Reading Time: 3 minutes [359 words]

PEDRO GIBERT AND OTHERS. 167

have been heard in England. Let them look, too, at the con-
duet of Capt. Trotter. He was an officer of the British navy,
stationed on the coast of Africa, with directions to use his
exertions in suppressing the slave trade. He was there dis-
charging the particular duty which had been assigned to him,
and was under no obligation to trouble himself about pir-
ates. But he receives information of the robbery of the
American brig, and that the pirate is supposed to be on the
African coast, and immediately goea in quest of her, What
motive eould this gallant officer have had to interfere in this
matter, but s sense of justice, and a desire to protect the
tights of the whole world? He had nothing te gain, and he
might encounter a great deal of peril, obloquy and respon-
sibility. Under these circumstances Capt. Trotter does in-
terfere. He goes in search of the pirate. And you know,
gentlemen, said the learned judge, it was no ordinary peril
he encountered. Mr. Quentin has stated facts sufficient to
prove to you the danger of the undertaking, even when the
erew of the Panda were not on board to make resistance. Had
the crew remained on beard, and used the means in their
Possession, the loss of lives among the British, they being in
open boats, must necessarily have been great.

Now what inducement had Capt, Trotter to encounter all
this, but a high sense of public duty, not merely to his own
country, but to the commercial world. It is said that there
was something mysterious about the conduct of this brave
officer. I have never observed anything of the kind, gentle-
men, during this trial. It remains for you to say whether
anything of the kind exists. His station was on the African
coast, and he could not leave it without orders from home.®
He made the capture and communicated it, where he was in
duty bound te do, to the heads of the admiralty. We know
that he did this, because we find that the British government
taking cognizance of his act, and sending the prisoners to be

© In allusion to the remarks of Mr. Child aa to the length of Capt.
Trotter’s cruise and no announcement having been made in the
papers of his capture.

Related Posts