The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-17

lncIeasc lfO,<IS Oi,fo-
Decrease 395
The number of slaves annually imported into
Cuba by the slave trade, is estimated by Mr.
Turnbull at twenty-three thousand. The au-
thor of this pamphlet attribute the decrease OF
slaves to the slave-trade, which makes slave
cheap, and induces the planters to over-work
them In the United States, where the foreign
slave-trade is not permitted TO exist, the number
Of slaves increases twenty five per cent. in ten
years. There is another circumstance also men
toned by the author, which prevents the increase
Of slavery by birth--it is that Of the slaves
brought in by the slave tvade, the males greatly
exceed the females.
But there is one circumstance " hich he omit
10 notice in accounting for the decrease of the
number Of slaves Il is the great facilities of.
fered by the Spanish law for emancipation. Any
slave may have his price fixed by the tribunals,
and be free the moment he pays that price to
his master. Between lS4l and 1850, the free
blacks in Cuba increased fifty-one thousand
which is about ten pen cent on the whole black
population of the island. Mr.. Jones says:
aMr Turnbull, m English author, states, thai,
the people of the island are opposed to the con-
tinuance Of the African slave trade as our colo
nisI governments were. including Virginia, whose
house Of assembly pussed an act against the
cont nUancc Of it. which the king refused 10
sanction.
aAnother writer on Cuba states that The
slave dealer pays the governor general half an
ounc of gold on each slave imported, Ms a sort
Of sdouccur' and that the amount has been
doubled He afirms that the Count d'Alcoy.
the predecessor TO Concha, received about $500
900 from this source in single year. The cul-
tivators Of the soi b. ieve that II the slivetrade
were abolished. their present slaves would be
greatly enhanced in value. An able bodied ne
gro man ia Louisiana, worth from $500 to
81 900, would bring only $500 to 9400 IN
Cuba. The enhancement in their value would
secure more humane and careful treatment. But
now, such are the facilities for obtaining slaves
from Africa, that they are badly treated and Sc
yerely driven, hence their numbers soon become
thinned, and require replenishinq
SLAvrpy ABoLrsHEr IN NEw GRENADA -
The law Of Congress will 60 into eH-ci on the
first of next January. II provides that all per
sons iberated shal be entitled To The same
privileges, and governed by the same laws. ne
arr other citizens of New Grenada No slave
under forty five yenrs shall be valued at
greater snm than one thousand six hundred
reals, If a male, nor over one thousand wo hun.
dred reals, if femnle; oyer forty-tive, the value
of male slave shall not exceed one thousand
two hundred renls, and female slave eight
hundred reals, which compensation IL TO be
paid to the owners by u o government Owners
Of slaves, who ARE to be ,mancipated from time
to time, will receive remuneration, to be APP
portioned from the funds arp opriaed BY law
for this purpose. The price OF the slave must
previously b. assessed by two appraisers, one ap-
pointed bv the board and the other by the
owner. The slave. whose owner is capable Of
proving his right Of ownership, shall be liberated
without father legal proceedings.