The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-09 00:00:00

MURDB_R OF TWO AFRICAN

LIMIGRANTS.

The following letter has been received from
Cayenne :

" GEORGETOWN, DEC. 9.
"In confirmation of what I have already written
with respect to the position of French Guiana, I
hasten to apprise you of a fact of serious import-
ance, and which reached me at the moment of the
departure of the mail. It relates to the murder of
two African immigrants. You are aware what-
ever may be said to the contrary, that these
immigrants do not quit Africa of their own free will
to labour in the French colonies. There are some
who persist in refusing, at all risks, to accept the
slavery attempted to be imposed on thorn, and who
will not work. They escape to the woods, and re-
move as far as possible from their oppressors.
Under the system which prevailed previous to the
decree of emancipation in 1848 there were many in
this position. They were known by the name of ' Mar-
rens,' and the same epithet is applied to the African
immigrants who will not accept the pretended ad-
vantages offered them by their importers into the
French colonies. Two of the immigrants, lately
arrived in Guiano, and who had not obtained work,
lived by the plunder of the small planters. The
latter, annoyed at finding their plantations con-
tinually ravaged, organised a battue with the
assistance of their neighbours. The battue took
place, and the planters soon came upon the traces of
the Marrons. The latter, finding they were dis-
covered, endeavoured to escape, but they were both
shot dead by the proprietor of the plantation which
had been plundered. It is worthy of remark that
this man is himself a negro, and it may be asked
why he acted in so cruel a manner towards these
Marrons,' natives like himself of Africa ? The ex-
planation is easy. He has imbibed the fatal doc-
trines which prevailin the French colonies—namely,
that civil liberty among the negroes is merely tran-
sitory, and the engagement of immigrants a step
towards slavery. Under the regime of the lash the
planters were authorised to put the Marrons' to
death, and the assassin of the two immigrants,
being aware of that fact, believed that he was
justified in shooting these men,lwhose only crime
was their having stolen some bananas or
other roots in his fields. I may also tell you
that the authorities heic cerebrate the 2d of
December as a national holiday. They do not,
however, avow the real cause of the fete, and it is
said that the rejoicings are to celebrate the anni-
versary of the Emperor of Brazil, who was born
on Dec. 2, 1825 ; but nobody is deceived as to the
intentions of the local authorities. Nobody thinks
of celebrating the 2d of December of Paris. The
Government itself merely justified the coup d'etat as
a necessity forced upon it by an inextricable posi-
tion."

TILE MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE AT

CARLISLE.

Since the publication of some of the details
connected with the discovery of a coffin and the dead
body of a child, in a box, at the Bush Hotel, on
Thursday, public curiosity and excitement have be-
come very great. The police are working diligently
in the solution of the mystery. On Saturday we
were present at a re-examination of the coffin, box,
and the tattered apparel which had covered the
child. The coffin measured 43 inches in length, 131
inches in breadth, and 101 inches in depth at the
head ; but at.the foot it is only 7 inches. It is con-
siderably deeper at the head than ordinary coffins.
The white cotton cords attached to the handles at
the sides and ends were for letting the coffin into
the grave. It is ornamented at the sides and lid
by: a tin beading. At the head is the figure of an
angel, and at the foot the representation of a flower
vase, of the same material. In the centre is a plate,
shaped like a heart; and above is a crown and the
words " Glory to God," whioh is no doubt a common
inscription on coffin plates. The box in which it was
inclosed was unplaned, and the lid screwed on. The
inside of the lid was clean and new, and was marked
in pencil with the calculations of the joiner. The
nightcap, chemise, and night dress in which the
body was wrapped,' as were also the kerchief which
had been tied partly round the neck and head, were
carefully examined with a view to detect any pecu-
liar marks. There were some black patches, like
drops of ink, which had probably fallen from the
staining of the coffin, under the night dress, but
there were no other particular marks. The cambric
handkerchief was holed at two of the corners, but
whether it had. been cut or had decayed under the
influence of the moisture could not be determined.
The child had yellowish hair, and one of its golden
locks was preserved for the purpose of identifica-
tion, if necessary. In the afternoon the body was
interred in the cemetery. The Paisley police were
communicated with on Thursday, and it is satisfac-
tory to know that they nave found some traces
which, together with what is known at Carlisle,
will in all probability lead to the detection of the
parties implicated in the horrible business. It has
been ascertained that the box was sent from Pais-
ley on the evening (not during the day) on the lath
March last. It was sent by a " Mr. Loudon" to
" Mrs. Loudon, Bush Hotel, Carlisle ;" it came in a
luglige train on the Glasgow and South-Western
aern
Railway; and Mr. Galbraith, undertaker, made
coffin and box resembling the description of those
found at the Bush about the time they were sent'e
la; -
,0:t1
police called, and as he had not the articles them-
selves to identify the point will not be settled till
his return. The registers of the various churches