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DocsTeachThe online tool for teaching with documents, from the National Archives National Archives Foundation National Archives

Libel by Information Against John Sanford

5/24/1838

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This document is a charge by the United States, brought by the Attorney of the United States for the Southern District of Alabama, against John L. Sanford in the case U.S. v. John L. Sanford.

Sanford, a U.S. citizen, was accused of violating the act of Congress prohibiting the importation of slaves. The document states that Sanford's ship, the Napier, "arrived at the Port of Mobile from the Port of Liverpool in England [with] ten persons of color...whom...Sanford took on board, received and transported...for the purpose of selling such persons as slaves."

The attorney asked the District Court to require Sanford to appear for trial and to respond to questions to try to disprove the U.S. Government's claim that the people on board the ship were going to be sold as slaves.

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United States of America. Southern District of Alabama.

Be it remembered that at a District Court of the United States for the Southern District of Alabama, begun and held on the first Monday of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight, and continued by adjournments to the twenty fourth day of May afore, and, come, into Court on the said twenty fourth day of May, George W. Gayle, Esq, Attorney of the United States for the said Southern District of Alabama, and in the name of the United States, as well as of all others concerned, give, the said Court to to understand and be informed as follows:

That on or about the twenty second day of May one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight, a ship, called the Napier, arrived at the Port of Mobile from the Port of Liverpool in England, and that one John L. Sanford, a citizen of the United States, then was, and now is master of the same; that upon her arrival as aforesaid, at the said Port of Mobile, she had on board, and now has on board, [underlined] ten persons of color, whom the said John L. Sanford took on board, received and transported, from a foreign country, to wit, from England, and holds; they they, the said persons of color are not inhabitants, nor held to service by the laws of either of the States or Territories of the United States; and that the said John L. Sanford brought the said [underlined] ten persons of color from the foreign country aforesaid to the Port of Mobile aforesaid for the purpose of selling such persons as slaves.

The said Attorney of the United States further propounds and alleges that the names of the said ten persons of color are to him unknown, and that they have been imported contrary to



to the provisions of an Act of the Congress of the United States aforesaid, passed on the twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, for which the said John L. Sanford seems liable [underlined] in personam.

Wherefore the said Attorney of the United States prays the Advisement of the Court here in the premises, that process may issue against the said John L. Sanford, requiring him to appear and answer the information, and that trial may be had theron according to the law and usage of Admiralty Courts.

George W. Gayle
Attorney of the United States for the So. Dist. of Ala.
Mobile 24th May 1838

Interrogatones propounded to respondent, and to which his answer is required.

First – Did you not take on board, receive and transport, the ten persons of color aforesaid, from Liverpool in England, to Mobile for the purpose of selling them as slaves?

Second. Are the said ten persons of color, inhabitants, or held to service by the laws of either of the Sates, or Territories of the United States?

Third. Are you not a citizen of the United States of America?

Fourth. When did the Ship [underlined] Napier aforesaid, leave Liverpool, and when did she arrive at the Port of Mobile?

Geo. W. Gayle
Attorney



197-295

Libel by Information

The United States
vs
J. L. Sanford, for importing negroes from England.

Filed May 24 - 1838
David Tibs
Clerk
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 12130644
Full Citation: Libel by Information Against John Sanford; 5/24/1838; Case No. 197; U.S. v. John L. Sanford; Law, Equity, Criminal, Habeas Corpus, and Admiralty Case Files , 1821 - 1860; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at Atlanta, Morrow, GA. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/libel-john-sanford, January 28, 2023]
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