New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-02

It has been favorite idea with the partisans Of
Tie slave trade, that the Africans are nearly all
slaves at home that the transporting them across
the Atlantic and setting them st work on American
sugar, co&ee and cotton plantations H. after all
only change Of masters, and most likely highly
beneficial change, since is is not TO be presumed
that q civilized and Christian planter can be 8
harsher master than . savage African chief The
observations, however, Of DR.. Livingstone, in his
recent African travels, Of which we gave state
ment in recent article go entirely to coz
tradics this representation Of African society.
Zhe power Of the African chiefs over their subjects
g. according to his representations, exceedingly
limited and the number Of pefsons held in Slavery,
for any domestic purposes, comparatively small.
This view Of the case 10 remarkably confirmed
By some very interesting statements made by the
Rev. Mr.. BusAaell, who has spent the last eleven
years as missionary on the West Coast of Africa
and whose observations and conclusions, a. sunmed
up BY The N. y Esssgeiiss, will be found In another
column. Mr.. Bushnell il even led 10 conclude that
Slavery IN Africa, If it did not absolutely originate
With the export Of negroes commenced BY the first
Portuguese discoverers, has yet chiefly grown up
under that influence and owes its present existence
mainly to il.
What We know Of the history Of our own Indian
tribes serves to give high degree Of probability TO
this suggestion Of Mr.. Bssh,ell The social aud
Political condition of the African tribes a. described
BY Dr.. Livingstone, beam veJ striking analogy TO
that Of the American Indians when the continent
h.t became known 10 white men. At that time
slayeholdDg or the making Of wars for the sake q
svecstching, was thing unknown 70 the Indians,
who, on the other hand, were accustomed to rcor-
corporate such captves they took, into their own
tribes, on terms Of perfect equality, te supply the
places of lost sons daughters other relatives.
| When, however, by The establishment of slavehola
ing white settlements in their neighbofhood, Do
nand sprung up for slaves, and, in default Of q
sui1iciency Of negroes, for Indian slaves As well.
the Indian tribes especially those Of Carolina aud
Georgia, learned 10 make war on esch other ios the
very purpose Of taking prisoners to be se0 10 the
| whites a. slaves.
| The history Of Eew-York aAd New England pre-
sents still more remark able aRd striking instance
Of the efficacy Of exterior market for slaves in
giving stimulus 10 Indian hostility and converting
| the Indians into slAyebreeders and Shareholders.
| During the series Of wars between Canada on tho
other, the French Canadians were sccustemed 10
purchase from the Indians such white csphvo a.
they took in their forsys on New England and
| New-York, for the purpose Of using them about
their houses and on their farms, if not precisely %
slaves, at least as bond-servants. The Canadians
pretended, precisely like the shave traders % the
African cosst, that il they had not purchased these
csptves, the Indians would have killed them, thus
attempting 10 eIdt into an act Of humanity their
serving their OWN domestic convenience in supplying
themselves with white servants stolen from the VII
hses Of New.York and New-EnsIand. To this
pretense Of humanity on the part Of these Cana
dian sAvebuyers, there was precisely the same
answer which Mr.. Bushnell makes 10 the similar
yretense on the part Of the European slaveboyers
on the African coast namely, that but for tie
stimulus afforded BY this market for their capdvss,
not one In ten of the Indian war parties would ever
have been undertaken. From thus becoming hid.
nappen TO supply the Canadian market the IN
dams soon become Shareholders on thair own as
count, certain number Of their white espdves
beng retained to serve - slaves in their OWL
wgwams.
Az thus, under Christian instruction aud the
.tjmulus Of Christian slave market, our Amencan
Indians became kidnappers and shareholders, so, in
Mr. Basbrells opinion, il was and Is, under smila
Christian instruction and stimulus, that kidnapping
and saveh oldipg have been rasei 70 their presen,
ppmnepce, ard are still m.intained there. among
the domestic institutions OF Africa. Nor ned
this parallel between Africa and America be
limited to the past Africa, We presume, accord.
ing to Mr. Bu.bnsRs account, seems to bs very
| mach in The predcsuen. Of oar American slave
breeding States. slave is good for no hing To
Keep or to use, bat Gully to sell The continuance
Of sisTe1J depends, as vel IN Guinea IS in Mary