Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-03-09
I 8 g.
Startling DIsciOsures - frIcmn SInve
Trade 0nened M lhe snnlh.

HNNS oPSAeO at the SOuAbs
Some startling and significant facts have
come to our knowledge. We have hestated
to disclose them, but after inquiry, exami-
nation, and consultation, we are Convinced
thst both duty and policy demand disclosure.
The facts, we say, are startling; they are cru
clal. They will surprise and encourage many
in our counting rooms and offices, and many
on the plantations and in the towns, but most
OF all they will astound the cabinets of West
ern Europe, and eminently assist to confirm
between the genial French people and our
own Norman and Huguenot South, an I'M
written, but hearty, magnanimous, and un-
conquerable league against the allied avarce
and envy, cant, and rapacty of England and
the Northern States.
Although the foiled and furious enemies of
our institutions may shake up, uncork, and
pour out on our battered brows the foamne
walls OF their WRATH and though the great par
ties of the country may be bitterly disappoint-
ed and imbrangled. let it go forth that South
erners have taken into their own hand the
law, and opened the African slave trade with
the South; that Africans are now imported
into Mississippi and other seashore States
that in Mississippi there is a market for Afri-
can slaves and that on plantations in that
great and intrepid State, negroes recently i'm
ported from Africa are at their daily work
The authority on which we make this an
nouncement is indisputable, We even have
adyiees that in Mississippi, Henry Hughes
and some of his party now privately urge the
labor immigration movement, not to open the
supply OF Africans, but to legitimate, moral
lie, regulate, and equalize the supply already
opened and impossible to be closed. We have
some further details. Some negroes are dis.
embarked on the Atlantic coast, and brought
over land to the Mississippi cotton fields but
the Mississippi sea coasts peculiar facilities
for landing and secretng cargoes, and the
conveniences of Pearl river as a channel for
distribution, are not overlooked.
The profits of the Mississippi slave trade
are enormous. We have been so fortunate as
to procure from undoubted authority some
interesting details They relate to the opera
tons of the Mississippi slave trade, and are
authenticated by operators. 1t need not be
said in the first place that the barque engaged
in the traffic to the South must be fast sail
er; for this is indispensable to the security of
the officers and crew, the health of the cargo,
and the rapidity of the pecuniary returns.
For trip from the Mississippi coast to Africa
and back, there must be a. captain, superear-
go, three mates, three cooks, steward, and
between twenty and thirty first. class seamen.
The vessel must be well supplied with extra
running and standing rigging, and also SUI
pernumeraIy spa-s, ropes, topmasts, and suits
of sails. An assortment of the flags of alt
nations will be particularly desirable, but the
most useful now is the French flag, because
British cruisers will not verify the colors and
take the same liberty as with the United
States flag.
The fare of the ships crew must be the
very best, and the good will must be carefully
conciliated, because during the voyage nu-
tiny is disastrous and after the voyage, a
treacherous or vndiCtiYe information is, to
say the least, troublesome and expensive. To
procure the good will of the men, much de-
ponds on the Mates over whom the captain
ought to keep a strict watch. For the sub.
sistence of the negroes there must be a plen-
tiful supply of hard bread, corn meal, rice,
and an abundance of vinegar, red pepper,
pure water, ana drugs. In distributing Diet
the greatest regularity is to be observed, and
the very first symptoms of disease promptly
treated. As to the capacity of the superior
officer, it may be safely said that SLAYER re-
quires in it more courage, talent, honesty,
fidelity, skill, and discretion, than any ship
in any other trade. Indeed, the captain and
supercargo must, between them, act as navi-
gator and naval officer, merchant physician,
dipomatist, and magistrate, not to mention
the functions of chaplain.
AS to the expenses and profits Of the voy-
age, the latest advises were from the captain
of bnrque which sailed from one Of the
Georgia ports. He has quite recently return
ed, and reports that on account Of the vigil
lenee of cruisers, negroes had accumulated
on the coast, and in a manner glutted the
markets, and that in consequence of this the
price had fallen to under thirty dollars head.
The payment, however, must be in gold or
silver as the head man will not, as formerly,
barter for merchandise.
We may estimate cargo to number seven
hundred negroes. although many more than
that are often carried but whatever the
number, none purchased should be over 25
years of age.-Seven hundred, at an average
cost of thirty dollars piece, will amount to
$2l, 200, and their price in this country or
Cuba will range from $3.50 to $1,000. But
if sold for $500, say, the cargo will net
$3.50 900.
Freely allowing, then, $3.50 for the entire
expense of the voyage, and all possible loss,
the profits of one round voyage will amount
to 100000 Where the profits are SO exor
bitant, we can well understand why the bus
mess has begun in the South. We can we'll
understand the impossibility of closing the
trade now begun and most of all, we now
can understand that the great question is not
whether there shall be for the South a supply
OF African labor, because that is now settled,
and the great and absorbing question is
whether, according to Hughes method the
supply shall be so modified as to be legitimate,
fair, regular, and equal.