Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-07-19

EST The abolitionisls may see what
Africans are at home, in comparison with
thelr state in the South, we publish the
following from the Charleston Mercury
AFRICANS AT HOME.
This is the sub ject ofan article in the
last number Of the Southern Quarterly Re
view, of n graphic and interesting char
acter. The writer gives sketch of the
moral and social condition of the neuroes
inhabitlng the Gold Coast. and the neigh
boring countries. compiled from the ac-
counts ofthe earliest Portuguese discover
ers, and com pA1es them with the recent re-
port Of Mr.. Beecham Of the London Wes-
leyan Mission. The result is to show that
the lapse of near four centuries, in spite
of all their missionary efforts. zealouslv
and sacriGcingly put forth. and their inter
course throughout this whole period with
civilized man, the people Of Africa still
occupy the POSITION of the most savage,
disgusting and degraded race, known to
history 1t will be readily seen that 10 DO
smch n subject full justicc-to lay bare in
all their horrid and revolving truths, the
habits and manners would require vo-
cabulary. intolerab!e to polite cars. The
writer has we think, treated the subject
with all the delicacy it could well admit
of, and concluded the sketch thus
Scarcely has one Of their barbarou S
and bloody customs been abandoned, from
the earliest period Of which any thing is
known Of them. They still pave their
court-yards, palaces, and even the streets
or market places of their villages and
towns, with the sculls ofLhosc butchered in
wars, at feasts, funerals, or sacrificed to
B0SSunl. Still their wives and slaves are
buried alive with their deceased husband
or master. When Adhanzeu died two
hundred and eighty of his wives were
butchercd before the arrival Of his sue
'cessor which put stop only to increase
the flow Of blood Fnd the number of
deaths in other ways. The remaining
wives were buried alive, amidst dancing
singing and bewailing, the noise of the
horns, drums, muskets, yeAs, groans, and
screcchings the women marching by
headlcss trunks, bedaub themselves with
earth and blood. Their victims were
marched along with large knives passed
struggle for the bloody Office, while the
victims look on and endure with apathy.
They were too familiar with the horrid
sacrifice, toshow terror, or that all was not
as it should be. Their hands were first
chopped off, and then their heads we're
s01Ced off, to prolong the amusement.
Even some who assisted to fl the grave
were hustled in alive, in order to add to the
sport or solemnity oft scene. Upon the
death Of a kings brother, four thousand
victims were thus sacrificed. These Ger
cmonies are often repeated, and hundreds
slaughtered at every rehearsal. Upon the
death of King of Asauntee, Il genera
massacre took place, in which there can
be no computation of the victims.
" At their" Yam Customs" NJ. Bow.
ditch Witnessed spcctacles of the most ap-
palling kind. Every cabocos or noble, sac
rifced slave as he entered the gate.
Heads and scullS formed the ornaments
of their professions. Hundreds were
slain, and the streaming and steaming
blood Ofthe victims were mlngle in one
vast brass pan, with various vegetable
and animal matter, fresh as we'll as putrid
to compose powerful Fetiche. At these
Customs the same scenes Of butchery and
slaughter occur. The Kings execution
ers traverse the city. killing all they meet.
The next day dcsolation rel gus over the
land. The King, during the bloody sat
urnalia looked on eagerly, and danced in
his chair with delight.
The King of Dahoma paves the ap'
proaches to his residence, and ornaments
the battcments of his palace, with the
sculls Of his victims; and the great Fetiche
Iree at Badagry, has its widespread
limbs laden with human carcasses.-
There the want of chastity is no disgrace,
and the priests arc employed as pimps
Murder adultery and thievcry, says Bos-
man, are here no sins.''