The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-05-07
We0,ern Af,lca and tbe shave TTaas.

yiVen rise TO special inquiries IN tne HOUSE 81
Commons respecting the present condition Of
he slave trade in Western Africa, the ciFcum. !
stances which led to the attack on Lagoes, and
.he effect, good or bad, Of maintaining q naval
Iorce on that coast for the suppression Of the
ilave-trade. These inquiries (says the Boston
Courier,) have brought out certain documents
from the British government which contain
some very curious and interesting facts. We
shall proceed to lay few specimens before onr
readers:
The first Of these papers is despatch dated
J Iune Both, lS49, and addressed by Lord PAL
to a Mr.. BEECRoFT, comforting on that
gentleman the appointment Of Consul at certain
places on the African coast, and instructing him
10 use every possible influence TO induce the
native kings or chiefs TO exchange the slave
trade for more human and equally profitable
description Of tralio. The British Secretary had
already written to the King Of Dahomey, to i'm
press upon his Majesty knowledge OF the tact
that agriculture and commerce are more usetnl
and advantageous than the stealing and selling
Of men, women, and children. The African
monarch sent a reply, which furnishes in strik-
ing manner the measure Of bis capacity to Judge
Of the motives that induce the people Of Chris
tendon to interfere in matters relating 70 the
slave trade, and which show, moreover, how
little has been done to make the potentates Of
Western Africa view this question under mogr
aspect;
"The King Of Dahomey presents bis best COM
plimenls to the Queen Of England. The pres
ents which she has sent him are very accepta-
Bile, and are good for his face. When Governor
Winiett visited the King, the King told him
that he must consult his people before he could
give final answer about the slave trade. He
cannot see that he and his people can do with
out it. 1t is from the slave trade that he derives
his principle revenue. This he has explained
in long palaver to Mr.. Cruickshank. He
begs the Queen Of England to put stop to the
slave trade every where else, and atlov him 10
continue IL"
The letter concludes with another request Of
the King, from which it appears that this per-
sonage is sharp. sighted enough to see that the
prosperity Of his subjects may prove dangerous
to his despotic power. Many king Of Chris
tendon has felt as awkwardly as the sovereign
Dahomey a. seeing his people grow rich, with
out speaking his miud so honestly as this sable
monarch;
''The King begs the Queen to make law
that no ships be allowed TO trade at any place
near his dominions lower down the coast
that WhYdah, as, By means Of trading osssslS,
tie people are getting rich and resisting ms
authority. He hopes the Queen will send him
some good tower guns and blunderbusses, and
plenty Of them, to enable him to make war
lie also uses much cowries, and wishes the
Queens subjects to bring plenty Of them to
Whydah, to make trade. he wishes to see
plenty Of Englishmen making trade at Why
dah."
In consequence Of these negotiations, Lieut..
Forbes, a British naval officer, was requested
by the King to visit him at AbOmey, his capi-
tai city. The following extracts from his mar
rative will be read with singular interest:
"Having entered the gate Of the city, which
is ornamented with human skulls, and in the
vicinity Of the principal Fetish house, we halt
ed, and taking position in chairs across the road,
waited for the ceremony Of being met by the
Cabooceers. In a short time au immense crowd
advanced towards us, with banners flying
amongst them. At some dlstaAce they halted,
and the Governor Of the rity. - fhe BEAD r 4
few soldiers, advanced.
"When arrived in front8l ie
eountermarched and madea eHUls fr6iaieit %
right three times round our seats, bowing each
time when he came ia front. On the last time
he fired off musket and danced before us;
then, having shaken hands, he took seat
The square in front Of the palace though ex-
tremely large, was densely crowded with armed
men and women, squatted.On their hams, their
long Danish muskets standing up like minia-
ture forest. Banners abounded, those Of the
King being uniformly surmounted by skull.
This ghastly style Of ornament appears to be
particularly in request in Dahomey.
"The palace wall Of red clay, standing about
twenty feet high, extending over more than
square mile, was one continued line Of human
skulls; yet it might be remarked, that where
decay had destroyed them, these CHASTITY orna-
ments were not replaced. On the thresholds
and portals Of the palace were also human
skulls; but the practice Of human sacrifice is
fast vanishing from the kingdom Of Dahomey."
''Lieut. Forbes witnessed specimen Of des-
potic power which i'll agrees with the conclud-
ing statement Of the above passage. Ten per-
sons OF rank who had given offence to the
king were led prisoners about the city, and
compelled to dance, after which their heads
were cut off with large knives, in presence Of
the British functiOnary, and in spite Of his
en5reaties and remoustances.
The King Dahomey has regular cabinet; a.
Prime Minister, Minister Of Police, Treasur-
Err Minister of Justice, &c. He has eighteen
thousand ViOsS-if those who have counted
them can be trnsted--which we think can be
doubtful. He has an army Of Amazons, Of
which the following description is given;
''The king then expressed wish should
witness a review of female troops, and two reg
iments were at once paraded, but not before
the ground was shifted and marked out for the
manGuvring. The officers Qemales) we're dis.
tinguished by armlets Of silver reaching from
the wrist to the elbow, and carrying each al
small whip. The whole were uniformly dressed
in tunics Of blue and white, armed with
musket, club, and short sword, carried car
touch boxes, and went through several revolu.
tions, skirmishing, firing volleys, sc. With
much precision
The British officer treated his Majesty 70 q
basket Of champagne, which was dispatched
with great gusto at dinner to which the for
mer was invited. But the festivities were in
terrupted in an extraordinary manner.
"After drinking her Majesty's health, the
troops hurrahed, and the salute commenced |
but before it was half over we were all obliged tO
seamper after the Prime Minister, and hide ourl
faces against the wall, as portion Of the eigh-
teen thousand royal wives were passing, ring
ing a small bell These sable ladies are all
over the town at all times, and no male may
gaze on them unpunished."
The Kings wives are noble fighters, and
when a slave hunt Is undertaken they are sure
to catch more than the same number Of male
troops. The scale Of his operations Iiay be es-
timatsd when he states that in one expedition
he captured no fewer than nineteen thousand
men, woman, and children. After sacrificing
five hundred he sold the rest for expectation
His annual revenue from the sale Of slaves is
estimated at abont f6(l O0O a vsar According