The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-10
COMMUNICATION.

should not reply to the comment of your cores
/ pondent Z. were it not that your own remarks and
his comment tend, if not replied to- TO create be-
llet that Mr.. Bowen is seeking to organise ga mo-
nopoly" in Central Africa similar to the monopoly
/ of the East India Company.
| Now the facts that Mr.. Bowen is a Baptist
Missionary, who having spent some six years in
Africa has applied to Congress for an appropriation
TO explore the Niger, and in a letter to the Com
mittee of the Senate, and in publications in Hunts
| Magazine the African Repository, and in book
one OF the most interesting ever published in rea-
ton to Africa, has labored to induce others to unite
with him in the great work of disseminating the
Gospel in Africa
He tells us that the missionary, the school master,
the mechanic and the trader are each indispensable
to this great work. and demonstrates that each and
all can be useiully and proftably employed He is
missionary, not trader He has no wish himself
to become trader, but he believes, as do that it
is indispensable that the trader should go with the
missionary. He had failed to enlist the cooperation
OF any trader having requisite capital, and having
read his book, l advised him to apply to the Legs-
lature of Maryland for charter, believing that he
could find many who would willingly appropriate
small sums, which, under charter, would enable
him, with the aid and cooperation of such a COM
pany to demonstrate that the plan which he proposes
is the only feasible plan of coonizng Africa, and
ridding us of the free black popuaton-measures
which, it is hoped, you and your correspondent both
approve.
But you both censure the bill because of powers
asked for and your correspondent seems to think it
monstrous that the company should be permitted to
trade ''elsechere than in Africa" Commerce is an
exchange of commodities, and what harm could ac-
crue if one of the company's ships should go from
Africa to Europe, and from Europe to Baltimore ?
Again the sum of 900 startles your CORES
pondent. Does he know anything of the number of
persons the amount of the products of Central At
rica Does he know that the company will find the
British, French and Portuguese already engaged in
this trade, with much more than ten millions of capi-
tal and protected by fleets and armies whose annual
cost is much more than ten millions of dollars Has
he any conception of jealousy and rivalry which our
missionaries will encounter do not believe he has
the information either to the object and purposes of
the bill or of the means by which these objects can be
obtained, iii he be you say ntelligentand right
minded citizen of the State.
But you and he too seem to think that it will be
time enough for the Legislature of Maryland to
grant such charter when your merchants ask
for it.
can well suppose that you, as citizens of Balti-
more, wish to promote the welfare and commerce of
Baltimore, and do not complain that you ask that
your own merchants should be preferred. | can
speak for myself, and venture to speak for Mr.. Bow
en-. Neither of us have any wish to prevent any
merchant OF Baltimore from taking as large an in
terest in this Company as he may wish to take, and
surely it would be than the ''dog in the
ger" to refuse to permit others to do that which,
being rendered to you, you refuse to do. If you
wish to profit by the Company, take the shares, and
it will be your Company. Mr.. Bowen does not wish
the charter for himself, but for others-for your
Baltimore merchants if they will.
word as to the amount of capital asked for /
know that ten millions of dollars is large sum,
but it does not follow that that sum will be SUBJ
scribed. 1t may be wanted, and if so, the company
should have the privilege to obtain it. 1t will not
be subscribed unless it can be proftably employed
and if it be protitably employed, there can be
why the capital should not be equal to the
wants of the trade.
The competition is not with the merchants of Bal
timore, now engaged in that trade, but with Brit
ish, French and Portuguese traders, backed by the
fleets, and protected by their respective govern
ments. DUFF GREEN.