The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-10
THE TRANSATLANTIC WORLD.

The wide field before us-Africas hidden character,
geography, and resources, likely soon 10 be better
known-The Kingdom OF Dahomey the great centre
of the interior slave trade-What was before known
oft-Facts concerning its laws, customs, polity, re-
Gently deyeloped-Its strange amazon army, GER
tany the fiercest and most effective military force
existing in Interior Africa - The political con-
ditien OF Ensand-The change being worked In the
tenure Of ministerial office there-A new general
election to off there-The contest between
Peel and RusselI-Russelrs party i'm the Commons
suddenly cut down to a mere corporal's guard Of
effetes-The Catholics deserve credit for their
present stand-R omc essays in England what she
forbids I'm Italy-The almighty dollar" at the bot
tom of the irouble-Good TO of the religious
controversy now progressing In England.
New YORK, April 6, 1851.
To the Editor ofthe National Era:
In the course Of this series of papers have
written of things Asiatic as we'll as European,
skipping here and there as subjects Of interest
presented themselves in the path of my reading
and reflection. The groundwork Of my plan is to
discourse your readers upon the condition of the
world beyond this Continent Of ours, looking to
Africa, too, whenever and wherever her affairs
may furnish food for entertaining or profitable
reflection. Unfortunately, We can know little Of
her, stepped in utter barbarism is her vast in
terror and so inhospitable her fecund soil and
torrid climate, to the white man Yet this age of
discovery is not passing away without enabling
us to become better acquainted with the hitherto
almost sealed book of her resources, geography,
and condition. Enterprising Europeans have of
comparatively very late years penetrated into
her recesses, bringing to light factsAOI almost as
much importance to the student of the world as II
is, those which were the result of the labors of
the Swans, following the fortunes of Napoleon,
who were when in Africa, almost herded with the
jackasses, the reader will remember, by way of
keeping them out of danger. Napoleon's ex-
plorers, however, dealt principally with the re-
Their subsequent publications doubtless enter
tanned the learned world. Yet they have been of
far less benefit to mankind than those of this gen
GRAFTON of African explorers, who are slowly
dragging to light truths concerning that world as
it now exists Mungo Park, that brave, intelli.
gent, and adventurous man, met his death there
and so subsequently have Duncan, Clapperton,
Lander, and other travellers, followed his foot.
steps only to find graves on that dark, inhospita.
BILE Continent Within the last two years the
structure Of the Vahie language has become
known to European linguists; and as that tongue
is believed to be the root of most of the languages
of Interior Africa, 1t is conceived that the learned
world is now possessed Of the key to mine of
knowledge concerning the character and condi-
ton Of Africa, which until go lately appeared
likely to be as completely hidden to this genera
ton of civilization as before.
Your readers have doubtless heard of the King
dom of Dahomey, the great centre Of the interior
slave trade, and Of that | shall write them this
evening. Up to very recently, it was only known
being not only the great purveyor for the slave
ships, but far the greatest of western Africa, 30
far rs effective power is concerned, though its
monarch rules over q population of scarce
100000 souls. His power is in the system of his
Governments military despotism--the strongest
known form, where, as in his case, he rules over
utterly untutcred savages, who, like their anti.
podes, the peaceful Incas of South America
know no other God than their temporal sover.
eign. We had heard that the prime Minister OF
Dahomey was the Kings chief executioner that
his Ministers Of State, one and all, were in the
habit Of rolling their faces in dust and rubbing
their hands in dirt when prostrating them
selves in honor of their mighty King who counts
his wives by thousands, and places his chief mill
tary reliance on hordes of Amazons More mar
vellous and connected accounts of the strange
polity Of his State have very recently come to
the knowledge of the civilized world, however.
II is now certain that these miserable beings de-
vote one-half the year to war made on neigh
boring tribes wholly for the purpose of making
prisoners, in order either to enjoy the savage
pleasure of putting them to death, or the profit
Of their sale TO the slave merchants, when any
are at hand to buy. The King holds his throne
by the tenure of the fidelity with which he car
ries out this custom, and were he to abate it his
head would be the forfeit The other half Of the
year they dedicate to Notwithstanding, singing,
speech making, firing squibs, and beheading un-
saleable prisoners Everybody, as well as every
thing, in Dahomey belongs to the King. Thus,
all the women are his and his concurrence ia re-
quisite to enable the son to enjoy property in pos
session Of the father, at the death Of the latter,
while all things are taxed, and all the taxes 20
to the King None Of his officers are regularly
paid except his troubadours, whose sons are en-
titled to succeed their fathers only when they
have by memory all the legends, tragedies, histo-
res and tales, which the father was in the habit
of repeating. They perform important parts
during the half year of rest from war, when they
are everywhere holding assemblages for the en-
tertainment of the people.
or course no mans head is safe in Dahomey
for twenty four hours. As before remarked, the
chief military reliance Of the State is in its army
Of women. They are divided into regiments,
Differed, armed, drilled, and uniformed, with as
much care as European soldiers. One regiment
according to late accounted is distinguished bya
white cap, with two devices, (blue alligators an.
other, by blue cross and the third, by wearing
a blue crown. The officers all wear coral neck
laces and superior attire, and carry each small
whip in hand, piled freely when required. The
higher officers Of this remarkable corps are usual
ly chosen to be the Kings immediate attendants,
surrounding him in uniform and neat accoutre-
ments, one holding his silver spittoon, another
his hat, third bis club, two playing the part Of
heralds, blowing blasts, and then blazoning forth
the numerous names Of "G6zo the King of
kings"
Though up to yesterday, as it were, the Eu-
ropean world secuted the truth Of the existence
OF Amsxons, nevertheless, they are now admit
ted las before remarked) to form the main instru-
ments for keeping up the African slave trade
They are literally fighting women, prepared to
DO battle on all sround-the terror of neighbor-
ing tribes They dress in male attire, and are
armed with muskets and swords The softer ma
fur ~ thA [