William H. Williams relentlessly pursued the return of the convict slaves confiscated from him by repeatedly petitioning the Louisiana state legislature. He eventually proved successful. In 1857, the state restored to Williams all of the surviving transports from Virginia, plus the children born to the enslaved female convicts. Williams’ own lawyer sued him for non–payment for services rendered in the effort to regain the slaves forfeited to the state, but a judge sided with Williams because he believed the attorney’s lobbying efforts were contra bonos mores (against good morals). Williams went on to sell the convict slaves for several thousands of dollars. He died a little more than a year later.