"That he is a Spanish subject; that he resided in the island of Cuba several years; that he knows the laws of that island on the subject of slavery; that there was no law that was considered in force in the island of Cuba, that prohibited the bringing in African slaves; that the Court of Mixed Commissioners had no jurisdiction except in cases of capture on the sea; that newly imported African negroes were constantly brought to the island, and, after landing, were bona fide transferred from one owner to another, without any interference by the local authorities or the Mixed Commission, and were held by the owners, and recognised as lawful property; that slavery was recognised in Cuba by all the laws that were considered in force there; that the native language of the slaves was kept up on some plantations for years. That the barracoons are public markets, where all descriptions of slaves and sold and bought; that the papers of the Amistad are genuine, and are in the usual form; that it was not necessary to practise any fraud to obtain such papers from the proper officers of the government; that none of the papers of the Amistad are signed by Martiner, spoken of by R. R. Madden in his deposition; that he (Martiner) did not hold the office from whence that paper issued."

--A. G. Vega, Esq., Spanish Consul, January 10th, 1840