The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-07
COM NUN CATO Ms.
For the Union.


COMMUN CATIONS.
For the Union.
THE AVE-TRADE-RIGHT OF SEARCH
| No. 9.
| IL certainly can surprise no one who has studied
the character of the English government, to see the
account Of the outrages committed by its authority
upon feeble colony, peopled by these who, anx-
ious for liberty have returned to the land of their
ancestors to obtain it, II is pleasing to see with
what cheerfulness and aacrity these sons Of Africa
emancipated from bondage by the philanthropy and
bensvoence of their former masters, enter into all
the avocations of free and independent people,
The experiment has proved that they can govern
themselves; and it is only necessary to see and know
them to rejoice with them in their liberation. Their
struggles have been great; but by perseverance and
energy, they have, in great measure overcome the
| first difficulties the settlement of country
must always involve, and are now in fair way Of
becoming useful and independent nation. The Eng
lish jealous Of growing republics, let the caste
of people be what it may, are now throwing their
venom upon this feeble, and, as it were, unprotected
colony.
L
mander of her Britannia Majesly's man-of-war
Lily to say that he did not recognise the flag of the
colony of Liberia, when, il not himself, many OF
his compatrots, both in the naval and merchant
vice, have anchored in their ports and enjoyed their
hospitality and assistance, and have also largely ira
ded with them The flag Of Liberia is as well
| known to British cruisers is that of any other
nation. By their countenance, they have virtually
acknowledged it as legal This flag has waved over
the vessels of these colonial traders not only Ser
ra Leone, but at all the foreign settlements on the
coast of Africa. The schooner Regulus is a regular
trader between Monrovia and Sierra Leone, and has
never yet been moested on account of the flag she
carries Nay, more do not these British cruisers
know that if the government of the United States
has not formally acknowledged them separate
| and independent nation, it has made these settle
ments partial headquarters for rendezvous, and
has landed there many valuable stores and provis-
ions for the Of the United States squadron crus-
ing on the COAST This should be a sufficient guar
antee for heiI protection from such outrages have
lately been committed upon the schooner John Seys
| which has been trading for years along the coast,
under the eye of many of the British cruisers. This
| hostility has grown out of circumstance which
shows British arrogance, and is petty way of seek
ing vengeance upon an infant colony hardly out Of
leading-strings. The circumstance alluded to caused
a correspondence between the governor of Liberia
and Sir Robert Peel, in which this latter obtained
the worst of the argument.
The two colonial governments of Liberia and Cape
Palmas possesses, by right of purchase, the whole
| ~ pamnc Thap
have their settlements along the whole range Of coast,
and have also their revenue laws An English mer-
chairman was caught smuggling on their territory,
and the vessel and cargo detained by the prop
er authorities for violation of their laws.
The English pretend that they have right to inn
pose duties on articles landed at the native villages
along the coast, and seem determined to carry out
| their principles on the ground that they have the
| right to trade with the natives free of duty. But
the colonial governments say the soil is theirs by
purchase from these tribes, who only live there on
tolerance and are amenabe to all the laws of the colo
MES, and hence have full jurisdiction their own
territory and, having it, will enforce such laws as
they have right to enact II is rather late to say
now, finding they can no longer smuggle, that the
| flag is piratical and subject to capture. What!
after trading with them for than twenty years,
and leaving them unmolested for that length Of time,
are they to assume that these people are pirates and
pretend not to know the colonial fag' 1t was the
misfortune fthese poor people to prefer protecting
themselves rather than accept the overtures made to
them by England some time since. This rejection
is the reason why they now attempt to disfranchise
them from communion with the civilized world.
Many ofthese colonists have been to Sierra Leone,
and know too well what would be their fate if they
were to give up their independence for such protec-
ton as England would afford. If such should be
their unhappy fate, we might see at Monrovia, and
at the other colonies fostered by American phiIan-
thropy, the colored dragging wagons from
the wharyes and conpicts working under the fear of
the lash of merciess overseer, upon the public
roads,
| Such conduct that lately inflicted upon colo
NAL schooner by a British cruiser is barbarous in
the extreme, and no civilized nation should tolerate
it. II is therefore earnestly recommended, that, to
prevent future aggressons Of the Sort and put a
| stop to the pretext as government cannot take
them under their protection as a bona.fde colony,
they will assist in any proper way in procuring the
forbearance of Great Britain. The South, as well as
the North, would join nit. The majority of these
people are from the southern States, and have been
sent to Africa by southern phanthropists. twoud,
in great measure, check the progress Of the abolition
question, and turn the thoughts Of Of all sec
tons to The colonization of the African race. There
will be time, and that not very distant, when the
trade to the colonies of Liberia and Cape Palmas
will be well worth the attention of our merchants
and with such kind offices as our institutions would
permit us to afford them, their prospects would
brighten, and many now afraid would emigrate
there. AN OFFICER OF THE NAVY.
| Communicated
THE PRESENT UNJUST TARIFF.
The commercial, rather protective systems of Great
Britain and The United States, in substance the same