The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-09-03
THE NORTHERN PRESS.
From the Dubuque Iows) Daily Times, August %.
THE SLAVE TRADE UNDER THE GUIsE OF
PHILANTHROPY.

Lord Napier has recently communicated TO
our Government an instance of philanthropy
which became sadly mixed up with misanthro.
by or inhumanity. 1t will be recollected that,
some time ago, the inhabitants of the Cape de
Verde islands were reported to be in a starving
condition; and contributions, freely raised in
our large cities. were shipped for their relief in
the brigantine n. Hand, on behalf of the Corn
Exchange Company of New York. Mr.. Peter
Rice acted as agent in the matter. The YES
sci, which was owned by Mr.. George W. Roose.
welt, took out, with her benevolent gifts, the in
struments requisite for use in carrying on the
slave trade; and, having reached her destina-
ton, and discharged her cargo of food, she ship.
ped two hundred blacks from the coast of Africa
for the Cuban market The report is, that the
Portuguese Consul was privy to these unlawful
movements, plotting crime under the cloak of
charity. The vessel has not returned to New
York.
Boswell, whose views on the subject of the
slave trade we briefly limited at few DAYS ago.
would, were he alive, lock upon the seizure of
the two hundred negroes, by the officers of the
n. Hand, as an act as humane as the mission
to the Cape de Verbs. Many a STAKEHOLDER
and politician at the South, no doubt, views the
movement in the same light Certain it is, that
under the guise of pretended humanity, the re-
vivsl of the slave trade is now urged BY them.
1t would be mercy, say they, to the poor, be,
nlghted African. to drag him from his native
land of Paganism, and bring him under the
clVillzlng and outstanding influences of our
lnstltution-as though there was any law of
God or human justice that warrants the Selling
OF one man by another, and enslaving him to
save his SOUL There is nothing in the Divine
code to justify such process of salvation. No
man, says DIR. johnson, sis, by nature, the
property of another" The system of Slavery
began in robbing; it is carried on in robbing
| and the climax of robberes and of human
| crimes is the slave trade.
Tet, under the plea of humanity, Southern
statesmen ask to have it revived and, under
another name, it is being revived by the French
Government, as we showed few DAYS ago
And we told that the English people look
with complacency on the movement to export
native Africans to the French West India
Islands. This statement is grounded on the
fact that the London Times, and the London
Post, a Ministerial print, with one or two other
British journals, speak favorsbly of it. But it
should De borne in mind that the movement IN
| England is made by unprincipled and heartess
capitalists, who will go into any trade in which
money can be made. 1t is evident, however
that the papers friendly to the movement do
| not look upon it a revival of the slave trade
i PAOPSA' lug OoS, W Tue utSTOeS,
| says:
lon their ARRIVAL in the French islands, they
are to be bound to enter into contracts for
period of ten years service, during which, with
the exception of the obligation in question:
they are to be treated as free men, and, a.
such, TO enjoy the protection of the laws. On
ne expiration OF ten years, they are to be at
liberty, either to remain as free laborers in the
colony to which they have been sent, or return
tree OF expense, to their own country. Such
Is an outline OF the plan, so far as its details
have come to light; and, regarding it simply
as an experiment, which shall be followed up
or abandoned, as its results may determine, We
confess we see little cause for that extraordIna
| ry degree of alarm which has been expressed
by at least one of our contemporaries on the
subject"
The Times is a little more selfish, and would
| perhaps encourage the movement, though per
| suaded that It's consequences must be serious
1t is evident however, that the people of Eng
land, as well as most of The presses, are SOUND
on the subject being firmly opposed to any
steps which would ultimately result in the rev.
val of the African slave trade in all its enor
mites The sentiments Of Lord Brougham
A Southern Commercial Convention, which met AZ
Knoxville Tennessee the 9th of this month"; and held q
OF several days length had the subject OF The re
viva Of trade before and several gentlemen
spoke IN favor oft