The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-17

thirty eight to forty pounds to the square foot The
particulars of the damage TO many OF the vessels
will be found under the ship news head.
The Cuba Slave Trndc and the English Gov
crnment.
from the London News. Dec. 81
The correspondence both in this and other English
journals, and the concurrent testimony of Ameri-
can contemporaries leave very little doubt that the
Arcan slave trade ia revvng in the island OF Cuba.
The cause of this revival is not however any abate
ment IN the sringency of cruising system, either
on ts coasts or on those of Africa. Our squadrons
snere were never stronger more active, or persever
ing AT Ambrlz our government has refused to allow
rortuga 10 establish factory, lest Portuguese set
tement in that river for lawful purposes should give
any announcement to the visits Of savers; by the
recent aifair at Lagos the slave trade north of the
ine mas been for time at least suppressed south of
the equator the most stringent measures are being
taken at Santa Tanga, Cabenda, and in the Rio Con.
go; over the Portuguese possessions OF which Loanda
Is the capital very strict watch is kept and eve-
rywhere on the western coast Of Africa, especially
in the Blight of Benin, so long the emporium of illicit
| trade, better industry and lawful commerce are
springing up in the most surprising manner.
This, then, is not time when any revival of the
| slave trade by Cuba can be tolerated and vet in
spite OF all our cruising efforts in spite of all treaties,
| squadrons, and courts of mixed commission, the
question OF its revival depends on the Spanish
| Court and on the Cuban authorities than on any
other agency. "The slave trade it is truly remark
~
rally of the 18th January last requires organized
system for its support it might cease for century
and be renewed in week." 1t depends on the en-
| couragement given to demand But recent experi.
ence, not only in Brazil but in Cuba also, shows the
| power OF determined government to check the de-
mand. Scarcely had the Brazilian Chamber passed
the laws we have so frequently described-and the
Brazilian government begun to act on them-than
the slave traders in Brazil took fright, and of their
alarm some curious evidence has lately been
published: In the house of King Kosoko, at
| Lagos, when captured by our squadron, were found
series of letters from his slave trading friends
at Bahia In the earlier portions of this correspon-
dence they give that chief accounts of the proceeds
of sales Of his human consignment, complain of the
preferences he shows to their rivals in the trade and
exhibit all the usual ealouses of mercantile competi-
tors. No sooner, however, the Brazilian anti
slave trade laws enacted, than the tone of their
| respondence totally changes Instead of desiring,
they refuse to receive further consgnments; instead
OF slaves, they ask for palm oil, ground nuts, and
| other articles Of lawful commerce.
"As the government is decided y says Senior Belo
writing to the King upon putting stop to the trade,
am desirous that you should not continue to make
and ivory shall always be ready to serve you.''
| Again, o month later the same once fourishing
slave importer, at Bahia, repeats
IF you my friend, you will not consign any
slaves to me- for would not have them any account
if they could be had for five or six reis each"
| So, also Senior GOdnhO, another Bahia slave mer.
| chant addressing King KOs0kO, thus winds up his
| transactions:-
Our accounts thus balanced and my advices to
sons to sell bales ardos is the cant Portuguese term
saves1 are now confirmed wish you good health, and
The government of Brazil ordered the suppressal
! of slave-dealing, and save-dealers write thus.
We quote these passages from this remarkable COR
respondence to show the power of a government to
| suppress the slave trade. And if this power has
proved SO eficacious along 1000 miles of Brazilian
coast, how much lighter would be the task Of the
| Spanish government in Cuba? But it is not at the
Havana that it will be the duty of Lord John Russell
in his sphere of usefulness, to attack this mon
strous revival of the African slave trade. 1t is at
Madrid only that telling assault can be made upon
| the abomination. The British government has, OF
course right to dictate to the Spanish court who
shall be appointed Captain-General OF Cuba but it
has perfect right to demonstrate against the conti
nuance in power there of Captain General, whose
principal duty seems to be to give encouragement to
breach of the obligations which Spain has con-
! tracted with this country. And this course OF con-
duct, it is to be hoped Lord John Russell WILL in the
interests at OF humanity and OF Spain ITSELF lose
no time in pursuing.
1t is not merely the example of Brazil which proves
that the Spanish Court cam If it please, terminate
the African slave trade. There Is ample evidence
in Cuba also, that resolute CaptainGcnera can be
| equally successful During the government of Gene
raj Concha, the slave trade in Cuba was nearly sup
pressed But its SUPPRESSION diminished the gains of
the greedy Camarilla at Madrid; and Concha was re-
called Under the rule of Canedo, the slave trade
is revivng-that the Golfers of corruption and riot
in that capital may be replenshed. 1t was from the
profits of this internal trade that the Queen Mother
furnished with means to overthrow the authority
of Esparttro il is by the profits of the trade that she
hopes to have the power OF restoring absolutism in
country where the throne of her hapess daughter
was founded on c0nstitutionalism
The question of the revival ofthe Caban slave trade
is therefore European one; for it is the msrule Of
Cuba that reacts on the msgovernment of Spain.
Deprive the court of Madrid Of the wealth it derives
from Cuba, and its claws are cut Throw it back
the revenues of Spain, and it is shorn of great
part of its power Of domestic mischief Cuba yields it
more than one million sterling of yearly tribute. But
fo hat frrhp hn ol al fha Tho
Queen nother and the Camarilla derive from the tax
paid there by the slave traders, from their jobs in
Havana. from the profits they derive from their
monopolies, their specuations and their plantations
Thence it is that they derive means for their plots
and conspiraces against liberty at home e;-thence it
is that the misrule Of Cuba is stimulated.
1t cannot be for the welfare of humanity that Spain
shall continue to hold Cuba on such terms as these;
and on these terms, and in this state, Spain cannot
long continue to hold Cuba. Revolution, annexation,
even extinction, will be preferred to the continued
and prolonged devastation of Africa, for absolutism,
royal punder, and popular debasement to flourish at
Madrid. "The real and well known fact Lord Pal
merston told Lord Howden in one Of his latest des-
patches
Is that the government of Madrid has systematically
and Intentionally encouraged the Cuba slave trade for two
purroses First in order TO afford income 10 number of
lpaid public officers rtoapponcd iayoritcs by means
of brbes given by slave traders and, secondly for the
purpose OF retaining hold upon the island, because it
is thought at Madrid that as long there is in Cuba
large number of negroes the white population will cling
othe mother country for protection aganse the black
race but botn tnese motives fOunueu III error
il be the interest of government to demoral
zc It's officers and TO accusom them to violate the
law; and mother country will have but feeble hold of
colony If the strongest tie which connects them the
fear the part of the planter of nsurrecon of the
1t Is obvious that protection against such dan
ger might be found by other and in other quarters
by the suppression OF the slave trade which many Gu
ban proprieors desire or by annexation TO other
state for which scheme there not wanting partsans
| in Cuba.
1.-THE slave trade Lord Pamerston also re-
| marked, and in full conformity with all the views
expressed in this journal
I Was till last year carried in Brazil to much
greater extent than II has been in Cuba and many per
thought that IL would be task of immense diff
Guilty requiring much time for its mpishmen to
| put down the Brazilian slave trade But when the go
vernmen of Brazil set to work in earnest and with real
desire to put the slave trade down the purpose has been
in great degree accomplished in few months by the