Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-09-03
THE SLAVE TRADE FROM NEW YORK

NEw YORK, Aug, Is, 1859.
l said in a recent letter that q dozen or twenty
%slayers left this port annually. Facts that have re-
Gently come to my knowledge convince me that
this statement is no e&aggoration. The forbidden
traffic is, Of course, conducted With The profound
est secrecy, and it is not possible for any one per-
son, even though he were an operator himself, to
know the whole extent Of the business, and name
all tho parties engaged in it, as it is not a monop-
oily, but open to the competition of every daring
man with money, like any other pursuit. There
lie a class Of general facts, however, which cannot
be kept wholly secret, and which are probably well
known to many persons beside your correspond
eDt.
The s!ave-trade, like many other trades. has its
managers, it's brokers, or go-betweens, and its cap.
%italists. The first class is composed OF Cubans,
Brazilans, Portuguese and occasionally Americans
the latter from New York, Boston and other
down-East ports, and Baltimore. Most Of them
were originally engaged in the legitimate African
trade, and while in quest Of palm oil and ivory
were drawn into the slave business by becoming
acquainted with its facilities and profits. lheJ
are familiar with the African coast and rivers,ant
arc acclimated to the country. Of course they
are thorough dare-devils by nature, for no othet
men would assume the fearful risk Of the traffic
The second class, or go-betweens, are very pleas
ant, oily, elegantly dressed and bediamoned per
sons-mostly Cubans-who put up at our best no
tells, visit the great watering places, lounge in thu
~coulisseS of the opera, mark the time with theil
heavy jeweled fingers, and indulge in %ostenta
tiously uttered 'bravas.' Our best society wei
comes them as it does all other gaudy adventur
ers. 1t is in the wealthy but vulgar circles, tc
which their superficial attractions and indomita
BILE impudence gain them ready access, that they
pick up capital for the trade. Confidence once es
tablished, the subject is ~skilfully introduced. spec
ulative %avarice is aroused, and the man who swim.
dies his fellow creature in the banking, brok ering
or other business, is very easily reconciled to the
delinquencies Of the slave trade. 1t will pay
maguihcently, or at least it does in seven cases
out of ten, and that is all he wants TO know. lie
is introduced to the first class, the managers, and
negotiations arc soon closed. The contracts enter
ed into, though fraudulent in law, are, without
doubt, as faithfully and honorably observed as
many others that aie invested with every legal
solemnity. ] know of two ladies, now attr acting
admiration at a fashionable watering place, who
invested in a little venture of this kind not long
ago, and as q result. have augmented their bank
ing accounts-one to the extent of S23 900 and
tho other SIC, 900. The headquarters of the traf-
fc in this city are mainly in South. William,
Broad and Water streets. Two vessels ore now
fitting out hese for the business.
l have not written the above as a sensation par
agraph, nor as a complete erpose of the slave-trade
in its relation to New York. Since penning it, l
have seen a long pretentious article in the Herald,
purportipg to tell all that is known upon the sub
ject. The writer is correct in his historical facts,
but is evidently ignorant of the trade as it is car
ried on to-day. almost within the shadow of Trini-
ty Church steeple.-Cor Charleston Mercury.