360 The Story of the New England Whalers 



the East Side region of New York, between James 

 and Houston streets. The arrangements for 

 slaver voyages were made at the Astor House 

 and other first-class hotels. If by chance a slave- 

 ship was captured, ship merchants of the highest 

 reputation stood ready to bail the accused. If 

 by any chance a slaver officer were incarcerated 

 for a time, he lived the life of a Sybarite while 

 behind the bars. Even after the war was begun, 

 the consideration shown these men whom the 

 law declared to be pirates was such as to astound 

 the modern reader. Thus it is a matter of record 

 that one of the United States attorneys detailed 

 to prosecute Appleton Oakes Smith was seen 

 dining at the most stylish restaurant in town 

 with the criminal he was to try. It was this shock- 

 ing condition of public opinion in the United States 

 that led Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, when in Rio 

 Janeiro, to write (February 18, 1845) to tne Hon. 

 John C. Calhoun, Secretary of State, saying : 



"I beseech, I implore the President of the 

 United States to take a decided stand on this 

 subject. You have no conception of the bold 

 effrontery and the flagrant outrages of the African 



