The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-03
THE SLAVE TRADE.

The President of the American Colonization
Society," ]. H. B. Latrobe, Esq, of Baltimore,
has protested, in forcible letter to Senator
Pearce, against the proposition of the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs to withdraw from the
coast of Africa the Squadron stationed there
for the suppression Of the slave trade. He
shows clearly that the pretences which the
committee suggest as reason for the step
proposed, have no foundation in fact. 1t is
clear, from the committees own account of the
matter, that the squadrons, English ard Amer
lean, have nearly succeeded in supprcssing the
the trade to Brazil has been totally broken up,
and that with the West Indies has been great
ly reduced.
Among the reasons which they suggest for
the withdrawal of the Squadron from the Afri-
can coast is the expense, which amounts annu-
ally to eight hundred thousand dollars But
do the committee propose to discontinue the
squadron, and thereby save tho money? Not
at all. They simply propose to transfer it
from the coast of Africa to that of Cuba and
Porto Rico, there to be employed for the same
purpose Mr.. Latrobe shows that this transfer
can only save the difference in the cost of
transporting supplies to the coast of Africa ;
and that this saving would be more than coun-
terbalanced by the additional expense of send
ing the recaptured Africans to their native
country.
The truth is, that we have no faith in tic
~
scheme has been cloakcd. We shall regard
the withdrawal of the African Squadron as
tantamount to the repeal of the laws for the
suppression of the slave trade; and we are
sure that this is the light in which it viii be
viewed by the civilized world. Public opinion
at the South has for some time been ripcning,
under flibuster influences, for the re-cstablish-
nent of the traffic, and leading editors Of the
South have had the graceless impudence to de-
fend it. The proposition of the committee on
Foreign Affairs may be regarded as an incip-
lent step, designed to prepare the public mind
for the re-establishment Of piracy. No doubt,
present actuating motive with the commit
tee is the protection Of filibustering against
Cuba-or, probably, the Administration seri-
ously design making war for the conquest of
the island but the ultimate end is the Iegali-
cation Of the slave trade, the hollow pretences
of the committee and Of the Senator from
| Delaware to the contrary notwithstanding.
| When such men come forward with affected
zeal for the suppression Of the slave trade, it
is time for men who candidly and honestly de-
test the traffic to be on their guard G.
AKANsAs PAPER.-We have received cir
cuIar containing proposals for publishing a
weekly political journal at Fort Leayenworth,
Kansas Territory, entitled the Kansas Free
| Democrat with the Jefersonisn motto, Eter-
nal vigilance is the price of LibertyD 1t is to
commence by the middle of August or first of
September. George Brewster, esq, is the pub
Usher.
10 We are favorably impressed by peru
sal of a circular of the Batavia Institute, at Ba-
tavia, Kane county, Illinois H. w. Williams
at that place, is to be addressed for information
in regard to it.
We observe that the Anti-Slayery Standard
and the Pennsylvania Freeman, two able Abo-
lition papers of the Garrison school, have been
united--or, rather, the Freeman has been
merged in the Standard G.
New CoTToN.-Two bales of new crop cot
ton were received at New Orleans on the 25Eh,