April-June 1840

Holabird, William S., 1794-1855

Autograph document

Title: [Brief from the Circuit Court regarding the Amistad case]

Referring to Lieutenant Thomas R. Gedney, includes information pertaining to the Amistad case: "Gidney & others v. The Amistad Negroes. Circuit court U.S." Considers four principle points: "shall the vessel, & the blacks, be restored to the Spanish Government from whence they came;" "whether these negroes shall be restored to the Spanish Govt or be sit at liberty here;" "The Spanish Govt claim that the Amistad being a Sp vessel, and not having violated the laws of nations, on the municipal laws of this country... that the Courts of no other nation can hold jurisdiction of them;" and…

GLC05636.02

4 May 1840

Holabird, William S., 1794-1855

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry D. Gilpin

Holabird, United States District Attorney of Connecticut, writes to Gilpin, Attorney General. Relates that the Amistad case did not spend much time at the circuit court level, because "the counsel for the negroes [interposed?] a plea in abatement of the appeal from the decree of the district court, they contended that the U. S. had no interest in the matter, & could not appeal, that by the Treaty with Spain our courts were open to the claimants of the property, or to the representatives of the Spanish Government, that they should appear in person, & not through our Govt. upon this…

GLC05636.05

January 10, 1840

Holabird, William S., 1794-1855

Document signed

Title: [Antonio G. Vega's deposition given to United States District Attorney William S. Holabird]

Signed deposition read before the court stating "that the court of mixed commissions had no jurisdiction except in cases of capture... that newly imported African Negroes were constantly brought to the Island, & after landed, were bona fide transferred from one owner to an other without any interference by the local authority, or the mixed commission, and were held by the owners, and recognized, as lawful property, that slavery was recognized in Cuba by all the Laws that was considered in force there... " Appears to be a complete version of GLC 5636.07 and an edited version of GLC 5636.…

GLC05636.09

January 1840

Holabird, William S., 1794-1855

Manuscript document

Title: [Notes of Holabird, United States District Attorney for Connecticut]

Contains testimony of Dwight G. James (an abolitionist), Captain Green (who came into contact with Amistad Africans on shore, prior to their capture), N. Wilcox (Norris Wilcox, United States Marshal for the District of Connecticut), and E. Osborne (who notes the value of the cargo). Wilcox notes the cargo on board the Amistad, and Green identifies persons in the courtroom who he had seen on shore. Possibly created in Connecticut, where the District Court heard the case.

GLC05636.10

17 May 1831

Holabird, William S., 1794-1855

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Theodore Hinsdale

Holabird asks Theodore if he told Horace Hinsdale that Holabird recommended Colonel Soper as Justice to General Adams on the grounds that Sopic was an anti-mason. Includes Theodore's reply of the same day, informing Holabird he did not pass the message to Horace.

GLC05636.27