American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-12-22
From the London Quarterly Reriew.
THE SLAVE TRADE.


The powers with whom Great Britain made SO
Tenn treaties for the extinction Of the trade. if
they do not directly encourage their subjects to vi.
oate those engagements, take no active steps what.
ever to prevent them from doing so others rcfuac
absolutely to join in any auch treaties--to say the
less, all are lukewarm IN the matter.
1t would no, be difficult to prove that the transfer
of the trade from England to other nations, has
been productive Of more human misery, in one
single year, than the sum total of what has occur
red in the British West India Colonies from the
date of,hc abolition TO the present year. 1t may be
safely affirmed that not one slave the less has
sed the Atlantic, since the abandonment OF the trade
by Great BIilsin than would have done il she had
cont nued it.
Several American vessels, generally under the
Dut b flag have been shaving on the coast Of Afr
ca; one Of them. the Bey, was lately seized under
that flag. I" the crew OF which, consisting entirely
Of Americans, escaped punishment The Amer
can cruisers, however, are, (adds the Reviewer
we rejoice 10 know and say, honestly and actively
employed in looking out for offenders against the
laws.
The trade under the French flag is as vigorously
pursued as The French Government mani
tests, TO say the least, frigid Indifference on the
subject.
In their Twentieth Report, the Directors Of the
London African Institution say
"On the whole, it appears that the slave trade
has increased during the last year, (825 and that,
withdrawing the number Of prizes taken, it con
tipucs TO rage with undated fury; and that the
coast with the exception Of the British settlements
and their immediate neighborhood, is in vorse
condition than it has been for gears past ths, the
Spanisrds and Brazilians carry their profigacy as
| FAR as ever; whilst the French have become the
slass-carriers Of the Antilles"
The petition from the Abolition Society Of Paris,
10 the French Legislature states that 1t is estab
lished by authentic documents, that the slave cap
tains throw into the sea every year about three
] thousand negroes, men, women, and children, OF
whom more than half are thus sacrificed,
rhiis yet nire, either to escape from the visit OF
cruisers, or bee ause down by their suhcrngs,
they could not be sold to advantage.
In the year 1924, sixty vessels landed in Cuba
upwards Of 10000 slaves; of these ships great
number were French. In the FIRST month OF the
wear 1925, nineteen vessels had lett that port Tor
the Coast of Africa, and twenty five vessels Give
French and fifteen Spsnsh) had arrived from thence
having previously landed within twenty leagues OF
the Havana, 576b negroes
Next to the French slavers. in point of numbers,
and fully equal to them in atrocous conduct, are
the Portuguese whether on the West or the East
Coas, Of Africa. The Brazilian slave dealer clears
DOT for Molembo, for which place he has an impe'
rial license; but he we'll knows that no slaves are
10 be had at Mocmbo; he creeps therefore along
The cons from the Southwark, till he reaches Btatra
or benin keep, false log, and having entered one
of the rivers takes in his cargo OF slaves generally
go, ready for his immediate reception OF them.
The Portuguese and Brazinns, SO far from having
the least respect for public opinion, consider the
slave trade as ain honorable and Legitimate branch OF
commerce; and so little horror is felt among them
4, the enormi,cs which are constantly occurring
Ina, nothing is more common than fol ladies to
take shares in an ebony adventure; in the case OF
one recen' capture alone, there were Jour female
consipnees. The vessels with the Emperor DON
pedro's license are universally in the most horrid
condition the mortality and suffering on board OF
them almost too dreadful for description. IL IS s'a'
"a 10, n some Of those VESSELS were fierce dogs
of the blood hound species, trained TO SIT Watching
over the matches during the night lest the wretched
beings below. driven to desperation, should .a MAKE
III pr;,isb crujzers are Obliged to take the captu-
red sayers 10 Sierra Leone. But from the Blight OF
Benin 10 that port the passage is from five to twelve