The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-18 00:00:00

THE SLAVE-TRADE.

Mn. EDITOR,—A remedy was some time ago pro-
posed for the suppression of the slave-trade ; it was a
costly one to this country, and it failed entirely.
As regards the evil of a want of labour in the British
tropical colonies, I do not think that the remedy pre-
tended even to cure that ; but, if it did, that cure could
have been but a slow one, since Africa was to be civi-
lised first. Allow me, then, now to propose at least an
antidote for the slave-trade, which may diminish the
grievous want of labour in the colonies, and, I flatter
myself, at the same time, render possible, almost imme-
diately, the free emigration from Africa not only to the
British isles, but also to such other tropical countries as
are enlightened enough to join sincerely for the accom-
plishment of so desirable an object, which alone can
avert from them impoverishment, demoralisation, disho-
nour, arid.ruin. E
ANTIDOTE FOR THE SLAVE-TRADU.

We submit to the amputation of a limb for the sake
of life ; we hang a man for the-benefit of society ; we
remit punishment, for the sake of truth, when evidence
is furnished against accomplices. The appliances for
()Wining and rendering justice must be coincident with
its demands. When bad men conspire, good men must
combine. For national crimes there must be national
remedies. Those nations that dare the world's scorn
deserve the world's execration, and when humanity
bleeds it behoves the humane to - act with energy. Tlit
slave-trade is now indelibly branded by civilised Europe
as infamous in those nations that . allow it, iniquitous
towards man, and a wicked defiance of the Almighty.
There are no guilty deeds without guilty men. The
hardened piratical crew of a slaver are not the only sin-
ners, nor indeed the chief sinners. The breeders and
owners of skies ; the builders, owners, and equippers of
slave-ships; the rascal dealers in our race, the bargainers
for blood upon the coast, the marketing buyers in
America, Cuba, Brazil ; the inhuman taskmasters in,
each exacting, not only sweat. from the brow, but-blood
.from the flesh. These are the beings that Europe
execrates.

When the confirmed scoundrel and the young eon -
federate are caught, and brought to prison, the older
inciting party receives the greatest punishment.
The sailor in a slave-ship is not so criminal as the
owner of the cargo and owner. of the ship. Though
working in such ari iniquitious traffic, he is innocent
when compared with his masters and the capitalists who
employ him for their iniquitous gain. lie seeks bread—
his employers gold, through the sacrifice of blood.
The sailors now employed in that trade feel they are
in a desperate course ; many of them, if they could and
had the inducement, would quit it to-morrow. The
question is, can it be managed ? Can the inducement be
offered?
To the first question the answer is, every British port
in the British colonies offers an asylum for a- y kid-
napped African, and restores to him his natural freedom ;
and it may be hoped that, ere long, all other countries,
not excepting those who still uphold slavery, will also be-
come such asylums.
Can an inducement be offered for the crews of these
slave-skips to carry the slaves into one of these ports, in-
stead of taking them to countries where tl ey would b
bought and sold as slaves? If the different colonies
can now subscribe to pay the passages for free immi-
grants, and of free negroes to the colonies, it would
answer their purpose quite as well to subscribe to meet
a reasonable gratuity to the crews of slavers, and accotn-
plish thereby the noblest work—the freedom of the
captives.
The cry from the colonies is for free combined labour,
because the manumitted blacks work now mostly for
their own account, and chiefly in occupations hitherto
neglected. Free emigration cannot b‘t resorted to in
any sufficient degree from Europe to tropical climes, nor
is it' desirable ; and spontaneous emigration from Africa
is prevented by the convulsions in which that continent
is kept through the slave-trade.

Now, if we can combine a remedy for the honest de-
mands and necessities of a drooping agriculture, and, at
the same time, apply a final cure to the evils of Africa ;
nd if the interests of humanity can be combined with
those of the planters, not only of the West Indian, but
the real and true interests of the very shareholders of
Brazil and Cuba, whose existence is pealed, by their own
showing, by further importation of slaves, why should we.
hesitate to do it ?

By these means self-interest would be made to act as a
meritf assistant in the cause of humanity. The greater
risk for the owners of slave-trading vessels to lose their
property by the turning of their, crews against them,
would deter them from embarking in such hazardous
speculations, and the temptations of a pecuniary reward
would act as a stimulus to these crews to bring their
cargo tosuch ports, where they can rely upon a premium
for so doing.
It such a device were acted upon, all tropical countries
in want of African free labour, and all those sincerely
desirous of doing away with the slave-trade, now a
hundred times more cruel and destrUctive than in past
centuries, would probably subscribe or vote an amount
for so valuable an importation of labour secured by such
means.
The countries wishing to protect themselves against
any further importation of slaves would co-operate. and
countless philanthropists all over the World will contri-
bute their mites of contributions toe ards a fund to be
employed in sufficient remunerations to said crews.
The vessels to be abandoned, or to be given up to the
lawful (?) owners, in any manner consistent with the
law, which the funds of the subscribers will test.
Let, therefore, meetings of private indivials forthwith
take place here and in the islandS; let a purse be made
up ; and let the notices of premium be circulated on
the coast of Afvica, and among the sallow of Havannah
and Brazil ; and let an authorised individual or body,
as the representative of the subscribers to the fund. issue
his or their engagement for the faithful performance of
these terms on taheds surrender nderoi.
slave-tradetlt e
wilt uarnedlyea
( landingse. of
the passengers, n

A letter has been received from Algiers, May I,
announcing that General Changarnier had just made a
lisuococoeshsfeuald eoxfecuartstile.
en against the Arabs, and captured
NOT A BAD ONE. " Shakspere wrote well—
Dickens Willer."—Somerset Gazette.
MANCHESTER RACES.-Our races cmnmenc; ou
Tuesday next and terminate on rriaay,—)lffaiteheito
Times.