Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-04-26
THE UNITED STATES, BRAZIL, AND THE
SLAVE TRADE.

tic side have but very ndstinct accounts OF certain
troubles in Brazil, il certainly looks little singular
to meet, coming back from beyond the mountains
a letter like that taken from the Cleveland ram
dealer Of the 9Th, which we copied in Saturday s
paper, and which has, we believe, taken most OF
our readers by surprise, being their first iniorna-
ton of our being involved in any difficulty IN tiat
quarter. 7
From the phraseology Of that lstter--'' we took
an American slave brig, we kept her for week,
the frigate,'' &c.--one is compelled 70 suppose
the writer an actor in the events, and on board OF
our LARGEST vessel there but it is difficult to imagine
how even very young American sailor should
make so gross a mistake as to suppose our Ambas-
sador there invested with the right of declaring war;
or should represent our squadron as yielding up a
lawful capture to the fear Of being sunk by the Bra
lillian forts. tits plain, however, that some serious
misunderstanding has arisen, in consequence OF the
zeal with which our public agents have OF late set
on foot measures for arrestng those gross and shame
ful abuses Of flag, as the cover for slave-trading
in that quarter which were brought to the attention
of Congress in the late Presidents Message of the
goth February last.
That Message we gave at the time, but without
the documents, which were not then accessible to
us. Since the adjournment Of Congress, the Mes
sage, with the accompanying documents, have APP
peared among the printed documents of the House
of Representatives and these papers afford much
important information in regard to the Brazilian
slave-rade, and explain the probable grounds of any
quarrel with Brazil which may have arisen, it is
necessary that we should endeavor, by an analysis
Of the entire document, TO put our readers in exact
possession Of matter, in which are largely con-
cerned not only the general honor of our country
and its citizens, the enforcement of its duties and
laws, and its humane and Just adherence of bar
barous traffic, but possibly its peace if Brazil has
taken or given umbrage at the steps which pub
lie agents have considered expedient part for
suppressing the abuses of our flag, committed by
dspraceful citizens Of our own in combination with
Rraziliaas or FRESHMEN Bngifsimrn equally
wicked
Our readers must, first of all, recall the general
tenor Of the Message in question, as far already
published Its main statement is the following
.The mode and of carrying this trade clear
" and earessy forth in the accompanying documents
and would that regular system has been adopted for
the purpose Of thwsng the policy and evadng the penalties
of our laws American vessels with the knowledge Gas there
are good reasons beeve of the and masters
chartered rather purchased, by notorious slavedealers
Brazil aided by English brokers and capitalists with this in
tent The vessel is only nomnaly chartered much per
months whe in truth, il is actually sod be delivered
the Of Africa the charterpany binding the owners in
the mean time, take board, passengers,
in Brazil who when delivered the coast, navigate
her back the ports Of Brazil with her cargo Of slaves I'm
der this agreement the clears from the United States
for some port in Great Britain, where cargo Of merchandise
known coast goods and designed especially for the AZ
rcan trade, is purchased, shipped and consigned together
with the vessel either directly the slave-deaer himself
to his agents or accompces in Brazil On her arrival new
put board passengers, and the vessel and cargo
consigned equally guilty factor agent the Of
Africa where the unlawful purpose originally designed, is
finally corsummaed The merchandise is exchanged for
slaves the vessel delivered up her obleraed her
papers destroyed her American discharged be pro-
vidcl for by the charteres and the passenger crew
put in command to carry back its miserable freight the first
conrvers Of the voyage, their employees in Brazil"
The Message then proceeds to extenuate, we think
with but little reason, the guilt Of certain part Of
the instruments Of these iniquities:
during the whoe progress OF tn tou0us entcrprse
possible that neither the American crew originally enlisted
the passenger put board in the Brazilian ports,
aware Of the nature Of the voyage and yet these,
principally ignorant If innocent that the penalties Of the
law are Inflicted while the guilty CONFERENCE.-THE chaerers
brokers, owners, and masers-in short all who are most
deeply concerned in the cne and its rewards for the most
part escape unpunished."
We utterly object to such gratuitous apologies as
this by the highest agent Of our laws for the hor-
rid violations Of them in which the men thus excus-
ed as ignorant if not innocent" must personally
engage The whole thing is in that demapooue
spirit which talks obligingy Of crimes, because
common sailors, workingmen the larger class, take
part in them. The President forgot that the con-
trivers Of such voyages would be most unlikely to
employ men without knowing, until they arrived on
the slave-coast, whether not they were willing to
be the instruments Of such crimes. Such risk
they could not run I; for what if the. crew shipped
refused to act on getting there! Or (stl worse)
what if some Of them gave information! But at
all events, every sailor shipped as passenger to
the coast Of Africa must very well know what he is
going or and, il he did not consent to the guilt of
slave-trading when he set out, he must at least
have consented to il when he saw, or aided in get
ting slaves aboard. Away, then, in such a matter.
with these apologies for the immediate actors in an
iniquity one Of the most detestable that can be
conceived, and filter for fends than men!
We object strongly again to the temper and effect
,f tho lcolI<x,:nx he stes.