Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-05

Of the leading motives of England for desiring
it, is the hope that, through her diplomacy and
influence, negro slavery may be abolished there,
and ultimately, by consequence in the United
States, and throughout the whole Of this CONT
nent. That its ultimate abolition throughout
the entire continent is an object ardently de-
sired by her, we have decisive proof in the de-
claration of the Earl of Aberdeen delivered to
this department, and of which you will find a
copy among the documents transmitted to
Congress with the Texan treaty. That she de-
sires its abolition in Texas, and has used her
influence and diplomacy to effect it there, the
same document, with the correspondence of
this department with Mr. Pakenham, also to be
found among the documents, furnishes proof
not less conclusive. That one of the objects of
abolishing it there is TO facilitate its abolition
in the United States, and throughout the con
tnent, is manifest from the declaration of the
abolition party and societies. both in this coun-
try and in England. In fact, there is good
reason to believe that the scheme of abolishing
it in Texas, with the view to its abolition in
the United States and over the continent, orig
mated with the prominent members of the par
ty in the United States; and was first broach-
ed by them in the ESQ called) Worlds Conven-
ton, held in London in the year 1910, and
through its agency brought to the notice of the
British government
Now, hold, not only that France can have
| no interest III the contamination of this
grand scheme, which England hopes to accom-
plish through Texas, if she can defeat the an
nexation; but that her interest, and those of
all the continental powers of Europe are di.
rectly and deeply opposed to it.
1t is too late in the day to contend that hui
mainly or philanthropy is the great object of
the policy OF England in attempting to abolish
| African slavery on this continent. i do not
question but humanity may have been one of
her leading motives for the abolition of the
African slavetrade, and that it may have had
n considerable influence in abolishing slavery
in her West India possessions-aided indeed,
| by the fallacious calculation that the labor of
the negroes would be at least as profitable, if
not more 50, in consequence of the measure.
She acted on the principle that tropical pro-
ducts can be produced cheaper by free African
labor and East India labor, than by slave labor.
She knew full well the value of such products
to her commerce, navigation, navy, manufac-
lures revenue, and power She was not ig-
norant that the support and the maintenance
of her political preponderance depended on her
| tropical possessions, and had no intention of
diminishing their productiveness, nor any an
ticipation that such would be the effect, when
the scheme of abolishing slavery in her colo
NAL possessions was adopted On the contrary,
she calculated to combine philanthropy with
profit and power, as is not unusual with fanati-
cism. Experience has convinced her of the
fallacy of her calculations. She has failed in
all her objects. The labor of her negroes has
proved far less productive, without affording
the consolation of having improved their con-
dition.
The experiment has turned out to be cost
L Ill -
lions of dollars in indemnifying the owners of
the emancipated slaves. 1t is estimated that
the increased price paid since by the people of
Great Britain, for sugar and other tropical pro-
ductpns, i'll consequence of the measure, is
equal to half that sum; and that twice that
amount has been expended in the suppression
of the slave trade; making, together two hun
dred and fifty millions of dollars as the cost
! of the experiment. Instead of realizing her
hope, the result has been sad disappointment.
Her tropical products have fallen off to vast
amount Instead Of supplying her owl wants
and those of nearly all Europe with them, as
| formerly, she has now, in some of the most i'm
portant articles, scarcely enough to supply her
own. What is worse, her own colonies are
actually consuming sugar produced by slave
labor, brought direct TO England, or refined in
| bond, and exported and sold in her colonies "a
cheap or cheaper than they can be produced
there; while the slave trade, instead of diminish
lug, has been in fact carried on to greater
| extent than ever. So disastrous has been the
result that her fixed capital vested in tropical
possessions estimated at the value of nearly FIVE
hundred millions of dollars, is said to stand
on the brink of ruin.
| But this is not the worst. While this costly
scheme has had such ruinous effects on the
| tropical productions of Great Britain it has
given powerful stimulus, followed by cor
responding increase of products, to those coun-
tries which have had the good sense to shun
her example. There has been vested, it is es-
timated by them, in the production Of tropical
products, since 1903, in fixed capital, nearly
$1,000, 10000 wholly dependent on slave labor
In the same PERIOD the value of their products
has been estimated to have risen from about
S72,000,000 annually, to nearly $220,000.0 900;
while the whole of the fixed capital of Great
Britain, vested in cultivating tropical products,
both in the East and West Indies, is estimated
at only about $3.50, 100000, and the value of the
products annually at about $5OOO0,O0 Topro,
sent still more striking view of three articles of
tropical products, (sugar, coffee, and cotton the
British possessions, including the West and
East Indies, end Mauritius, produced, in 1912, of
sugar only 3,993,77l pounds, while Cuba, Bra
I'll, and the United States, excluding other
i countries having troplcal possessions, produced
100000 pounds; Of coffee, the British pos
sessions produced only 27,393,O03, while Cuba
and Brazil produced POI 500, l25 pounds; and
of cotton, the British possessions, including
shipments to China only l37, 443,446 pounds,
while the United States alone produced 100,
1925 pounds
| The above facts and estimates have all been
drawn from British periodical of high stand
| ing and authority and are believed to be en-
titled to credit
This vast increase of the capital and produc-
ton on the part of those nations, who have
continued their former policy towards the ne
gro race, compared with that of Great Britain,
indicates corresponding relative increase of
the means of commerce, navigation, manufac-
lures, wealth, and power 1t is no longer a
question of doubt, that the great source of the
wealth, prosperity and power of the more civil
lized nations of the temperate zone, Especially
| Europe, where the arts have made the greatest