The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-22 00:00:00

BRITISH AND FOREIGN ANTI-SLAVERY
SOCIETY.

Last evening the annul meeting of the Mende and
supporters of the above society was held at the gall of Com.
merce, Threadneedle-street; 0. W. ALEXANDILIN Esq. (this
treasurer of the society), in the chair.
The tenth annual report of the committee commenced
with a statement of the number of slaves at present exist-
ing in professedly christian and civilised nations. Making
allowance for manumissions which may have taken place in
the South American republics, the folliwing was stated to
be a correct estimate of the number of aura In the tot-

lowing countries:
United States
Brazil
Spanish Colonies. 900,000
Dutch Colonies
South American Republics 140,000
African Settlements ..

2,500,000
Som? of the revolting proceedings connected with the ini-
quitous and oppressive system of slave traffic were ns at de-
tailed, and the substance of a tabular statement which was
laid before a select committee of the House of Commons ap-
pointed last year to consider the test means of providing for
the final eistincien of the slave trade, was set forth, from
which it appeared that the total number of Africans im-
ported into Brazil during the last 40 years has been
1,801,800 ; into the Spanish colonies, 1,446,027 ; into other
countries, 682,000 ; mortality during the middle passage,
1,121,299; and captured by British cruisers, since the year
1819, 117,380; making a grand total of 5,018,506, as the vic-
tims of the foreign African olive trade from 1807 to 18471
The report of the select committee of the House of Com-
mons was then given at full length, and was followd by a
brief account of the proceedings of the society itself in rela-
tion to the slave trade. The memorial presented to Lord
John Russell by the Committee, is 1846, was cmbolied is
the report; and the committee congratulated the meeting
upon having in that memorial established the principle " that,
so long as slavery exists, there is no reasonable prospect of
the annihilation of the slave-trade, and of extinguish-
ing the sale and barter of human beings; and that
the extinction of slavery and the slave-trade will be
attained most effectually by the employment of thou
means which are of a moral, religious, and pacific character."
The committee of the society cubs( quently felt it to be
necessary to call the attention of goserement to the power
which it possessed over Brand tend Spain, by virtue of its
treaties with them, b rah in relation to slavery and the slave
trade. They therefore presented their case in a memorial to
Lord Palmerston, in October last, and re-asserted the right
of this country to demand the liberation from slavery of all
Melvin who, co.itrary to the stipulations of treatlts and to
municipalmunicipalliw, bud been illicitly and illegally introduced
into their te refresh s and colonies respectiv.ly. Now it must
be obvious that if, in this way, an attack be made on lira-
sdian and Spaniels slavery, se as to render insecure the
tenure by which slaves are held, the whale syetem will be
shaken to its basis, and the slave trade will fall with it.
The ['abject of Coolie immigration into the British West
India colonies was next entered upon, and it was stated that
during the years 1844, 1815, 1848, and 1847, there were in-
troduced iota Jamaica, 8,932 Coolies; Brineh Guiana,
12,177; Trinidad, 6,734: total 25,843. No Indian immigra-
tion took place into Jamaica during 1847 and 1848, on con-
sequence of the House of Asiembly of that colony having
de elided to provide the nee...nary funds for that purpose;
but it was understood that government had authors, d the
further introduction of 5,000 Coolies into British Guiana,
and 1,000 into Trinidad, in 1847.8.
The wrote scheme of Indian immigration into the West
Indies was denounced as a costly failure, and attended with
a mortality so frightful, and immoralities so degrading, as
to involve all parties in disgrace who have pa tieipated in it.
I) dells of tha African end Mad, ira emigration and of Coolie
emigration to Mauritius were given at conside noble length,and
respecting the mortality of the immigrants it was sinful that
every elms of immigrants has suffered—the Portuguese most,
next to them the Coolie', and next to them the liberated
Africans. They have died from disease, nestled of hospitol
treatment, want of proper shelter and care, not by hundreds,
but by thousands; and the accounts which the committee
continue to receive of their wretched and suffsring condition
is truly heart-rending. The committee then set forth briefly
the proceedings of the abolitionists during the year in
the United States, France, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Brazil,
Northern Africa and the Levant, and concluded by express-
ing a hope that the spelt ty eaculd continue to experience
public sympathy cad support.
From the 'statement of the accounts nppended to the re-
port it appeared that the total receipts teem ell sources were
1,4301., which had been expended in promothet the objects
of the society, with the exception of a balance on hand of
541. Be 3d. The society, however, had incurred liabilities; to
the extent of 1501.
Dr. ALDER seconded the resolution, ani the r 'port was

unauimously adopt. d.
Mr. H. CLAPP, of the United States, moved—
" That this meeting, in reviewing the progress of the
antislavery cause ouring the past year, would record their
grateful acknowledge'. nts to Almighty (lid for the measure
of SUCCPIS which has "Vended it, and weedd express the high
est,rfaction they :eel that the National Assembly of France
have confirmed the decree of the provisional government, by
which comple'e emar.cipation has b-en a. cured to the en-
slaved population of the several colonies mid dependencies of
that great country ; that the King of Denmark has pro-
claimed liberty to the Degrees in long held in bondage in the
Danish West India colonies ; and that several of the great
nations of Europe, in the constitutions which they have pub-
lished, have provided teethe emplane ab slition of serfdom, and
the civil and religious equality, before the law, of all classes
of the population. That this meeting further rejoices in the
striking pregreao of the anti-slavery cause in the United
States—in the open and decided expression of public opinion
—in the dnelepment of right sentiments and feelings among
large portions of the community—iit the deeper interest felt
by several sections of the American church on the question
et slavery and its abolition—and in the discunione which
have arisen in relei.n thereto, in many of the state legiels.
turn and the balls of congress, and would cherish the hope
that the abolitionists of America will net abandon their posi-
tion as the pioneen of freedom, bet will constanby and per-
severingly maintain the right of the whole slave population
to immediate and unrestricted freedom."
He congratulated the meeting to the advance which the
anti-elavery came had made in the United States during the
last year. The slave now found friends in quarters where
ones he could meet none but enemies, and people in the
highest and lowest walks of life were now joining hands for
the common object of sustaining the abolition movement..
The blessings of education were now freely imparted to the
children of coloured patents, and they showed that they
were quite capable of appreciating the benefit thus extended
to them.
Rao. B. CAREY seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
Rev. A. CRUMMELL, en episcopal clergyman, from the
United States, prepared the next resolution, which was to
the following effect :
" That, in the opinion of this meeting, the abolitionists of
this and other countries have a great per-onal as well as col-
lective duty to perform towards the suffering and oppressed
millions of mankind, now in bondage, in abstaining, as far as
practicable, from the use of slave-labour produce, and in the
encouragement of that alone which is grown and manufae-
tend by the comrensated labour of freemen; they would,
therefore, earnestly recommend all the opponents of slavery
to set a worthy example themselves, and 109 to encourage
and suetiin every well.directed effort to induce the public at
large to adopt similar views and practice, as one great and
powerful means for securing the universal abolition of slavery."
Rev. Mr. DOVE seconded the mckn, which was

adopted.
Mr.
J. STUROB proposed the following resolution :
" That this meeting have learned with the de-pest regret,
that, notwithstanding the long-protracted and caktly efforts
of this country to suppress the foreign African elnoe trade by
armed cruisers (a system which this meeting condemns), it
is still curled on to an enormous extent, and under circum-
stances of aggravated atrocity and horror. That this meeting
attribute this fearful state of things chp fin to the continued
bad faith of the governments of Brazil and Spain, who, con.
trillry to the solemn stipulations of their treaties with
this country and their own laws, suffer it to
be openly and flagrantly carried on. That this
meeting, while thty continue to affirm the right of
every human being, now held in slavery, to unconditional
freedom, are of opinion that the BMA government should
fnthwith make a formal demand on the supreme authorities
in Brazil and Spain, for the liberation from slavery of all
Africans who, contrary to the said treaties, have been illicitly
imported into their t• rritoriss and colonies respectively, and
that, should they attempt either to evade the demand, or
procrastinate its strict fulfilment, it be notified to them that
measures will be taken to exclude their produce from the
British market until such time as slavery itself shall be &ha
'Jibed throughout their daminione."
The motion was secondekby Mr. M. VINBT ANT, of Haiti,
and carried unanimously.
On the motion of Bev. J. BURNET, of Camberwell, a reso-
lution was also adopted, pretesting against the governmental
scheme for supplying the emaocipeed colonies with foreign
labourers, as unjust in principle al.cl di moralising and in-
human in practice, and expressing reprobation of the laws
now in force for restricting the just liberties of the immi-
grants and for coercing their labour. The usual
compli-
men'ary vote of thanks having been given to the Chairman,
the proceedings terminsted.