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Edward L. Pierce, Memoir and letters of Charles Sumner: volume 2, Chapter 23: return to his profession.—1840-41.—Age, 29-30. (search)
earch vessels carrying the American flag, when they were suspected both of being engaged in the slave-trade and of being other than American vessels; and her ships of war had made searches even when the vessel, although suspected as a slaver, was known to be American. British officers who had made them, when afterwards found here, were sued in actions of tort. Sumner and Hillard were retained by the British Consul at Boston in actions of this kind brought in Massachusetts. Law Reporter, May, 1841, Vol. IV. p. 33. In these cases the plaintiffs, who belonged to the American vessel Tigris, sued for false imprisonment the defendant, a midshipman of the British brig Waterwitch, who had overhauled the Tigris, and brought her into one of our ports. Rufus Choate and Mr. Perkins, of Salem, were the plaintiff's counsel. Sumner's connection with this litigation directed his attention more closely to the question of search and inquiry in cases of suspected slavers, which he afterwards discus