The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-07-08
TO THE EDITORS.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. June Is, 1853.

GENTLEMEN: Your paper of the llth inst.
contains report Of an important debate in
the British liourc Of Lords in regard to the
"Cubun slave trade" In the course Of the
debate II was stated BY the Earl of CLARES-
DON that British "cruisers had already, with
in the present year, captured six Of these
traders returning homo with their cargoes of
slaves" May beg you to state what course
is pursued with these captured Africans by
the British Government! Are they taken to
British soil, their physical wants provided for,
their minds enlightened, and their hearts i'm
bued with christianity! Or are they return
ed to the embraces Of their kindred in their
African honest If neither, what becomes Of
them! A SUBSCRIBER.
DESTROYS Of complying with the above re-
quest, but not entirely confident o. the ac-
curacy OF our own impressions regarding the
system Of the British Government in the dis
posal Of recaptured Africans, we referred the
communication to an intelligent gentleman
now in this city, who has resided several
years on the coast Of Africa, in the united
service of our Government and the Ameri-
can Colonization Society. lie has kindly
furnished us with reply to our inquirer, OF
which we give the substance.
As to the fate of native Africans captured
by British cruisers from slave vessels, his an
swer extends only to the course pursued by
the commanders of British cruisers on the
Western Coast of Africa. Whenever slave
vessels are captured by any of the British
men-oi-wur cruising on that coast, whether
containing slaves or not, Gin the latter case o
course they are taken on suspicion, based on
circumstantial evdence,) they are sent, in
charge Of an officer, tc the colony Of Sierra
Leone, where there is proper court OF nd
Indication. Should the captured vessel have
slaves on board, they are placed in situations
in which their physical wants are provided
for, aud in which they have the opportunity
of acquiring knowledge Of the customs o
civilized life, of improving their minds, ant
Uf learning something of the advantages an,
blessings of Christianity. The children nr,
placed in schools, either under the patronag,
of the British Government or of the varou
Missionary Societies of Great Britain whicl
have mission stations and schools in that CO
lony. The older ones are placed in position
in which they can be useiully employed. An,
Vt not unirequcntly occurs that some OF thes
miserable beings thus rescued from ;h
horrors Of the slave ship arc, by successive
steps, elevated to positions of honor and o
wealth. Some successful merchants n
Sierra Leone were formerly slaves, capture
on their way to the we stern world by BritisI
cruisers. And many of the rescued victim
have voluntarily returned to their native
countries, well qualified to instruct their owl
people in the arts of civilized life ard th,
truths OF Christianity 1t is believed that Il
Sierra Leone every necessary means is uset
for the moral and intellectual training o
captured slaves. aud the writer believes
that a great amount of good has resulted from
the efforts of the British Government to sup
press the slave trade. Thousands Of rcscuct
native AcIcuns have, by the liberal course o
the British Government in sustaining the
colony of Sierra Leone, and in providing lol
the comfort and welfare of captured slaves
been rendered useful respectable, and happy
and doubtless tens OF thousands more, through
their instrumcn,ality, will be brought within
the pale of civilization and under the benign
influences Of Christianity.
In no case nrc thc hhtlEc hlTlchhS cuptuT-
ed in slave vessels by British CRUISERS return
ed immediately to their native country. They
are first placed within tho light of civilian
ton and christianity, aud, should they sub.
sequcntly desire to return, facilities Of trans-
portation are always furnished for them.
The above has reference only TO the opera
tions of British cruisers on the Western Coast
Of Africa. AS to what becomes of captured
slaves taken by British men-ol-wur from slave
vessels on the coast Of Cuba or Brazil whcth-
cr they hre ever or always sent across the
ocean to Sierra Leone or are landed in some
British colony in the western world, we are
not able 10 say.-Nat. Intel.