The report on the trial of Samuel Tulley and John Dalton presents the offenses committed by the two on the 21st of January 1812. The report contains vast evidence, arguments of the counsel and lastly the death sentence issued on Samuel Tulley. According to the report, the two were accused of piracy and murder 1 . As presented in the District Court of Pennsylvania, Samuel Tulley and John Dalton forcefully sailed on the high seas near the Isle of May, one of the Cape Verde Island without the jurisdiction of the United States. The two among other mariners feloniously run away with the George Washington vessel from the care, possession, and custody of Uriah Phillips Levy, the master. The George Washington vessel comprised of certain goods and merchandise. The vessel had fourteen quarter casks of Teneriffe wine and two thousand Spanish milled dollars which summed to a value of five thousand dollars. In addition to stealing and forcefully running away with the vessel, they were also accused of murdering George Cummings on the high season the 20th day of January.
On the 21st day of January, the Mariners finally scuttled and cast away the vessel on the high seas against the provision of the law. The above-committed offenses lead them to be arraigned in the court of law where they pleaded not guilty. Thereafter, the jury had to commence trial of Samuel Tulley and John Dalton after various challenges from the two prisoners. The case was then opened by George Blake, the Esq-Attorney of the United States. From the evidence presented by James Holmes who brought the prisoners at the bar, Uriah Phillips Levy, the master of the vessel, John Owen, Michael Hopkin, the captain and many more, a judgment was made based on the United State law. James Holmes only confirmed on bringing the prisoners along with John Owen to the bar. Uriah Phillip Levy, the master stated in his evidence that he often left the schooner under the care of his mate when he always left but prisoners left the Isle of May before his arrival with the vessel bound to the United States.
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John Owen witnessed the murder of George and also stated that Samuel and John distributed the money of the captain to others as they told them to keep the secret on what had happened and the money for themselves. He continued to explain to the court that he found himself in a place where he did not know the following day. However, John Owen did not affirm if Samuel and Peter were responsible for stealing the vessel.
The prisoners were defended by James Austin and Peter Thacher but could not succeed based on the earlier evidence provided. They argued that that the entire evidence on the accidental departure of the Schooner was inconsistent and the pirate of the vessel was scarcely in the evidence issued 2 . James and Peter further claimed that John Owen, the main witness in the case, from which facts came, should have also been responsible for whatever crimes committed. On the piracy issue, the defendants argued that the facts presented by John Owen did not amount to the piracy crime. After the defense had concluded by the prisoners’ counsel, George Blake, the attorney addressed the jury on the part of the prosecution linking the evidence to the seven points that could make the jury be satisfied by the judgment. Samuel Tulley and John Dalton were judged with piracy and murder and these offenses were punishable by death based on the United States law. The United State law states that any person who commits murder, robbery or any offense upon the high seas, any river, basin or bay without the jurisdiction of any particular state was punishable with death.
Depending on the evidence put forth by John Owen, Uriah Phillip, Captain Michael Hopkin, and James Holmes, Samuel Tulley and John Dalton deserved the trial. The two had breached the United State law by feloniously running away with the vessel and merchandise from the care, custody, and possession of Uriah Phillips Levy which meant that they have constituted the crime of piracy. Judge Davis defines a pirate as a person who tries to enrich himself by force or surprise, sets upon merchants by sea spoiling them of their goods. With regard to the trial, Samuel Tulley and John Dalton had committed the offense and were responsible for the trial. They had sailed with the vessel before the arrival of their master. Similarly, Molloy argues that the actual force on the person in possession or the master is not necessary to constitute the offense of piracy but can rather be conducted when mariners combine to run away with the ship and cargo without instilling any fear to anyone. Seemingly, they had committed the crime of piracy and were guilty and deserved to be judged based on the United States law pertaining to piracy.
Piracy is the act of criminal or robbery violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon a ship with the intention of stealing the cargo and other valuable items and properties. In this regard, the events discussed in the trial related to the piracy subject discussed. The prisoners had combined feloniously to run away with George Washington vessel on the high sea which was a piratical act within the Statute. More so, Samuel and John also murdered George Cummings on the high seas and afterward scuttled and cast away the vessel on high seas. These events in the trial indicate the act of piracy.
The piratical acts of Samuel and John occurred during the war of 1812 which happened because of numerous reasons. The most significant reason was Great Britain’s policy of impressments where American sailors were kidnapped and forced to work in the British Royal Navy 3 . The other reasons were border disagreement as well as the British-American policies. The war was highly politicized and controversial. The Democratic-Republicans supported the war while the Federalists opposed it. Across America, the war was divided across party lines. Some of these incidences were experienced in the Baltimore Riots of 1812 where strong anti-Federalist sentiments were heard. Additionally, the piratical acts occurred the time American was finding difficulties to market their products and make the profit on the Atlantic commercial system. Great Britain seemed to humiliate the United State by limiting its growth. The British also issued executive orders to form blockades on the European coast. By doing so, Great Britain was in control of the American trade and reserved it to their advantage which resulted in economic warfare. It can be argued that the political and economic situation in the United States may have contributed to the piratical acts conducted by Samuel and Dalton.
It can be concluded that the trial of Samuel Tulley and Jon Dalton on piracy of the George Washington vessel as well as the murder was appropriate under the United States law on piracy. As much as there was insufficient evidence of their trial, their acts were enough to deem them guilty. Additionally, the political and economic situations in the United State could have contributed to their piratical act. Although the judgment was debatable, the prisoners were guilty and were to be judged based on the law of the United States.
Bibliography
Belcher J. Report on the Trial of Samuel Tulley and John Dalton ; On an Indictment For Piracy, committed on January 21 st 1812.
Horsman, Reginald. The Causes of the War of 1812 . Pickle Partners Publishing, 2018.
1 Belcher J. Report on the Trial of Samuel Tulley and John Dalton ; On an Indictment for Piracy, committed on January 21 st 1812.
2 Belcher J. Report on the Trial of Samuel Tulley and John Dalton ; On an Indictment For Piracy, committed on January 21 st 1812.
3 Horsman, Reginald. The Causes of the War of 1812 . Pickle Partners Publishing, 2018.
