The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-17

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Of Liberia, or other person resident within the
lurlsdictioa OF the same, shsll be permitted TO
act "a agent, or enter into the employ or service
Of any person or persona engaged in the slave
trade, or any person in the remoteet degree con-
nected with them, under the penalty Of hdct-
ment aud being twelve months bound to hard
labor in irons, or fined in the SUN Of not less
than five hundred dollars"
Surely, in the face Of such constitutional
prohibitions, and such penal laws, the Libcrians
must be possessed OF uncommon hardihood to
attempt 10 engage ia the traffic, If they had
al inclination W do 20, which the committee
feel the fullest confidence il not the fact but,
on the contrary, they are assured, from the most
reliable sources that such is the public senti-
ment universally prevailing among the citizens
Of the republic, that the laws would be executed
with rigor, wherever the crime was known to
exist.
The committee might protract this report by
introducing testimony to almost any amount,
both oral and written, from persons of the high
est responsibility, aud OF the amplest means for
obtaining correct information, from having re-
peatedly visited, or resided in Liberia, to esiab-
fish the fact, that the citizens of that republic
are not only not engaged, either directly or in
directly, in the foreign slave trade but that do
nestle slavery" or the buying or selling" Of
slaves among themselves, or for their own use
does not exist in Liberia; but they do not deem
il necessary. They will content themselves
with only two or three brief quotations; and, as
this redoubtable charge came across the water,
they will confne their selections to officers of
the British navy, and those of higher rank, and
of far better opportunities for obtaining correct
information than Lieut.. Forbes, who, as the
committee are credibly Informed, was nerer al
M0nr0pia.
The first is from Captain LrUing. In letter
to DIR. Hodgkn of London, dated August Sd,
1910, he says: You ask me If they the I.be-
rians aid in the slave trade! assure you, no !
and l am sure the col0nsts would feel them
selves much hurt, should they know such a
question could possibly arise ia England. In
my opinion, it is the best and safest plan for the
extinction of the slave trade, and the civiliza-
ton of Africa; for it is well known fact that
wherever their flag flies, it is an eyesore to the
slave dealers" The testimony of CapMin Her
bert, is as follows: "With regard to the present
state of slave taking in the COLONY Of Liberia,
| have never known one instance Of slave be-
ing owned or disposed of by colonst On the
contrary, ! have known them to render great IA
clty to our cruisers there in taking vessels en-
gagged in that nefarious traffic." Captain Dun
lop who had abundant opportunities for becom-
| ing acquainted with Liberia during the years
| l84S, '49 and 80, says 81 am perfectly salts
fled no such thing as domestic slavery exists, in
any shape, amongst the citizens of the repub-
lic." The last which the committee propose to
introduce, is from Commodore Sir Charles Hoi-
ham, commander-in-chiefo of her Britannia Maj
esty's squadron on the western coast of Africa,
than whom the British public certainly should
ask no higher authority.
In letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty,
dated April 7, l847, and published in the parlia-
mentary returns, he says: "One perusing the
correspondence of my predecessors, found a
great difference of opinion existing as to the
views and objects Of the settlers; some even
accusing the governor of lending himself to the
slave trade. After discussing the whole subject
with officers and others best qualified to Judge
on the matter, not only satisfied my own mind
that there is no reasonable cause for such a sus.
pcion, but further that this establishment merits
all the support We can give it; for it is only
through their means that we can hope to improve
the African race" Subsequently, Gin l849,,
the same officer gave his testimony before the
House of Lords, in the following language
"There is no necessity for the squadron watch
ing the coast between Sierra Leone and Cape
Paimas, as the Liberian territory intervenes
and there The sLdre trade has been erftngufShed
ELISHA WHITTLESEY,
MATTHEW ST. G. CLARKE
\ HARVEY LINDSLY,
/ JOSEPH A. BRADLEY,
A. O. DAYTON,
h ]. s. BACON,
WILLIAM GUNTON.
Executive Committee Of The American Colonial
ton Society