Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-25
TO THE EDITORS.

LOUISVILLE KY JUNE Is, 1853.
GENTLEMEN Your paper Of the 18th instant contains
report Of important debate in the British House Of
Lords in regard to the "Cuban slave trade" In the
Of it stated by the Earl of CLAREs
DON that British cruisers had already within the pre-
year. captured six of these traders returning home
with their cargoes of slaves" May beg you to state
what pursued with these captured Africans by
the British Government Are they taken British SOIL
their physical wants provided for their minds enlghten
ed, and their hearts mbued with christianity? Or are
they returned to the embraces Of their kindred in their
African homes If neither, what becomes of them
SUBSCRIBER.
DESTROYS of complying with the above request
but not entirely confident of the accuracy of our
own impressions regarding the system of the Br-
fish Government in the disposal of recaptured Afr
cans we referred the communication to an intell-
gent gentleman now in this city, who has resided
several years the coast of Africa, in the united
service of our Government and the American Colo
nization Society. He has kindly furnished us with
reply to our inquirer, of which we give the sub
stance
AS to the fate of native Africans captured by
British cruisers from slave vessels, his answer ex-
tends only to the course pursued by the command
ers of British cruisers on the Western Coast of
Africa Whenever slave vessels are captured by
any of the British nofwar cruising on that coast,
whether they contain slaves or not, Gin the latter
case of course they taken suspicion, based on
circumstantial evidence they sent in charge of
an officer, to the colony of Sierra Leone, where
there is proper court of adjudication Should the
captured vessel have slaves board they placed
in situations in which their physical wants pro-
vided fer, and in which they have the opportunity
of acquiring knowledge of the customs of civilized
fe of improving their minds, and of learning some
thing of the advantages and blessings of Chsstiani
ty. The children are placed in schools, either un-
der the patronage of the British Government or Of
the various Missionary Societies of Great Britain
which have mission stations and schools in that
lony. The older ones placed in positions in
which they can be usefully employed And it not
unfrequently occurs that of these miserable
beings thus reserved from the horrors of the slave
ship are by successive steps, elevated to positions
of honor and of wealth. Some successful merchants
at Sierra Leone were formerly slaves, captured on
their way to the western world by British cruisers
And many of the rescued victims have voluntarily
iCtuHcu W ILLICIT HdtlSc couHtTleS, wei quaHHeu W
instruct their own people in the arts of civilized
life and the truths of Christianity. 1t is believed
that at Sierra Leone every necessary means is used
for the moral and intellectual training of captured
slaves. And the writer believes that great amount
Of good has resulted from the efforts of the British
Government to suppress the slave trade. Thou
sands of rescued native Africans have by the libe
raj course of the British Government in sustaining
the colony Of Sierra Leone, and in providing for the
comfort and welfare of captured slaves, been rem
dered useful respectable and happy; and doubtless
tens of thousands more, through their instrument
talty, will be brought within the pale Of civilization
and under tho bonign influences of Christianity.
In no case are the native Africans captured in
slave vessels by British cruisers returned imme-
diately to their native country. They are first
placed within the light of civilization and chris
tianty, and, should they subsequently desire to
turn, facilities of transportation always furnish
ed for them.
The above has reference only to the operations of
British cruisers on the Western Coast of Africa
As to what becomes of captured slaves taken by
British men-of-war from slave vessels on the coast
of Cuba or Brazil whether they are ever or always
sent across the ocean Sierra Leone or are landed
in some British colony in the western world we are
not able to say.