Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-11-18
From the Penasy!vtnian. !

GREAT BRITAIN AND THE SLAVE TRADE.
By the treaty of Utrecht, III, the British govern
ment secured the right TO bring into the West Indies
belonging "to hs Catholic Majesty IN the spac" ot
thirty years $4,000 negroes, al the rate ot ieoV III
each of the said thirty years" And tie Omen. IN
her speech before Parliament on the 9th June, !'l2
in terms Of satisfaction, states that the part which
We have borne in the prosecution vi The war tE'hS
US TO some distinction in the terms oi peace, hare
insisted and obtained the aneno or contract for Tar
nishng the SpanishWest Indies with negroes to be con"
tuued for thirty years.
And in this article OF commerce all pers"hz 81
other nations were strictly forbidden 10 engage ~
was reserved for the crcusre benht Of Engka"d and
30 profitable was the trade deemed, that tie sr'"'
reign of Great Britain condescehded 10 bccom-W Ter
orn DrrSOn tie chH( Starc.tr0dcr OF ne TcT!G. 81 n
company formed 10 supply the colonies o America
with slaves, Queen Anne subscribed Tor one quart
of the stock, We'll to reap the profits from 'h hh'
venture as IL encourage her subjects 10 enJaTA IN ne
enterprise.
Maryland Virginia and Carolina in vain endea-
vored by laws, by remOnstrenccs aud protests, IL
stop the traffic in human flesh. II was too profitable
for British cupdy to torego English slllrs, hiiei
out 10 English ces, under special tavor of the royal
family of the ministry and Parliament, stole T. IN
Africa in the years from l7OU to 1850, probablya ma
lion and half of souls
The sagacity of I'll. English merchants taught them
that monopoies We're prejudicis to commerce, ai'd
they maintained that il the trad. Were thrown open.
healthfu competition would reduce the price "i ne
rroes, and insure an abundant supply
Accordingly, in 1850, Parliament passed iaw, from
which the following is an extract:
"AS ACT REXTENDISG hNp IMPROVING THE rhADt
TO AFRICA
.Whereas the trade TO anu I:oin Africa r. very No.
yautayeDus 10 Great Britain, aud necessary i"r sup
nlv,nv Tin. plantations aud colonies rreunt" belong
in, with sufficient number of negroes. nj reasonable
rates and for that purpose the SAID trade "nght n hs
free and open to all hIs Majesty subjects Therefore,
eB. it enacted, and it is hereby enacted 10y III"
Kings Most Excellent Ms, esty, by aud with The ad-
vic. and consrn OF the Lords, spTlfDnI and t"npp'
raj, and Commons in the present Parliament Assem-.
bled and by the authority of the SANE, That II shri
be lawful for all the Kings subjects to trade to ni'd
from any place in Africa, between the port ot Satire
in South Barbnry, and the Cape OF Good Hope, '1''
out any restraint nhatsoerer
Under this act the first essay OF the British govern.
ment in free trade. removing all nPedneut. AMI r"-
.rIctons vessels were fitted out G every port 10 en-.
bark in the disgracefu traffic. Thus the Parliamcm;
of England by the enactment OF !aw'; htr Ministers
of State by instructions and by treaties: her yUdsB,
by Their e1posiiions from the bench. hnd III" S1'"-
reign b. Communications from the tbrons, tw"i"d ~.
trade II, human flesh until IL Gecams The chii He'n IN
her for igR commerce. An obscure hamlet Uu 'h"
banks of the M-r-ey. the abode ui u rw E'i'erm"p'
was made the depot of the trade. 1T has r'srn I'm
The gains Of Stare. stealing to the rank "i ne "'Nt
cities Of Europe, ana now stands in Al ~ rs!'" :n1
wealth, monument Of prosperous crime.