the subjects of the august Queen who sways her scepter over an ancient and renowned land" and asks that the editor insert this in his paper.