Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-07-04
The African Slave Trade.

The New York Times of the 22d inst. contains
the report of the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tiOns upon the resolution of Mr.. Slidell, for the
abrogation of the 9th Article of the Treaty with
Great Britain Of the 9th of August, 1912, provi-
ding for maintaining naval force on the coast
of Africa, &C., submitted to the Senate in secret
session. By the terms of the treaty it is declared
that the 9th article shall be in force for five years
from the date Of exchange Of the ratification, and
afterwards until one the other party shall sig
Nifty wish to terminate it. The report assumes
that trial of twelve years has demonstrated that
the presence of naval force upon the coast of
Africa is totally inadequate to the suppression of
man of the Select Committee of the House of
Commons, appointed to investigate this question,
stated ON the 9th of March, 1850, ssthat the num-
Der Of slaves exported from Africa had sunk down
i'll 1912, the very year of the negotiation of the
Ashburton treaty, to very nearly 10000; in l843
it rose to $1,000; in 1916 it was 10000; in 1S47
it was "a 900, and was then in state of unusual
activity. During this period Great Britain main
tanned upon the coast Of Africa force of 81 ves-
sells, 600 guns) at an annual cost of $5,O0O,00O.
France II vessels, (l4O guns) at an annual ex-
pcnse of 81 100000: the United States YES
sells, $50 guns) at an annual cost of $500, 000.-
The total annual expenditure of the three gov
operations of our squadron during twelve years,
has been the capture of fourteen vessels. The
report concludes with the following statements
and declarations:
The African slave trade has, it is believed,
been entirely suppressed in Brazil, and in this
Hemisphere, the remaining colonies Of Spain, Gu
ba and Porto Rico, are its only marts. Your
Committee think that if the American flag be still
employed in this nefarious traffic now prohibited
by every Christian nation, and superstitiously
tolerated by Spain alone, the abuse can be more
efficiently corrected by the employment of our
cruisers in the vicinity of those islands.
| 1t would seem superhuous on the part Of our
Committee to say that, in commencing the adop-
ton of the resolution under consideration, they
repudiate the most remote intention of relaxing
in any degree the stringency Of our legislation on
the subject of the African Slave trade. 1t contin-
uancc, while it is so justly odous on moral
grounds, is in every way prejudicial &c Our com
| mercial and agriculture, interests.
The abrogation of tn; Sth article of the Ash
burto.-. realty does not necessarily imply the pur
| pose Of withdrawing our squadron from the Coast
of Africa. A portion of it, indeed, must necessa-
rily be retained there to protect our commerce.
Its only effect will be to enable the Executive to
employ the force stationed there at any other
point where its services may be more useful. We
should still be bound by the article Of the Treaty
of Client, to use, in the language of the article,
''our best endeavors to promote the desirable OBJ
ect of the entire abolition of the Slave trade. p
And none can doubt that it will continue to be
faithfully observed, as it has heretofore been, in
letter and spirit.
Your Committee recommend the adoption of
the resolution.
This report was agreed to by Messrs. Mason,
Sldell, Clayton, Douglas and Weller.
c. Young America is wide awake and still
progressive. ''Look out for the cars when the
bell rings" The n. Y. Tribune, Of the 18th, has
his:
SrEAM-CARRIAcE.-We were among the out
laters Thursday night, and of course saw the
elephant. Not him Of Rhode Islam notoriety, or
that animal seen by our soldiers in Mexico or early
settlers in California, but real living, or rather
moving one, coming down Broadway with a rush.
We did not know the crtter last night, but Mr.. j.
Fisher called yesterday to say that he was the
inventor, and that Messrs. Mott and Ayres were
| the builders, and that Mr.. A and himself with a
| workman, were simply out on a trial trip of his
| new steam carriage taking that late hour for the
excursion when the streets were clear of horses
as since the late capers of the elephant in Rhode
| Island, they did not know but somebody might
| mistake a common road carriage, driven without
the aid of horses, for animal of another color.
Mr.. Fisher, says that they came over the cobble-
stone pavement, not particularly noted for its
| smOOtbness, at the rate of six miles an hour on
| the level portions. On the Russ pavement they
| ran twelve miles on level. A hackman, whom
they overlook, put his horses upon gallop, and
was easily beaten in the race. Whether he thought
| the age of steam is doomed to supersede horse
| flesh, we did not learn, but some others did not
| for when opposite the Park, some of the India
| rubber packing few out, and not having material
ON board to repair damages, they were obliged to
| abandon their carriage, and this morning pro-
cure horses to take it back to the shop. Having
fairly demonstrated the running qualities and easy
management of the machine-that it can be steer
Ell and turned around corners as easy as carriage
and horses, it will be next tried on the Brooklyn
| plank roals. 1t makes but little noise, smoke OF
dust, and the inventor thinks he shall be able to
make cars, similar to the City railroad cars, that
will run on the Russ pavement, so as to obviats
all necessity of a railroad in Broadway.
CELEBRITY OR DEATH."-On Saturday morn;n.
last, slave employed as blacksmith in thu
Richmond (Va.) Gas Works, applied Lighted
match to one of the purifiers attached to the con
Germ, which caused it to blow up, killing him self
and injuriDg the building to the extent of abou
$1,000. He had been hired to the city for tn
last two years, but had been recently purchases
from his owner by Mississippi man, at a yer,
high price, an arrangement with which he wa
much disconnected. He understood what he wa
about when he attempted to blow up the works
and preferred death to being transferred to ID
far south.-Deld,oare Co. (Pa.) Rep.
TIE CRoPs.-The Wabash Valley Rebublica,
of the 23d inst, says:
Judging by the reports given BY the press i
Northern, Middle, Western and Southern Illinois
! we think the wheat crop will prove the finest eve
cut in the State, while it will greatly exceed i,
quantity that of any former year. The grass an.
oats crop will, beyond question, be No. 1.
CO Boys, did you crsr think that grca
world with all Its wealth and roa nth sfl I.