The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1821-08-07
From the Liverpool Mercury, June %.

FROM the Liverpool Mercury June ~
The Stare Trade.-The correspondence be-
tween the foreign Powers and the Commissioners
at Sierra Leone, the object Of which Is the gen.
eral abolition Of the slave trade, has been recent
ly brought before the House Of Commons, and
will probably have become the subject Of discus
sion before the appearance of this days publica-
ton. 1t appears from this interesting but vou-
minous document, that this execrable traffic 10
still most extensively carried en- by Spain, Por-
tugal, the Netherlands. and Fance whilst Amer
lea alone has seconded the enlarged and philan-
thropc efforts Of the British Legislature, to extir
pate the abomination. We hail with pleasure
this policy of the Americans, who az we'll AS our
selves, owe such an act Of retributive Justice to
the wretched African, some atonement for a
long protracted system Of cruelty and spoliation
and TO the world at large reparation for an ex~
ample so derogatory to the character OF civilized
nations. has taken most efectual
means of evincing her sincerity on this subjects
by enacting. that neither her own subjects, nor
foreigners sailing under her flag, shall hereafter
engage in this infamous traffic. without subject
ing themselves to the capital punishment for such
acts Of piracy.
In the Mercury, Of April the 18Th, we called
the public attention to dreadful narrative con-
tanned in the report of the Yearly Meeting Of
Friends for 1920. 1t was descriptive Of the suf-
ferings Of the crews and cargo (the slaves being
so classed y Of the Rodeur and the St. Leno, who
were afflicted with the ophthalma to such de-
| gree, that only one man could see TO steer The
document in which these observations originated
details some further particulars Of these heart
rending scenes, which no nducement. exceptthe
hope Of contributing in some degree to the cause
OF humanity, could induce Us to record.
Our present limits obge US to confne ourselves
to few extracts, which disclose scenes Of hu-
man milery and human depravity, scarcely sur
passed in the history Of the world.
sit was then remarked, that the ne groes, who.
to the number of one hundred and sixty, were
crowded together, enlasses in the hold and be-
tween the decks, had contracted considerable
rsdness of the eyes, which spread with singular
lrapaity.' No great attention at first paid 10
these symptoms, which were thought to be caus-
ed only by the want Of air ia the hold, and BY
theiscsrcity OF water, which had already begun
to be felt. At this time they were limited 70
eight ounces Of water day, which quantity was
afterwards reduced to the half of wine glass"
$ By the advice Of Nj. haignan, the surgeon of
the ship, the Negroes, who had hitherto remain
ed shut up in the hold, were brought upon deck
in succession, in order that they might breathe a
pnrer air. But ii became necessary to abandon
this expedient, salutary as il was, because many
OF those Negroes, affected with Nostalgia, (mean-
ing the passionate desire TO revisit their native
iand), threw themselves into the sea, locked liz
each others arms.''
This Is sufficiently horrible but what remains
to be told il still more appalling. The wretched
slaves VINO were thus afflicted with disease sup
posed to be fremidable, actually thrown
into the sea and drowned III!
After the execution of the Greek Patriarch al
Constantinople, the body dragged through
the city by the Jews with the most dreadful IN
suits. A Greek is stated to have succeeded ID
obtaining the body from them while yet entire,
for 100000 piastres.
| If the claim Of Mr.. Walker, the kings apothe-
cary, preferred, be allow ed in the court Of
claims, he viii be obliged to attend at the cere-
nation, IN the dress Of the Esculapius Of Edward
| II. viz. long shses, turned up at the toe, and
| looped to the knee a blue stocking on one leg,
and red stocking tue other. with party
coouFed vest and cloak. His UtIce Will be IN
carry in one hald a bottle Of periumed OF.
/ Miss Fellowes, sister 10 w. ID. Fellowes, ESQ
Secretary 70 the Lord Great Chamberlain, has
we learn, been appointed chief Hero Woman 10
his Majesty, On the dsy Of the coronation. Her
] duty will be, accompanied BY her SIX maids (who
are to be young ladies Of respectable iames) to
precede the procession, snd TO strew the path
with flowers. Miss Fellows viii, III fact. be tbs
/ first person in the procession.
|
- Steam Psckets employed liverpool, Eng. sor
are frequently Giot,0n = tie sac lun-