The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-06-24
THE HORRORS OF THE "MIDLLE PASSAGE


A correspondent of the New York Journal
Of Commerce, writing on beard the United
States frigate Powhatan, at St. Helena, Feb.
LIST, gives an interesting account of visit to
slave vessel which had been captured by the
British cruisers, and taken to St. Helena. The
SLAYER was brigantine, built about four years
ago, at New London, Conn.,, and admirably con.
structed for speed. She measured about 220
tons, and her slave deck was only four and a
halt feet high, yet no less than six hundred and
fifty Africans had been crowded into this small
vessel. The utmost compl ession compatible
with life was resorted to, and, had not large
portion been mere children, they could not have
been slowed away. The writer says the follow
ing method was employed to economic space I:
"The Africans were placed in rows, face to
to face, lengthwise Of the deck, and each one
running one leg between the legs of the one sit.
ting opposite. Another row was placed back
to back against the exterior row first seated,
and thus the whole deck was almost q solid
mass of living human flesh. To keep them still
and powerless, and prevent instruction, ring
was put On one ANGLE, to which an iron bar was
attached, which reached up to the body, and to
which the manacles were fastened, which were
put on their wrists. Thus situated, row facing
row, and legs interlaced with legs, q long iron
bar ran along over the line of ANGLES, to which
the irons were attached which fastened the feet.
Thus, nearly all motion of the body and ex-
ercise of the limbs was impossible, men in the
stocks having as much liberty as they had, with
all the advantages of light and air. Even for
day, such a position would be painful and al
most intolerable; and what, then, q passage
from continent to continent, over the broad At.
lantic, amidst storms, and Gains, and suffoca-
ton, and occupying often sirty days and more!
Occasionally, the slaves are taken on deck
in gangs, where they may breathe the pure air
short time, and where they are washed by
having buckets of salt water thrown upon them,
their letters and manacles yet remaining on
them, and the salt water washing the sores and
raw flesh which their sitting position on the
hard planks their pressing against each other,
together with the Calling irons, have made.
Both men and women are either utterly naked,
or else have hardly the equal of fig leaf apron
FOR their protection. The stencil and filth are
necessarily horrible and indescribable, which q
stable or stye can hardly exceed, and seldom
equal 1t is not strange that frightful mortality
soon broke out, which ended the woes of many,
and would have done of all, but for the Provi.
Dental capture
MORE SIGNIFICANT TALK FROM Gov WIsE's
ORGAN.-What good could possibly result from
the discussion of the African slave trade Sup
pose the South united, to a man, is it possible,
without disunion, ever to accomplish the repeal
of those laws that forbid the slave trade? And
do the advocates of the slave trade imagine that
the South would. be guilty of the folly of disso.
luton, to accomplish measure that would de-
stroy the value of Fer now largest INTEREST,"
Then why continue the discussion of question
that can never be accomplished in the Union,
and for the .accompfishment of which the South
would be unwilling to dissolve the Union
Why continue to agitate subject that divides
the South, and distracts the attention of her
people from subjects of more practical import
ance?
We can see no good whatever to be be &C.
complished by the continued discussion of this
question. If the cotton States are determined
to revive the slave trade, and thus to destroy
the value of Slavery in every noncotton grow
ing State, it will demonstrate selfishness of
which we have believed the Southern States in
capable. If dissolution of the Union is to
be followed BY revival of the slave trade, Vir.
gisia had better consider phether the south of
Me Northern Coa.federacy ,oould not be far
more preferable for her than the north of a
Southern C0nfsderQcy. In the Northern Con.