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Answer of the Proctors
Answer of the Proctors for the Amistad Africans
Answer of S. Staples, R. Baldwin, and T. Sedgewick,
Proctors for
the Amistad Africans, to the several libels of Lt. Gedney, et. al. and
Pedro Montes and Jose Ruiz, January 7, 1840
National Archives and
Records Administration-Northeast Region, Waltham, MA,
Records of the District Courts of the United States, RG 21
After the Amistad was seized, the schooner, its cargo, and all on board
were taken to New London, CT. Had it not been for the actions of abolitionists
in the United States, the issues related to the Amistad might have ended
quietly in an admiralty court. But they used the incident as a way to expose the
evils of slavery and generate significant opposition to the practice. Abolitionists
asked Roger S. Baldwin, a lawyer from New Haven, and two New York attorneys, Seth
Staples and Theodore Sedgewick, to serve as proctors for, or represent, the Africans.
The answer to the libels of Lt. Gedney, et. al. and Pedro Montes and Jose Ruiz that the
proctors submitted to the district court conveyed the position of the Africans.
Below are the scans of the original documents. Click on any document to view a large version. Please
note that these images may take some time to download depending on your Internet connection.
This document has been reproduced from the National Archives and
Records Administration for use by educators and students. Generally, material produced
by the Federal agencies are in the public domain. To find out more about Amistad and more on
American history, we invite you to browse the large collection of data available at NARA.
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