The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-17
pared with those between that country and England,
stand about as follows -

The total imports and exports between England
and the whole of Africa including the west and east
coasts, with the Cape Of Good Hope, amounts to
about s23 900 900 per annum.
The trade ON the part of Great Britain, it is be,
lieved has been proportionably augmented within
the years 1856 and 1857; while that of the United
States has been about stationary or has diminished
This would be we'll enough under fair and regular
competition, but when the annoyance of our COM
merce by British cruisers under the pretext of sup
pressing the slave trade has contributed to produce
this result the question becomes Of grave con-
sideration on the part Of the United States.
CONCLUSION.
We have thus shown that this African question is
one of great importance to this country, and we
might add to this continent.
We have shown its bearings in regard to the sup
ply of African labor in the production of tropical
articles of necessity to the whites inhabting tenn
perate ATTITUDES and who are physically unable to
produce them.
We have shown the amount and value of supplies
drawn from the tropics in the shape of cotton sugar
coffee rice tobacco &C., and that the great bulk OF
them are produced by African slave labor, by which
means commerce has been vastly augmented and
civilization more widely and permanently established
Der of African slaves, laboring in their natural
climate of the tropics, have supplied from one to
two hundred millions of whites with clothing, food
and employment.
We have shown the hoIowness, the sham, that is
carried by England and other nations to suppress
the slave trade, while the United States has been
made cats paw of in keeping up the deuson.
We have shown that her cruisers have overhauled
and searched our vessels with impunity, and made
seizures and considerations under patry pretexts to
the loss and ruin of American citizens.
We have shown that while England constantly
augments African labor in her West India colonies
recruited from captured slaves; while France sends
African emigrants to Guadalupe and Martinique
and Spanish and Portuguese vessels run cargoes OF
slaves into Cuba continually the United States
enjoys the undignifed position of looking on, with
few sailing vessels of rambling about the ocean
at the decay of our trade, and the constant aug
mentation of Africans in European colonies adjacent
| to our shores, whose labor must ere long come in
ruinous competition with our enormously expensive
labor employed in the production of valuable staple;
which 80 largely contribute to our national pros
perity.
policy like this long submitted to, must ultimate
ly destroy our trade with Africa, and prove dsas
| trious TO our inter.tropical planting interest.
We have shown the necessity of the United States
taking new stand-more elevated in its tone and
character-regarding our African relations.
We owe it to ourselves to insist upon the prompt
suppression of the slave trade by the Powers con
cerned. by casting off the veil OF false pretences
false philanthropy; or the other hand disband all
guardacosta squadrons and throw wide open inter
course with Africa and the Africans to all alike leav
ing each to choose the French plan or to adopt any
other they please Let one thing or the other be done
and that without hating and without fear. new
position is demanded on our part by every consdera
| ton of national interest and national honor.