The Portland gazette., 1820-05-30

strenuouslv engaged to oppose IT, That il was
not eontradictod or dsapproved, can only De ac-
counted for upon the ground that 1t was the tr"tn
and nothing but the truth what, therefore,
shall briefly state to you on this SUBJECT, VIII oe
drawn principally from those records ana am
free TO confess that great as was my de'es'a',on
of the trade, had no conception until recently
read an abstract Of this evidence of the vast ex-
tent of misery and cruelty eccasoned by ITS raw
ages And il. gentlemen, this detail shall awak-
en- your minds 70 the absolute necessity of con-
slant vigilance in the enforcement oil the laws oh
this subject, we hope that public opinion follow
ing these laws will very soon extirpate the trade
among our citizens -. :.
" The number Of slaves taken from Africa 10
l76G amounted to one hunired and four thousaha'
and though the numbers somewhat fuctuated IN
different wears afterwards, yet il is in the highest
degree probable that the average, until the ao-
clifton, was not much below loO.0Oo year.
England alone in the year 1885, employed loo
ships. and carried off about $4,000 slaves.
g The unhappy slaves have been divited INTO
seven classes The most considerable and that
which contains at least haf Of the whole number
transported, consists OF kidnapped peopf.-- ms
mode Of procuring them includes every species o'
treachery and knavery Husbands are stolen
from their wives. children from their parents and
bosom friends from each other. so generally
prevalent are these robberies, that it Is hrst
principle Of the natives not to 60 unarmed whie
slave ship is on the coast, for fear Of being stoi-
en-. The second class of slaves, and that not IN
eo,std rable consists of those, whose villages have
been depopulsted for obtaining them Ihe par
ties employed in these predatory expeditions go
out at night. set fire TO the villages, which they
find. and carry off the wretched inhabitants thus
suddenly thrown into their power. as slaves.
The practice is indeed common, that tho re-
mains of the deserted and burnt villages are eV-
cry where 10 be seen on the coast
The third class of slaves consists oil such per-
sons AS are said to have been convicted oil crimes,
and are sold on ;his account for the beneft oil
their kings and IT is not uncommon to impute
crime. TO them falsely, and to bring on mock r'as
for the purpose Of bringing them within the reach
Of the royal traders.
'.The fourth class includes prisoners OF war
captured sometimes in ordinary wars, and some
times in was oTigiusted ior the very purposes OF
slavery.
"The fifth class comprehends those who are
slaves by birth and some traders on the coast
make practice of breeding from their own
slaves, for the purpose Of selling them, IKE
cattle, when they arrive at a suitable age
| The sixth class comprehends sucn as nave
sacrfo ed their liberty to the spirit OF gaming
and the seventh and last class, OF those who be-
ing in debt are seized according to the laws oi
the country, and sold to their creditors. The
two last classes are very Observation-Disclosures
scarcely deserve mention.
Having lost their liberty in one Of the ways
already mentioned, the slaves are conveyed 10
the banks Of the rivers or coast. Some be-
long TO the neghborhood others who have Nv
ed in distant parts and others are brought a
thousand miles from their homes. Those VINO
come from a distance march in droves or caufies,
as they are called.--Tbey are secured from ris-
I ,poa Inv piorpz wood which
attach the nocks Of Two and two tog ether-or by
other pieces, which are fastened by staples to
! their arms.--'They are made 70 carry .Heir own
water and provisions and are watched and lot
lowed by the drivers, who by force, cotonel the
I weak 10 keep up with the strong.
''They are sold immediately upon their arrival
on the rivers coasts, either to land-factors al
depofs for that purpose, or directly to the shps
engaged in the trade.-Thsy are then carried in
boats to the various shrs whose captains have
purchased them. The men Immediately con-
fined two and two together either by the neck,
leg or arm, with fetters of solid iron. II hey are
then put into their apartments, the men occupy
ing the fore part, the women the after part, aud
the bows the middle OF the vessel. The tops o
these apartments are grated for the admission o'
/ light and air and the slaves are slowed Ike any
other lumber, occupying only an allotted portion
of room MANY Of them, while the ships arc
4 waiting 'htH iuii ieuihS !" e'e'N
tive shore, manifest great appearance OF distress
and oppression and some instances have occur
red where they have sought relief by suicide and
others wAsrs .hey have been afflicted with deilr'
ium and ,aadness.--ln the day time, the wealth
er he fce they are brought upon deck for air
They ar> ilaced in long row Of two and two
! toge,hef. oa-e each side Of the ship, long chain
| is then made 10 pass through the shackes oil
| each pair. and by this means each row is secured
| 10 tho deck. In this state they eat their miser-
able meals, consisting of horseheans, rice, aud
yams, with little pepper and palm OIL Alter
! their meals, IT is a custom to make them Jump
/ for exercise as high as their ietters will allow
/ them; and il they refuse they are whipped until
they comply. This the slave merchants call
dancing, and it would seem literally to be the
dance Of DEATH
when the number Of slaves IS completed, the
ships be gin what is called the middle passage, TO
transport the slaves to the coonies.-Fhe height
of the apartments in the ships is different acsor'
ding {, the size Of the vessel, and is from six feet
10 three feet that it Is impossible TO staud erect
! IN most of the vessels, and in some scarcely to
sit down In the same posture II the vessel be
| full, their situation is truly deplorable. In the
! best regulated ships, grown person IS allowed
but sixteen inches in width. thirty-two inches IN
height, and five feet eleven nches in length, or
TO use the expressive langnage'ol witness. not
10 So much room as n,an has - his coffin. They
are indeed so or wded below that IL is almost I'M