The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-04

The hlJudged ofiiciousness OF some Of the COM
manders of the antislayery cruisers the of
Brazil is likely again to lead to trouble between
the governments of that empire and Of Britain In
one OF his latest parliamentary speeches, Lord Pal
merston, in describing the efforts that are being
made to put down the slave trade, spoke in the
most friendly terms of the policy of the Brazilian
Cabinet and their disposition To render aid in the
matter; leading the public to believe that the seri
Gus Misunderstanding which had existed we're
now altogether obliterated. That misunderstand-
ing, it may be remembered, out of the de-
strucon of some of the forts on the coast of Brazil
by the British squadron. 1t now appears that fresh
difficulties have occurred, the origin Of which is
thus described by papers received by the last Bra
lillian mail:
"The Pratinim sailed from Bahia with cargo
Of four thousand aqueires of salt thirty pack
ages of earthenware and china and few barrels Of
sherry and madeira wines Her passengers were
the Senior Leitao, the owner of large sugar
tate near Cawpos, and ninety seven slaves belong
to the same gentleman. ct is necessary here TO
remark, that about one third Of the number were
mulattoes, and that all the other crcoles, and
speaking the Portuguese language) Each slave
was provided with passport from the police
thorties of Bahia had been duly despatched from
that port, and had embarked publicly and during
the daytime; in short, the cargo OF the Piratnim
was in all respects legal one, and she pursued
her voyage with all the confidence and fanoied
curity of an honest trader. a few days after leav
ing port she was encountered by the Sharpshooter
steamer, whose signal to lie to Immediately
responded to; her dispatches, &c, were produced;
but, undeniablc was the evidence offered of her
innocence, the Piratinm was adjuged TO be a-law-
full prize, the sayes were transferred TO the Sharp
shooter, and to crown all, "a general division (says
the Journal do Conn.eTcio) of the wines, china and
other spoil was made amongst the officers and crew
Of the Sharpshooer; the Piratinim then set fire
to and sunk!' The excitement and indignation
caused in Rio by this disgraceful proceeding
intense; and scarcely had the popular feeling in
some degree subsidized, when new outrage
ported, even less justtable, if possible, than the
preceding.
"The Brazilian brig Novo Mello left this port
for Santa Catharina, on the Goth of July, with
cargo of merchandise of the value of about ~ 900
sterling. On the 18th che detained by the
steamer Locust, and although absolutely nothing
found on board 10 criminate her, yet she was
made prize of and sent to St. Helena. Her pas
sepgers (amongst whom was Brazilian clergy
man returning to his parish i'll Santa Catharina)
were landed in n boat of the Locust. Their do
mestic slaves says the Journal do Cbmmercio,
were allowed to accompany them only upon the
payment of sum equal to Il 10 per head, the
ceipts for which payment are still IN the hands of
the passengers.' Other cases of a similar nature
to those above reported, of them in partic-
ular OF peculiarly piratical character; but as
have not the means of ascertaining the truth of
those statements, abstain from giving you the
particulars.
.sPart of the cargo of the Novo Mello consisted
of eighty barrels of flour, shipped from Santa
Catharina by the eminent American firm of Max
we'll, Wright & Co. You are, perhaps, aware
that this firm stands at the very head OF the foreign
commercial houses of this city, and this fact alone
conceive to be sufficient to convince you of the
llegality of the capture. Fortunate it is for the
cause of justice that this has occurred the POSI-
ton of Messrs. Maxwell, Wright & Co. is such as
cannot fail to procure for them the indcmnifcation
which, as Brazilians, they would probably have
been denied"
II remains to be seen how Lord Palmerston will
meet the demands for explanation made by the
government of Brazil in consequence of these pro
ceedings.
In the mean time, it is plain that ourages of this
character are in no respect adapted to hasten the
result desired by the opponents of the slave trade,
but are rather calculated to strengthen the hands
of thosc interested in, friendly to, the contin-
uance of the traffic. Taking the above narrative
TO be true, either wholly in the main, it evinccs
much more zeal than discretion the part of the
British squadron.