Daily national Democrat., 1858-10-23
Horrors orthe slave Trade.


This inhuman business has been declared
by our Government, as well as that of France,
England, Russia, and in fact all the leading
civilized governments of the earth, piracy.
Yet, it continues to be carried on to a very
great extent. Our readers are already aware
that slaver-a ship named the Echo--was
lately captured by an American vessel and
brought into Charleston. The poor negroes
were found in a most miserable condition.
Their wants, however, were relieved as soon
as possible by our Government, and them
selves returned to the coast of Africa. Their
condition is thus described by Carolinian
who went aboard the Echo
OF those in health, or comparatively, SO,
(says the writer) found about 250--of whom
some so were females. There were about 80
others Il do not pretend to eXactness in fig
ures) in the sick wards, in various stages of
disease. You have already shown that the
negroes are from almost under the equator
latitude $50 south, longitude 1920 east. In
the few books to which we have had access
since | saw them, have not found them de-
scribed Bowen's explorations were in Cen
trail Africa-Livingstone's in the southern
part. Barth's volumes, so far as he has gone,
are descriptive of North and Central Africa
so that am left somewhat at a loss for ref
crences. The negroes are of various ages,
from thirty years to few months or even
weebs--some | should judge, having been
born on the passage 1t is wonderful how
either mother or infant survived such an event
Z A.: I. oo;J 6 4I,o,o oo,,,ouo
lively in health, what language can describe
the sick ? | saw one poor creature swollen
to the most wonderful size with dropsy and
as he lay on his back, he moved his hands,
signifying to our party a request for his ci-
gar which, when given to him, he smoked
with the greatest ayidity. Another mani
tested similar wants, and replied to our beck
onings to come to us, by pointing to his leg,
which we construed into inability to move.
Two Law near, whose troubles here had ceased
in death while another, the most affecting
sight of ala child of six or eight years
lay on its side in the sun on the stone
wharf, with eyes closed, and no other evi-
dence of life than the slight motion of the
stomach, indicating breathing. The poor
creature alone and unattended, had rested
its head on its little hand as naturally as our
tude of suffering childhood was losing the
consciousness of a life whose experience had
been only that of sorrow and suffering.
One thing impressed me forcibly--the COM
plete docility, amounting to mere mechanical
submission, of all these creatures In the
sick ward the physicians were applying caus
tic to the eyes of their patients. When this
painful remedy was applied--and poor crea-
lures, they knew not that it was remedy,
or anything but part of the system of cruel
ty to which they had been suhjected--they-
covered their faces with their hands in pain
and with their heads all bowed in meek sub
mission and though many were young chill
dren, not a sound not murmur escaped
The scene was truly touching. To one of
any sensibilitY, the horrors of a battlefield
| were less so. l left the scene chastened and
humbled, bat with gratitude, too, | trust, to
Almighty God for a lot cast in a Christian
| land
These negroes, purchased on the West
Coast at from so cents to 81. and costing
scarcely more than SO to S15 to be deliv-
cred on the coast of Cuba, were all to be sold
by contract at $3.50 round, or one hundred
ami seventy-sev thousand nine hundred
and eighty dollars (Sl77 $500 for the cargo.
Such gains are too tempting 20 be resisted
| by those who make haste to be rich.