The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-17
AFRICAN LABoRERs 10 BE IMPORTED INTO THE
WEST INDIES. "A NEW PHASE OF ENGLISH
ABOLITION PHILANTHROPY.

ftli4ANlHhOf1.
The following remarkable article appears ia the
London Times of june 10Th The lamentable condi-
ton of the British West India islands, and the high
and advancing prices for tropical products, open
ing the eyes of the English people to the absurd ia
naticsms of Exeter Hall The Times, taking its cue
from changing public sentiment, is now of the
opinion that - there is humanity in leaving Africa
to itself, and that when slaves are well treated
their condition is not only superior to that of their
countrymen at home but 10 that of he poorer classes "a,
many parts Of Europe In short, the Times is in favor
of the direct importation of aborcrs from Africa into
the West Indies:
From the London Times, Juno 20
To those who have been in the habitnot unnatu.lly
conceived regarding the save-ade question as one
raught with nerminnble embarrassment we beg to offer
succinct statement of facts. Attention must first be
given to the distinction between the traffic slaves and
slavery itself Against the latter as am institution
enough certainly be said but with this at present
not concerned The practice under the ban OF uni
vers law is the slave tradethat nefarous and nhuman
commerce, by which Gods creatures being first captured
their native soil carried through successive scenes
Of the most fghtin misery till they landed upon
opposite coast to be there sold into lifelong servitue
with all its denominations For this at least no plea of
custom necessity be sustained We cannot be told
at this point that the practice has patriarcha sanction
that IT certain That be
minated without certain difficulties. Whatever may be
argued behalf of domestic slavery serdom moth
ing at all events, be said for that horrible trade
which involves at the worst kind of and the
kind of theft and which in all its accessories SO
thoroughly atrocous that yanes Of the most heinous
kind its natural and ordinary Incidents This and
The domestic institution Of aotery, tcat CONSIDER
ing this cha for long time, and cA such exemplary per-
severance, ue hare been Stirring 10 PIT do,en.
Now what is it that stands in our way Under what
conditions this trade still maintained and how has it
pass that il cannot he absolutely abolished The
of European governments against the prac
tce s universal and entire and this unanimity has
listed for The powers OF Christcndo, every de-
gree have consented to denounce and extnguish this
detesabe of trades and this assent having been
stipulated two of the greatest nations of the world have
combined to keep the police Of the ocean, that
abandst should attempt what all honest merchants have
undertaken TO foego In other words whereas the gov
ernments of Europe have coyenantcd for themselves and
their colonies that slaves shall not be imported into their
domnions the export Of these unhappy beings from the
soil of their birth is stoppcdas far possible by mari
time patrol. What further conditions, ask, could pos
sbly be required for the extinction Of any traffic marked
out for destruction AS far undertakings CO. every
market is closed and every communication interrupted
yet the is not at end Its proportions have
been diminished, but it exists STILL and its victims
still to be numbered by thousands Ostensibly all gov
erments of mind and yet the traffic is not abo
shed Where, then, is the obstacle, and what be
done which to all appearance is not done already AS it
happens put our finger, without any difficulty
on the leak from which the vessel is suffering
There are no slaves imported into British colonies
Our own work has been done thoroughly, and is be-
yond impeachment There are slaves imported into
the United States. There imported into the
French or Danish settlements, and none now, Brazil
ans earnestly into Brazil The only recepta
Gle for these Of misery is Cuba the single de-
nquent State is Spain But Cuba is nomnally closed
against slaves much St Vinccnts Trinidad, and
Spain does not deny that she, well Great Britain
France is committed by treaty to the abolition of the
has appeared very plainly in the letters of Madrid
correspondent The governor of Cuba is officer the
tenure of whose place usually brief and always unccr
TAIN while his emoluments admit of increase
from connyancc at the forbidden importations. The
Cubans are ready to buy slaves others found to
fetch them from Africa for sale and, there is elias
of Spaniarts whose sympathies very active in the
matter the planters lay in their human stock and
the cabinet of Madrid finds convenient to employ
pretexts and than to exert its authority against
Its own officers and subjects. Spain, in short has not
entered honestly into the abolition of the slave trade
could not for very shame refuse its concurrence, but
il will not be at the pains of executing its engagements
against the will of important colony and it would
rather carry on war Of dispatches with the British For
eign Office than involve itself in trouble at home.
We do not say that this policy contains much to excite
surprise but to the interests of others it is preudica in
the extreme The Cuban market keeps the whole slave
trade alive perpctuates all the Introductory horrors of
the traffic in Africa itself, and maintains at their full
weight the heavy burdens arising from the preventive
most rvobs injustice for Cuba dored 10 thrive their
by its perseverance, f and to supply the demands of
Europe through the fundamentally of the very machine
nv forbidden in the adacent islands. If it not for
Cuba the slave trade, far at present,
would be at an end We do not deny that policy
fined to this species OF repression alone is likely enough
be detective and that something in the way of subst
tuition for the labor intercepted would probably be nds
pensablc to the complete and permanent Of
efforts STILL far the first and immediate object is
commemorative interruption in the traffic in human
flesh should be apparently accomplishing ends if
the importation of slaves into Cuba could be stopped
Here then the facts of the case in very narrow
compass. All countries Spain included dare committed
to the abolition Of the traffic. but it continues still at
point of Spanish territory where Spanish authorities
not disposed repress it, If rcpress it at this
point shall be only doing what Spain herself is bound
to do and what when pressed she declares her desire to
done. 1t has been suggested, our readers are
aware that should try the effect Of preventive fore
and the gunboas, of which possess scryiccabe
otla have been considered kind of craft especially
adapted TO the purposes in view The moral effect too,
of such policy would be material and would prove to
the Spanish government that resolved to insist
upon rights and carry out engagements Such a
resolution indeed not only to humanity, in the
cause of which first undertook the struggle but to
colonies The laws of tradeinvincible in their
operation prevent from discriminating between i'm
portations Of sugar We must buy this commodity in
the best markets. and it without reference to
the circumstances of It's production; but can, at any
rate cndcavor to provide that other settlements equally
bound with to abstain from the slave trade shall
not take advantage Of their bad faith and rise upon
the ruin Of more honest communities.
We do not however, deny that this policy, after all
would be policy Of violence alone and such would he