American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-02-22
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT

MESSAGE OF THE PRESID EST
IN RELATION TO THE SLAVE TRADE.
The following Message was sent to both
Houses of Congress, on Thursday, by Prcs-
dent Tyler, in relation to the Slave Trade:
transmit, herewith, for the information of
Congress, copies of certain dispatches recently
received from Mr.. Wise, our Envoy Extraordi-
nary and Minister Plcnipotcntiary at the Court
OF Brazil, upon the subject of the Slave Trade;
developing the means used and the devices re-
sorted to, in order TO evade existing enactments
upon that subject.
AnXiously desirous as are the United States
TO suppress traffic so revolving to humanity,
in the efforts to acco mplish which they have
been the pioneers of civilized States, it cannot
bat be subject of the most profound regret
that any Of our citizens should be found acting
IN cooperation with the subjects of other Pow
ers, i'll opposition TO the policy of their own Go
vernment; thereby subjecting to suspicion and
TO the hazard of disgrace the flag of their own
country. 1t is true that this traffic is carried
on altogether IN foreign ports, and that our own
coasts are free from its pollution. But the crime
remains the same wherever perpetrated; and
there are many circumstances TO warrant the
belief that some of our citizens are deeply in
volVed in its guilt. The mode and manner of
carrying on this trade are clearly and fearlessly
set forth in the accompanying documents; and
It would seem that Il regular system has been
adopted for the purpose of thwarting the policy
and evading the penalties of our laws. Ameri-
can vessels, with the knowledge as there are
good reasons to believe, of the owners and mas
tiers, are chartered or rather purchased by noto-
rious slave dealers in Brazil, aided by English
brokers' and capitalists, with this intent. The
vessel is only nominally chartered at so much
per month, while, in truth, it is actually sold
TO be delivered on thu coast of Africa, the char
ter party binding the owners, in the mean time,
to take on board, as passengers, new crew in
Brazil, who, when delivered on the coast, are
10 navigate her back to the ports of Brazil with
her cargo of slaves. Under this agreement, the
vessel clears from the United States for some
port in Great Britain, where a cargo of mer-
chandise, known as "coast goods'' and design
ed especially for the African trade, is purchas-
ed, shipped, and consigned together with the
vessel either to the Shareholder himself or to
his agents or accomplices in Brazil. On her
arrival crew is put on board as passengers, and
the vessel and cargo consigned to an equally
guilty factor or agent on the coast of Africa,
where the unlawful purpose, originally design
ed is finally consummated. The merchandise
is exchanged for saves-the vessel is delivered
up-her name obliterated her papers destroy
ed, her American crew discharged, to be pro-
vided for by the charterers, and the new or
passenger crew put in command to carry back
its miserable freight to the first contrivers of
the voyage, or their employees in Brazil
During the whole progress of this tortuous
enterprise it is possible that neither the Anne
rican crew originally enlisted, nor the paSSen-
ger crew put on board in the Brazilian ports,
are aware of the nature of the voyage, and yet
it is on these principally, ignorant, if not inno-
cent, that the penalties of the law are inhct-
ed; while the guilty contrivers, the charterers,
brokers, owners, and masters-in short all who
ase most deeply concerned in the crime and its
rewards, for the most part escape unpublished
1t will be seen from the examinations which
have recently taken place at Rio, that the SUBJ
jects of her Britannia Majesty, as we'll as our
own citizens, are deeply implicated in this in
human traffic British factors and agents,
while they supply Africa with British fabrics
in exchange for slaves, are chiefly instrumental
in the abuse of the American flag; and the
suggestions contained in the letter of MIR.
Wise, (whose judicious and Jealous efforts in
the matter, cannot be too highly commended J
addressed to Mr. Hamilton, the British Envoy,
as to the best mode of suppressng the evil, !
deserve your most deliberate consideration, as
they will receive, doubt not, that of the Bri- |
tish Government.
tbs also worthy of consideration whether
any other measures than those now existing,
are necessary to give greater efficacy to the just
and humane policy to our laws, which already
provide for the restoration to Africa of slaves
captured at sea by American cruisers. From
time to time provision has been made by this
Government for their comfortable support and
maintenance during limited period after their
restoration, and it is much to be regretted that
this liberal policy has not been adopted by
Great Britain. AS it is, it seems to me, that
the policy it has adopted, is calculated rather
to perpetuate than to suppress the trade, by en-
listing very large interests in its favor. Mer-
chants and capitalists furnish the means for car
rying it on, manufactures for which the negroes
are exchanged are the products of her work
shops; the slaves, when captured, instead ofbe-
ing returned back to their homes, are transfer
red to her colonial possessions in the West IN
dies and made the means Of swelling the
amount of their products, by system of APP
premiership for term of years, and the OIL
GERS and crew who capture the vessel, receive
on the whole number of slaves so many pounds
sterling per cipita, by way OF bounty.
1t must be obvious, that while these large
interests are enlisted in favor gifts contnu-
ance, it will be difficult, if not impossible to
suppress the nefarious traffic, and that its re-
suits would be in effect but a continuance
of the slave trade of another and more cruel
form; for it can be but a matter of little differ
ence with the African, whether he is torn from
his country and transported to the Yves Indies,
as slave, in the regular course of the trade, or
captured by cruiser, transported to the same