The National Register. — London, England, 1822-05-12 00:00:00

149 LAVE. TRADE. On Friday the 15th Annual Meeting of the African Institution was held at Freemasons'-hall; the attendance was numerous; several ladies (particularly of the Society of Friends) were present. At half-past one o'clock his Royal Highness the Duke of Glucester took the chair, and opened the business of the meeting by calling upon Mr. Harrison, the hon. rucret try, to read the 15th annual report, w hich that attlitlelliall did, and the billowing arc the principal ex tracts :—A fier alluding to the afflicting commit:nice of the slave trade by the subjects of several European powers: Ilse report proceeded to allude to the increase of the slave t rule within the last year. The chief seat of this traffic 011 the wt st coast, is the Evers Bonny and Calabar ; and it has beets ascertained on good authority, that in fifteen months front July, 1820, to October 1821, 190 ships, under different flags hail entered the former river, and that 162 had entered the latter, for the purpose of pur chasing slaves—.t fact which may afford souse idea of whit must be the dreadful aggregate of misery inflicted shoring the last year, on this unhappy portion of the globe. In this work of inquity Fortio' still takes a pre-eminent part. Portugal, it will be recollected, is the only European Power that has refused entirely to prohibit her suljects from trading in slaves; she retains the gently distinction of still legalizing a traffic which site acknowledges at the same time to be a crime of the worst description. Au active slave trade has been car ried tail between the adjoining continent and the islands of BISC3O and the Cape de Verde, with the view of the !Lit/CS beitia afterwards shipped to the Havanna'', or to the French West India Islands. Bat the rivers which sins into the 'Stain of Beisin, and into that of Malta, are chiefly frequented by the Puringuese slave ships. —The report then goes on to notice, in terms of the warmest approbation, the fact, that throughout the whole range of Spanish America, now become indepen dent, not only has the slave trade bzen effectually prohi bited, but the very incentive to the crime beets removed by the gradual abolition of slavery itself, and the decla ration that colour is to constitute no bar to the attain ment of rank honours. Its allusion to the proceedings Of the king of the Netherlands, the report complains of the large introduction of slaves into Surinam, to the number of s veral thousands, ever since the sitting of the mixed commission there. Its allusion to France, the report is as follows :—Tne directors will now advert to the slave trade carried out under the flag of France, which has maintained under the last, as its some for mer years, its guilty pre-eminence. It will appear from the documents inserted in the appendix, that almost every part of the African coast, whether on its western or eastern shores, is crowded with Fretich contrabandist'. The coast appears literally to swarm with them: as one instance, its October, 1821, Lieut. Wright of the Snap per, ditriav , a cruise of only 18 days in the neighbour hood of Cape Mount, fell in with nine slave ships; one was a Dutch vessel, full of slaves, which escaped; the other eight were French, several of theist full of slaves. Bin the tavagel of the French slave traders are not con fined to the western shores of that devoted continent. The eastern coast, and especially the island of Zinque bar, have recently attracted the cupidity of these lawless adventurers; and au extensive traffic has beets carrying out thetice for the supply, not only of the-Lsles of Bour bon, but even of tile island of Cuba. A vessel with 344 slaves on board, named Le Succes, was detained in April 18 - 21, by Isis Majesty's ship Menui, Capt. Moresby, and carried into the Isle of France, where no claim of pos session or property being preferred, she was condemned, and the slaves liberated. The correspondence and other docinitents (ovoid on board this vessel throw a flood of light on the enormities of this traffic, and it is now car red out by the subjects of Fiance. It will be sufficient to mention. that it appears train these papers that this very vessel, Le Succes, bad already made a successful slave aoyage from Z anquebar to the Isle of Bourbon, where she had safely lauded 248 slaves; that the Governor, NI. Nlylitts, having been informed of the transaction, hail instituted judicial proceedings against her; but that the judges whose office it was to try the cause, having them aelies participated its the crime by purchasing some of her slaves, concurred its acquitting her; and that, encou raged by this impunity, she was immediately despatched for amelier cargo of Africans, and was returning with them to the Isle of Bourbon, when she was detained by . . he :Wiwi. A variety of other proofs will be found in the Appen d ix, of the pertinacity with which the slave trade Is prosecuted under the French fl ig, as well as of me impunity with which its prosecution is commonly attended. The report then details the unsuccessful effort of the Duke de Broglie in the French Chamber of Peers, last March, to render the laws of France more efficacious against this trade ; but the greatest success was antici pated from the diffusion of information upon the subject on die Continent. Moot flattering allusions were also made to the conduct of the United States of America, which had made this traffic piracy ; and a reference is made to a very elaborate opinion pronounced by Julge Van Ness in one of these cases, which deserves to be recorded. He intimated, that even if this ship and cargo, taken' outfit the SiiatilAi flag, hail not been proved to be American property, he would have held that the demand of restitution by the Spanish claimant ought to be reject on the ground that the trade, bettig pronounced illegal and cress criminal by the ntimicipal laws of Spain, and the property Isettig liable to confiscation in thecourts of his ono country, no Spanish subject could have a right to claim restitution in the courts of the United SidlE6.—Anothcr very important document has reached the 1) rectors trona the Dotted States. It is the report of a committee of the House of Representatives in their last session, relative to the Intl tual exercise of the right of t...rc:l, by Great Britain and America, with a view to the suppression of the slave trade. This committee gave a sery clear opinion its favour of the exercise of this Lord Cs LTHORPE rose to propose the motion of thanks to the Directors of the African Institution. He la emitted the inadequate manna itt which the efforzs of INAL R F.GISTEIt the abolitionists were supported b.; foreign powers, but he anticipated a more favourabl^ result from the consti tutional governments of the continent. Lend Neciewr, in scconiling the motion, animad• vested in severe woos up'.n the odious traffic of the slave trade, and eXpressett a hope that the time was not far distant, when, by the commou co.operatiren of al civilized gover tttttt •nts, a termination would b: put to the depredations of that monster of all mankind—the trader in human flesh. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE proposed the second resolution, which was declaratory of the abhorrence of the society at the manner in which the slave trade sub sisted. lie lamented the indisposition which was ma nifested by foreign power to take the only step that could cyanide the abolition effective, 'tamely, by making it piracy. He congratulated the meeting upon the great example set in this respect by the United States of Ame rica, whose gover ttttt en took the proper attitude that it became freemen to assume in the cause of freedom. Mr. WILBERFORCE, its seconding the declaratory resolution, deeply regretted the necessity which existed of enlightening the public mind of France respecting the odious measure of the slave trade. Mr. BROUGHAM proposed a resolution expressive of the gratification of the society at finding the slave trade mule piracy by the United Suites of America. In doing so, he was grieved to say, that instead of being assem bled, as they had hoped, this day, to witness the con summation of their IS yeaes' labours in enforcing the act of abolition, they had now the in otification to find a new series of troubles rising to their view, from a singu lar combination of unhappy circumstances. As long as their own laws had to be watched over to be enforced— as long as their own colonies declined to give their own slaves the equal benefit of the law, and withheld from them every thing which was not extorted front the mas ters, by the necessity of fostering the slaves now risen in rice, if that degraded epithet roust still attach to human beings—as long as other nations refused to redeem their own plighted promises—so long the African insti tution town obviously and necessarily have much to ac complish. It would seem from the interesting report which had been read, that the chief countries of EtiroFe since the peace, exhibited nothing, but a series of pledges given to be forfeited—opportunities of benefiting man kind only afforded to he scandalously thrown away— chances held forth to the nations of the world, but cast aside, of recovering themselves, and of gaining imperish alie renown. (Applause.) lie looked with indignation at the cuntrast . presented by the republic-an subjects of a free country, in the performance where they had not promised so much, to those govenments who had pro mised so much and performed so little.—(Applause).— Too much could not be said of the labours of the Society of Friends, who had been forcibly compelled, by the greatness of their own doings, to encroach upon that meekness of habit which mid ly induced them to " Do good by ' , wild', and blush to find it fame." (hear), and forced them to receive that public approba tion from their fellow subjects, which they were the first to earn, but the last to claim. (Hear.)—There were, however, some of the foreign e aovernments who resem bled the Society of Friends, but it was only in this one habit—that they made no claim for the approbation of mankind. (Laughter ) If they were slow in claiming, they took especial care to be also slow in deserving— their modest and retired habits were never broken in upon by the applause of suffering humanity; they kept the left hand in entire ignorance of what was thong by the right, and to obviate the possibility of a charitable exposure, they took particular care to keep both kands idle. (Renewed bursts of laughter.) These governments stood wholly without excuse, and he would press upon their governments, if they could hear him—he would press upon their people, through whom those govern ments must sooner or later hear it, that Yak' will be their plea of England's example of indifference to this traffic for a series of years, even if plea were stronger than it can be pretended to be. Trite it is that this is the 40th year since the wrongs of Africa first caught the attention of the English ear. At that time a 'noon society (prin cipally from among the Society of Friends), six m num ber, of whom alone George Harrison was the survivor, met in conclave upon this traffic. True, their conclave was as secret in its deliberations as were other congresses that had since assembled, though composed of very dif ferent members, influenced by very different feelings, and having very different objects to promote. This society sought information respecting the traffic; they were hallowed by Thomas Clarkson, and, treading on his heels in the great work, caine his hon. friend (Mr. Wilberlince), who had rendered his name illustrious by Ws services in this holy cause. (Loud applause.) And yet, notwithstanding the great exertions of such men, O 5 years elapsed from the beginning to the conclusion of their efforts, so tar as the passing of the abolition act. Why did he refer to these facts ?—first, that they had to take to theitisels es the deep shame of allowing so many years to elapse in the progress of such a question ; and next, to discourage despair, under any present circum stances, by showing, that in whatever cause a free and enlightened people resolve to embark, success must ulti ' mutely attend their struggle. (Applause.) It was not one year beorc their final niumpli, that after the question of abolition was carried in the Commons, it was flung out hi the Lords. (Hear, hear.) lie referred to these facts to discourage despair, not to vindicate foreign powers, or allow their plea of the example of England. When the subject was first taken tip in England it was new, its details and atrocities were unknown, the effect of mea sures was untried; hut would it be contended that the powers of the continent could plead that ignorance? Had they not had the progressive experience of Eng land They might, indeed, hare come into the discus sion at the I nth hour, but they did so with all the advantage of hearing the to hours' previous debate, and acquiring all the experience of the past to regulate their decision. (Loud crier of hear.) They must start, there ' tore, with us at the present time, and not flatter them selves with the delusive hope, that either among the 4trise or the good men of future times, they would stand justified in a delay, which in the case of En g l an d was without defence, but which in their case would he tit.. terly without palliation. (Applause.) The hon. and learned gentleman then pronounced a warm panegyric upon the example set by the United States of America, io making the slave trade piracy, and upon Mr. Ran dolph's arcat efforts in promoting that act. The R-v. JOHN CUNNINGHAM seconded the motion. Mr. RANDOLPH (lhe distinguished American) then rose to return thanks for this mark of respect towards the United States of America. He was impelled by a double motive, which he could not resist, to offer I • elf for a few moments to their attention. First, to discharge an act of duty in behalf of his native land, in the absence of its official representative—an absence as unexpected by him as it was unforeseen, and which had cast upon him a duty he felt inadequate to perform—that of thinking this meeting for the grateful sense they had expresed towards America, and also to assure them that all th.tt was exalted in station, ill talent, and in moral character, among his tottntrymen, was (as was also to be found in England) firmly united for the simpression of this infa mous traffic. (Loud applause.) Ile repeated his thanks to the meeting for the flattering reception they had given hint. [The plainness of Mr. Randolph's appearance, his republican simplicity of manner, and easy and unaffected address, attracted much attention: he sat down amidst a burst of applause.] Mr. JOUN WARNE. M.P., proposed a resolution of thank-, to Spain, for the recent vote of the Cortes, which made the slave trade penal, by confiscation and ten years haul labour at the public works. Mr. STEPHEN rose to propose a resolution of thanks to the new governments of South America, for the ready manner in which they (Columbia in particular) had come forward to abolish the slave trade. _ Mr. W. SMITH seconded this resolution. and en forced the necessity of more effective steps to secure the abuli. tion of this odious tr.tflicv His Royal Highness the Duke of GcoucEsTgo, in acknowledging the thanks of the meeting, took occasion to introduce the name of an illustrious relative of his, who had also steadily mimed the abolition of the slave trade—he meant the King of Denmark. (Applause.)— His royal highness also stated, that he had the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with Gen. Bolivar, who had promised him, when in England in the year 1808, that the moment the Americans had acquired their liberty, the slave trade should be abolished. General Bolivar had at least redeemed the promise he had made. (Loud applause.) When his royal highness quitted the chair, it was taken by Mr. Wilberforce, and thanks were then voted to Mr. Harrison, the honorary secretary. The meeting did not break up till past five o'clock. 'IIIE NATII MEETING .4T THE TREASURY. The adjourned meeting of the leading capitalists in the city took place at the Treasury Chambers, on F. iday morning last. at eleven o'clock. The gentlemen present were not so nninerons as on the former occasion. The meeting having been introduced to the Council Chamber, to the Earl of Liver pool, the Chancellor of the Excheriner, and the Governor of the Batik of England shortly afterwards entered the room. The Earl of LIVERPOOL then said, that they were de sirous of knowing from the gentlemen present, whether they hail considered the plan that hail been proposed— whether they had wished any further explanation, or whether any of them were ready to state that they would become bidders ? Mr. GRENFELL begged to be informed if any alteration had been made in the plan? Mr. VANSITTART replied, that a few insertions had been made for the purpose of making the plan more clear. The Earl of LI VERPOOL then read the plan over again, pointing out the insertions to which Mr. Vansittatt had alluded. The only thing material was in the paragraph referring to the "deposit of 500,0001. in Exchequer bills, to be lodged in the Bank of England within three (lass after the signature of Contract;" and here it was added. that the deposit might consist of 60,0001. Three per Cent. Consols. Mr. BOSANQUET, the Governor of the South Sea COOP. pany, now observed, that a statement had been prepay e d, by the Directors of the South 7zea Company, to lay befi,re the Proprietors of the South Sea Stock this day, but if it would be carried in the affirmative we should require a longer time than Tuesday next to obtain the necessary subscriptions towards the increase of capital which wiil be required. The Earl of Livettront..—We are of course desirous of hearing parties who may bid for the whole, in the first instance. If it should turn out that tio party bids ter the whole, then will come the consideration of the propositions of those who may bid for a part. It is very desirable that the whole thing should be settled as expeditiously as may be, to prevent the effects which are produced in the money market while the matter is in doubt. Mr. Bosaststu T remarked, that it was probable, in the course of the afternoon, he should be enabled to aserriaot the disposition of the South Sea Proprietors on the subject. After some further observations, it was ultimately fixed by the Earl of Liverpool, that the next meeting should stand fixed, as already appointed, for Tuesday. A very singular circumstance occurred on Friday last, involving a question of some interest to bankers. About three years ago, a bill at a month's date tin -10001. was drawn by a country banker on a highly respecrable firm in the City, and duly accepted. — The drawers (of whose stoppage we some days since apprised our readers) appeared on Saturday last in the Ga:etie. On Friday, to the great astonish ment of the acceptors, this bill, which for some reasons unknown to us appears not to have been before presented, made its appearance at the counter. Payment was declined for the present, and a circum stance so extraordinary will probably become the subject of litigation.