the forfeited - ibiblio

1 35TH0 CNORWS, , [ToaccompanyBillS.( )108.]TheCommitteeofClaim8, ,report:Theclaimantsinthiscasearetheoffi cersandcrewoftheUnitedStatesschooner1"On -ka-hy-e."Onthe24tbofJanuary,1848,thethe "On-ka-hy-e"capturedthebarque"Lurens,'al legedtobethenengagedintheslavetrade,andb roughtherintotheportofNewYoA, 'foundonoardthe"Laurens"the'sumof$18,992 inspecie,whichwas:takenpossessionofbythe UnitedStatesmarshalinobediencetotheproce ssofthecourt,Aandwhichhewassubse-quently orderedtopayintotheregistryofthecourt, ,themoney,whichhadcomeintohi'shandsinhis offloialcapality:, ,actsofOonqrissandproceedingsinthecourts ,to'whichthey'refer,"thmoneyisinthetreas ury,""foritbasbeensoadjudged,-'andallpar tiesarecon-cludedwbthatjudgment."They,sa y:"ItseemshohavebeensUp-posedtbatthiswas antattempttochargetheUnitedStatesonaccou ntofthedefaloationofthemarshal; 'defaultoftheirofflceirandagentthemnarsh al,asadefencetotheclaim"'"Th6ejudgmentof thedistrictcourtsettlesthatthesuMof$20,6 6469is'ilthetreauryforthepurposeofdistri btion,"andthat"'itistheSeretaryoftheNavw ifoistodirectthedistributionofthemoney,a ndnotthedis-trictcourt.

2 "It;istherefore:adjudgedthattheclaimants areentitledbylawtorecoverthemoney.^:..Ju dgeBLiaFORD dissentA.'sHisopinionis,ithatthedecofthe districtcourtdoesriotsanctiontheopiniont hatthemoneywichwascoAvert4dbythemarshalt dhisownuse:ouhttobe0coi1sdere4tobeintthe treasuryoftheUnitedStatesfordistribution ; :orderthatthebalancerealizedfromthesaleo fthevessel,andactuallypaidintotheregistr yofthecourtshIouldbepaidintothetreasuryo ftheUnitedStatesfordistribution,andthatt hegovernmentisnotliablebforanypartofthem oneywhich,owingtothemarshal'sdefaleation ,neverreachedtheregistryofthecourtorthet reasuryoftheUnitedStates,Hesays:"Ifthego vern-mentisiliableforthat-:largegsum,Iem bezzledbythemarshal,ltisbe-causethereisa n-obligationonthepartofthegovernmenttosa veallpersons,harmlessagainsttheofficialm isconductofitsministerialofficers.

3 " "the$20,664-69isin"thetreasuryofthe[Unit edStates]forthepurposeofdistribution,"th entheactof1849(9 Stat.,378)providesthat"suchpartsthereofa smaybelongtotheofficersandcrewsofthevess elsofthenavy,shallbepaidtothemunderthedi rectionoftheSecretaryottheNavy,"andnofur therlegislationisnecessaryBut,inpointoff act,itisadmittedthatthemoneynevercamIein tothetreasury,andthereforethestateoffact s~hadnotarisenwhichem-poweredtheSecretar yoftheNavytodirectitspayment,orwhichenti tledtheclaimantstodemandit,underthelaw.: Theactdoesnotdeclarethatallvesselslibele dandadjudgedtobelawfulprize,orwhichare,i nfact,lawfulprizeunderthelaw,shallbepaid fortothecaptorsoutofthetreasuryuntilthey haveacquiredtherighttosuchpaymentbyfirst causingthemoneytobepaidintolhetreasury, ,toreceiveanddistributeSuchmoneySeas8hal l,bydueprocessoflaw,be'placedinitshandsf orthatspeicpu' ,anjditswholeaction,sof'arasthereceiptan ddistribu-tlonisconeerned,isagratuitous; serviceforthebenefitofthecaptors:Thewhol eproceedibgs:therefore,fromtheseizureoft bevesseluntilits:proceedsreachthetreasur y, :invokethepowerandtoemploythetribupalsan dO!

4 LcersoftheUnitedStatestosecurethelprivat erghtwhichtheymAyacquiretotheproperty,.b utthe' 'fail,afterthe'seizure,tobringtheprizesa felytoprtortheybmayfail,by'amistakenorer roneousde-ciion'ofthecourt,toobtain,a,de creeofcondemnation;ortheymayfail,by,some .,mistakieor:'lach~ ;:theclerk:ormarshal,orbyomenegligenceon theirown:part, ~ypaidintothetreasury,;;andimeitherevett hecasehasnotariseIwhichwouldauthorizethe Seretaryfth' ,orwhiche~nttlesthem' ,moneyycan;belawfllytpaionitofthr:.t~rea stury:withouta~nappropriationsmade;bacto fCongress,andXtbeXaetonlyanlthorizespaym ents^of'thischaracteroutof'theoneys,aris ingfrom' ' ,moneywrsneveraistallypaidntoethbtreasur y,andthatthereforetherewerenofundsiathet re-sntiatheopinionert,byrsBlapfiord, " ' :aretheofficersandcrewoftheschoonerOn-ka -hy'e,acommissionedvesseloftheUnitedStat esof'America,belongingtothe-navy-Thistsc hooner,inJanuary,1848,captured,onthebhIg hseas,thebarqueLawrence, ,1848,thesaidbarquewasbroughtintotheport ofNewYork,bythecaptors,foradjudication,s hehavingonboardeighteenthousandninehundr ed:andninety-twodollarsinspecieAfterward s,onthe15thof-aidmonthofMarch,alibelwasf iledinthedistrictcourtoftheUnitedStatesf orthesoutherndistrictofNewYorlk,by:thedi strictattorney, ,theusual.

5 Processwasissuedcoimmand-ingtheOmarshal( ElyMoor)"toattachtheOsaidbarque,hertackl e,guns,goods,andeffects,foundon-boardthe reof,andspecie,andtodetainthesameinhiscu lstodyuntilthefurtherorderofthecourt,"& ,themarshal,:(Moore,)inobediencetosaidpr ocess,attachedsaidbarque,"hertackle?&c., andLthegood8andeffectsfou-ndon-boardther eof,thereindescribed."Onthe21stof"April, 1849,thecourtorderedthesaid:marshal(Moor e),tcpaysaidspecie,beingabouttwentythous anddollars,intotheregistryofthecourt,Ont he25thofthesamemonthofApril,thecourtorde redthatsaidmarshal(Moore)payintothecourt eighteenthousandninehun-dredandtninety-t wodollars,bei"gtheamountofsaidspeoie,ono rbeorethe1 , ::marshal,topaysaidmoneyintocourt, :May,1849,thesaidmoneynothavingbeenpaidi ntotheregistry.

6 The'courtorderedanattachmenttoissueagain stsaidmarshal,(Moore,)returnableforthwit h-and'onthenexttdayanat-tachinentwaualso orderedagainstthesaiddeputymarshal,arous answerstothelibelwerefiled,andseveraldep ositiobnThesaiddistrictoourt,onithe8dofJ uly,1849, 'decree:"Itisconsideredbythecourt,thatth esaidbarqueLawrenceatthetimeofherarrstat dcapture,assetforhin:thepleadings,`beiga vesselbelongingqttheUnitedstates, ,towit;fromthewesterncoastofAfricatoBraz il,withintheintentandmeaningoftheattofCo ngrosBap-provedMay10,1800, ,itisordered,adjudged,and'decreedbytheco urt,thatthesaidbarqueLawrence,hertackle, furniture,appurtenances,andthegoods,prop -erty0,~and::effects,foundladenonboard-h er,becondemnedandfor-feitedltotheuseofth eUnitedStates,thelibellantsinthiscause,p ur-suanttotlep)rovisionsofthe- ,esq.

7 ,proctorforthelibellants,itisorderedthat theclerkofthiscourtissueavenditioniexpon a8againstthesaidbarqueLawrence,hertackle ,apparel,and'furniture,andthegoods,prope rty,andeffects,foundladenonboard,andretu rnableonthefirstTuesdayofAugustnext."The followingreturnwasafterwardsmadetothesai dwrit:"Inobediencetotheaboveprecept,Ihav esoldtheabovenamedvesselandcargo,andsuch saleamountstofourthousandsevenhun-dredan dtwentydollarsandsevencents;whichsumIhav epaidtotheclerkofthiscourt,asIamabovecom manded."Datedthis8thdayofNovember, , ,"Petitionsofpart:ofthecrewofthecapturin gvesselhavingbeenfiled,thecourt,onthe8th ofJanuary,1851,madethefollowingorder:"Up onthefilingofthepetitionofinterventionof 'JohnH,Wil-kinsandothers,captorsofthebar queLawrence,&c.,(againstwhichafinaldecre eofcondemnationhasbeenmadehereiD,)prayin gforadecreeofdistributionofthecondemnedp ropertyanditsproceeds,accordingtolaw:Iti sorderedthattheusualmonitiondois6s;andit isfurtherorderedthatacommdiasiondoissueh erein,undertheealofthiscourt,directedtoS mithBarker,esq.

8 ,counselloratlaw,ofthecityofNewYork, :reasonablediligencetotake,thetestimonyh erein,conformablytotherulesofthis'ourt,' forthepurposeofascertainingthereamountsu bjecttodistribution,thepersonentitledasd istilbuteei,andtheseveralsumsto:whichthe yarerespectivelyentitled;andreturnthesam eintocourt,togetherwithhisreporttheron,o norbeforethereturndayofthemonition,':InM ay,1851,thefollowingreportofthesaidprize commissionerwasfiled:i;"0:ReportofSmithB arker,theprizecommissioner,appointedhere in.;"To$ ,4jgeofthedistrictcourtoftheUaid8tatesfo rthegsoutherndilti"ofNwYr"'^ ,priommissner,dulyapponedhereinbyorderof thecourt,respectfullyrepresents:" ,hehasproceededltotaketestimonyconcernin gthesubject,mattertohimreferredandthesai dtestimonyisdulyreturned!

9 Intocourt,accompanyingthisreportthereon. "Afinaldecreecondemnationhavingbeenprono uncedhereinbythecourtagainstthrthequesti onsremainingfordeterminationae:'howshall thecapturedandcondemnnepropertyoritsproc eededivided?andtowhomshallitbepaidaslawf uldistIbutee?andinwhatproportions1?'"And first,howshallthecondemnedpropertyoritsp roceedsbedistributed?"Thetestimonyclearl yestablishes;thefactofthelsuperiorityoft hecapturingforcebothinmenandarms;,and,th erefore,werethisaprizeofwar,underthenava llawsoftheUnitedStates,thecapturenotresu ltingfromanvextraordinaryhazard,orfromte exerciseofanygreatorunusualskillorbraver y,therewouldbenodoubtthattheprize,oritsp roceeds,wouldbesubjecttodivisionanddistr ibti-ition,in-equalproportions, ,foundviolatingthelawsoftheUnited: states whichprohibittheslavetrade,andaveryserio usquestionhasarisenwhether,'undertheterm sof'thatlaw,thecaptorsarenotentitledtoth eentirepro-ceedsoftheprize.

10 "IiftheaAtofMay10,1800,whichisentitled'A nactinadditiontotheactentitledanacttopro hibitthecarryingonthe:slavetradefromtheU nitedStates-toanyforeignplaceorcountry,' weretheonlylawrof'theUnitedStatesunderwh ichthisforfeiturehasbeenincurreditmightp erhapsbedifficult'toescape-theconclusion thatthecaptorswouldbeentitledtotheentire proceedsofthecapture;and&stillmorediffic ultwoulditbetoavoidthirs:result,wereitno tnecessaryintheseproceedingsto,oresortto ,andbegoverned-by,theprovisionsofthegene rallawofApril23,1800,entitledAnactforthe bettergovern-mentofithenavyoftheUnitedSt ates.'"Bythefourthsectionoftheactof'May1 0,1800,itiisprovided!,'thatitshallandmay belawfulforanyofthecommissionedvesselsof theUnitedStatestvseieandtakeanyvesselemp loyedincarryingontradebusineso,ortraffic , ,andiOuohvesseltogetherwithhertackle,iap parel,andguns,andthegoodandeffectsothert hanslaves)whichshallbe'oundonboard,shall beforfeited,andmaybeproceededagainstinia yofbthedistrictorcircuitcourtseAndshallb eoodemnedforthMeuseoftheWojersanroeu-oth eveelmakithe$eizWre,'qhandbedividedinthe proportiondiretedldinthecaseofprie,'aNow ,itfmay-eryfrlybecontended,that'thedivio herespokenofisadivisionamongthe'officers andcrewofthevesselmakingtheseoizure,' ,butratheritisstrengtheied,by'the'provis ionofthe:eethactionoftheact,which/readsa sfollos:'Thattheforfeit;"whichhall.