The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-26
EDITION-sATURDAY, 2e, 1857
jected by III to 295, and the original motion was

jected BY III to 2s5, and the original motion was
agreed to. :,
meet on the 18th (the day the steamer sailedl
to receive the Royal assent to the Indemnity bill and
he then proposed to adjourn till the 4th OF Febru
He also stated that General Havelock's Annuity
bill should be withdrawn and another substituted
after the holidays, continuing the annuity to the
Generals son.
THE IsTHMUs OF sUEz CANAL.
In the House of Commons, on the 18th inst, Mr.
Griffith gave notice that Immediately after the re-
cess he should ask the First Lord OF the Treasury
whether it had come to the knowledge of the gov
eminent that NJ. Thouvenel, the French Ambassador
at Constantnople, any other diplomatic agent Of
the French government, had been directed to apply
to the Porte for frman to authorize the carrying
out of the project for cutting canal through the
Isthmus of Suez; and also whether her Majestys
government were of opinion that the true interests
Of this country require them to give positive oppo
sition to the success of thatapplcation.
THE AMERICAN SLAVE TRADE.
Mr. A. Mills asked the First Lord Of the Treasury
whether he had any objection to lay the table of
the House any correspondence which might have
passed between her Majesty's government and the
Commissioner at Loando and the chief officer of the
squadron the west coast of Africa relative to the
slave trade carried there during the past year un-
der the American flag.
Lord Pamerston answered that there was no OBJ
lection whatever to the production Of the papers.
They would be included naturally in the slave trade
papers which were laid annually before Parliament
at later period of the session. but if the honorable
member wished for them before that time they should
be produced.
The French Slave Trade.
AFRICAN EMIGRATION TO THE FRENCH COLONIES
LORD CLARENDoN's OPINION OF THE NEW SLAVE
TRADE.
In the House of Lords, on the 18th instant, the
Earl of Shaftesbury said, seeing his noble friend
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in his
place he would ask him question relative to the
state of the contract supposed to exist between a
house in Marseilles and some African chiefs for the
supply of free emgrants to the French colonies. 1t
had been reported that this contract ratified by
decree Of the Imperial government and the people
of England earfully alive to the probable nay,
almost certain revival of the horrors of the African
slave trade. He wished to ask how far this report
was true; whether if the decree had been issued,
there was any hope of its revocation and generally
what was the position of the whole matter?
The Earl of Clarendon said, in answer to the
question of his noble friend he had to state that he
had to believe that the decree to which his
noble friend alluded had been issued; but he believed
there was no doubt that contract had been entered
into by the French government and a certain firm
for the supply of negroes to the French colonies,
which only received the sanction of the French go
vernment on condition that il was to be bona fde
free emigration. No,c, there could be no such thing
as free emigration from africa. (Cheers) We
ourselves had tried the experiment l6 years ago, and
with every precaution and every safeguard to pre-
can laborer on his passage and his proper treatment
while employed in colonies, as well as
to guarantee his return home at the expira-
tion of his engagement if he wished it.
That plan utterly and entirely failed yiear)-
and tras not likely that IL icould succeed
under any circumstances (Hear, hear) But this was
what the French contractors were compelled to do.
They engaged with the African chiefs to supply a
certain number of slaves at SO much a head, who
were placed on board of ship, when certain for
mality was gone through, with the view of ascer-
tanning whether they were willing to.work at stated
wages in the French colonies, or not. Now whether
the negroes understood that question or not, it was
manifest that when once on board of ship they had
no choice in the matter. (Hear, hearl Besides,
the result was that by this system the French con-
tractors were brought into competition with the
regular slavedealers, who offered ninety dollars
head for slaves, while the French contractors had
only the power to give fifty dollars There had been
some failure of the contract, but that in no way
altered the character OF the transaction because
sIdres tcere TO be procured at all must be by pur
chase and they could not be obtained unless the
chiefs made ,cdr upon their neighbors, IL being
Of course, matter Of utter indifference 10 those chiefs
irhsther those siares, uhom they sold 10 the highest
bidders ,rere manumifed after their aTrirai IN the
French colonies, ,rheher theytr corked 10 death
(Hear, hedr) The wars carried on with that view
were of the most barbarous character. and caused
great loss OF life. Whole districts were depopulat-
ed, and not one half of those captured survived the
suferngs they met with on their way to the coast.
The French contractors said that il was act of
humanity to the negroes themselves TO give them that
opportunity Of emigrating 10 places where they
could be proftably employed. But he would re
mind their loniships that II was putting stop to
that legitimate and prosperous trade which within
the last few years had sprung up on the coast of
Africa in almost every locality in which the slave
trade had been carried on and by which the natives
of Africa were greatly benefited. In the spring
Of tins year he (the Earl OF Carendon) received
two dispatches on this subject, which were of such
great interest and contained such full and valuable
information as TO the trade in palm oil that he did
not wait TO have them published In the regular
course but laid them at once upon the table Of their
lordships' House. (Hear hear) Since that time he
had dsceTfaned that the trade at Lagos in palm oil
had increased so per cent, and amounted 10 up
Sdrds Of f2,000,000 year. But the ,choie Of this
rising trade and this Increasing prosperity 10 the
dfrieans noc threatened tr,th destruction If this
system tcere carried ON. (Hear, hear) There were
now extensive preparations for war being made in
all the countries from which the slaves brought.
and as the matter was one of 80 much interest and
importance, he would read very short extract from
a despatch which he had received from Mr.. Camp
bell, the consul at Lagos. Mr.. Campbell, at the be-
ginning Of September last, w.ote in aluson TO the
contract of NJ. Regis, that
Unless the intention Of purchasing slaves whydah is
abandoned shall have the whole OF e Youraba
try plunged into warfare 10 supply the demand of the
slave psrket whydah. The example Of the people Of
Abeohta s TO be followed by the people Of Ibaddan who
are preparing the Taboo country and a. pre-
lminary step several Jaboos peacefully attending the
market a lbaddau have been seized put 10 death
others 10 whydah for sale and all intercourse be
tween the two countries has been stopped by the closing
OF the paths and roads, and II the speculation OF NJ Regis
is carried out II will be followed by other countries
But the people Of that country had during the last
thirty years acquired such taste for Industrial pur
SUITS and had become 80 much alive to the advan-
tages arising therefrom that IL with the utmost
| reluctance they were now induced to engage in
wars, while formerly every was eager for strife
and plunder, and the chiefs were now actually com.
PEELED TO suspend all trade. and to deprive the peo-
pie Of all means Of livelihood before they could In.
| duce them TO engage in hostilities. In order to
prove that fact he would read extract from pro-
| clamaton issued by the chief OF Abbeokuta:-
L. In order TO procure large army for the Aibo war,
TO be undertaken trade must be stopped now and
during the nothing must be sold and nothing bought
In order 10 do this the passengers by land and the
river 10 si, Ibaddan lagos and other adjacent towns
| that trade with Abbcokuta must be stopped
.. No canoe shall be allowed TO appear in the river,
cepting the missionaries, who traders.
4. That instant death on the spot be the penalty In.
ficted upon violation OF any OF these rules
II not necessary 10 enter into further details but he