Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-07-03
Prom the London Times, June IL.
EXPENSE OF THE FRENCH SLAVE
TRADE.
REVOLT ON BOARD ONE OF TIE SHIPS.

REVOLT ON BOARD ONE OF THE SHIPS.
The Ethiopc, Captain Croft, q steamer belong
ing to the West Africa Steam Company, arrived
at Monrovia, the capital of the settlement of Lii
IBERIA, on the 18th. Of April. The captain, on
landing, was Informed by cx.President Roberts
that II French vessel, tho Regina Cnli, which had
been for some weeks collecting 'emigrants" under
the new system, had been tho scene of a fearful
catastrophe. These so.called cmigrants had re-
yoltod during the absence of the captain, purser,
and a few of the crew, who, fortunately for them
selves, had gene on shore for q short time, The
seamcn left on board, to the number OF eleven,
were murdered ny Tie negroes the doctor alone
was spared and put on shore. The Ignorant
wretches, after perpctrating this deed, had taken
possession of the vessel, and were known to be in
the noighborhood of Cape Mount. Shortly after
Captain Croft received this information, there
came a formal request from the French Consul
that the Ethiope would, if possible, recapture the
vessel. The Ethiope set ont accordingly. The
Regina CUli was known to DC well armed ships
conveying this class Of emigrants are, it appears,
well aimed and Captain Croft made every pre-.
p%aration. But rightly believing that ex-Prcsident
Roberts would exercise n moral influence on the
blacks, that gentleman was requested to accom-
pany the expedition. AT nine O'Clock the next
morning they sighted the Regina CUli, quite un.
manageable near the shore" "As we neared,"
says an eye witnessed; 1--WE saw the decks crowd
ed with people, who, as soon ~ they saw the Brit,
ish flag. hung up a white shirt, and, the Eth;opo
coming within hailing distance, they made all
possible demonstrations, by clapping their hands
and crossing their arms, thus expressing their JOY
at seeing a British ship, and their readiness to
give them selves up" MIR. Roberts went on board
and when the blacks heard they were to be taken
TO Monrovia they danced and shouted with delight.
Mr.. Roberts, having heard the account of these
people, expressed his opinion that all the so-called
emigrants were merely slaves, and had been reg
ularly bought, shipped and manacled just in the
i --oot..a 80 H. .o,, II. 800 IN
year.
The account the negroes gave Of themselves
7 leaves, indeed, no doubt of the fact. The iron:
with which they had been manacled were or
board, and many Of them retained the marks or
! their wrists and ankles. They were about go il
D ali, but 100 had left before the Ethiope fell il
with the ship. One Of the men said that tht
greater part had been brought down from the in
@ terror and bought by tho Frenchmen in the usua
way. Others had gone on board ms laborers, he
n himself among the number, and had been sudden
8 ly seized, put in irons, and slowed away in thu
t hold. BY these means were the emigrants obtain
r cd, who, but for the mutiny, were destined t
"devclope their faculties by contact with ciyiliza
ton" in the Island of Reunion, late Bourbon
The account given by them of the massacre itsel
IS was, that it arose from the cook stabbing Que o
y the people who had Como to the galley to get some
thing to eat but there can be little doubt tina
the deed was prcmodiatcd, and that the cooks vic
r lence, even if true, was only the signal for th
c rising.
This is the mutiny Of a number of kidnappc
slaves, bought, carried on board, chained in til
1t usual way, and destined to be transported to til
y French plantations under the name of ''voluntar
IS cmigrants. That the system is nothing more tina
& the slave trade under another name cannot b
doubted. That the immigration of Africans an
is Asialics to thinly pcopled colonies is desirable W
have always upheld, and even this French schem
might have been so worked as to be a blessin
@ both to Africa and the Antilles. The variou
races which have been introduced into the BIRTHS
possessions have of lato years prospered an
been productive of prosperity to others. Th
N coolies in the Mauritius and Dcmarara, the Oh
nese in Australia, and oven large bodies of n,
groes introduced into different islands, have ha
" no reason to regret the change in their lot an
we hope that this kind of emigration will CO.
"a tinue and increase. But nothing is more likely
it check IA really health supply of lator than such
nefarious traffic has nowj been exposed. "
trust that the French government will no long,
1t hesitate to discountenance proceedings which al
1t able now to boast Of the imperial appreciation.