The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-05-23

u&At AO4 ~ ue0aA'
The Africans Lately Captured.
Scarcely had the President communicated a
special message to the Senate on the subject
of what is to be done with the five hundred
Africans captured on the SLAYER Wildfire by
the u, S. steamer Mohawk, before the tele-
graph announces the capture of another sla-
yer. the Williams, with $50 negroes on board.
by the U. s. ship Wyandotte. the prize being
taken into the same port, Key West, as the
Wildflre We need not comment on the cir
Gums tan ce that both these slavers, like all
American vessels engaged in the African and
Coolie slave trade, are from the North, for
this notorious fact does not have the least eff
feet in moderating the pharisaical complacen-
CIV of abolitionisrn. But it is worthy of OBJ
seryation, that whilst we maintain a squad
ron OH the coast Of Africa at great expense,
and no little peril to the valuable lives of our
officers and seamen, it is the rarest thing III
the world for the African squadron to catch a
SLAYER. This is not from any want of vigil
lance or energy. but it is impossible to guard
coast of such extent, and with such means of
concealment and escape. In spite OF all the
squadrons of Europe and America, the
slave trade has continued to increase The
American government, with its U.S. al sweet
simplicity, has suffered itself to be made
catspaw of by the British government in this
whole business, and ought at once to bring
this expensive, exhausting and worthless ar
rangement to an end. If it really wants to
catch the slavers, recent events have sufficient
ly proved that the place to post its cruisers is
near the narrow and isolated points, Cuba and
Porto Rico, where they are to be landed.
But another question Of practical merit, APP
pealing to the pocket of the Government. is
pressed upon public attention by the recent
captures Of the Wildfire and the Williams
What is to be done with these re-captured
Africans! If the same disposition is to be
made of them as iIfs the case Of the negroes of
the Echo, who were returned to their native
land in the United States ship Niagara, the
expenditures on the two cargoes of Africans
just landed at Key West will not be less than
two hundred thousand dollars, and, accord
ing to the Presidents conjecture, may con-
siderably exceed this sum. According to an
estimate printed by the United States Mar
shall of the Southern District Of Florida, the
aggregate expense OF even temporary quarters
for them may be twenty.four thousand dol
lars. If our naval officers continue to be as
successful in their captures, which, with the
small steamers at their command, is probable,
the Government will be in the condition Of
the man who bought the elephant and didn't
know what to do with him. A hundred thou
sand dollars a ship.load for Africans, is pref
t.! costly philan thropy. If the naval officers
expect Brother JONATHAN to 60 into Mysteries
of gratitude for every such present they bring
to our shores, they are reckoning without
their host
In q special message to the Senate of the
body that the period has arrived when it is in
dispensable to provide, by some specific legis-
latiOn. for the guidance Of the Executive on
the subject He suggests, that Congress may au-
thorize him to enter into general arrange.
ment with the Colonization Society, binding
them TO receive on the coast of Africa, from
an agent there, all the captured Africans who
may be delivered to him, and to maintain
them for limited period, on such terms and
conditions as may combine humanity toward
those unfortunates, with just economy. It
would obviats the necessity of making a new
bargain with every new capture, and would
prevent delay and avoid the expense of the
disposition of the captured. The law might
then provide that in all cases where practical
BILE, the captor shall carry the negroes directly
to Africa, and deliver them to the American
agent there, afterward bringing the captured
vessel to the United States for adjudication
The capturing officer. liHs case of bringing the
prize to the 0nited States, ought to be re-
quired TO land the negroes in some one or
more ports, to be designated by Congress
where the prevailing health throughout the
year is good. At these ports, cheap bu. per.
manent accommodations might be provided
for the negroes until they could be sent away,
without mourning the expense of erecting
such accommodations at every port where the
captor may think it expedient to enter.
Letters from Key West represent the lVildGre
negroes a. anxious to remain in this country
The same was said of the Eeho's negroes. II
this be true, 1t Is unjust and unmerciful. as
well as costly and expensive-a point which
JoNATHAN's philanthropy ought to appre
ciate. ito send them back to their native land.
Commerce Of France.
We would again express the hope that the
arrival Of the "Lose STAR in our waters from
France may herald the establishment of init.
mate commercial relations between that coun.
try and our own. .A.@4
Tho commerce Of France, it appears by re-
cent statistics, is rapidly increasing. The
writer Of an able article in the April number
Of the Edis6xsgA Rerie,c, says that
AS . commercial rival she il treadins very
closely On the heels Of ENGLAND. He estimates
ton e2 ia 81 egst Her tsnds hs. nes1y 5ouSPs
i the last ton years w.tGstandiax she has had
e pas. throaEk formidable revolution. : perlod
tary cfisis. the knssisn war and the Italian cam
Isisn.. The great exhihltion Of London and that
81 Paris showed thst the Ersnch were superior
e the English in many kinds Of manu-. acturss.--
az that sncs
Sl e0ee0ys 70 ~ lncr0o1ng extent and value, the
AiShsf and more slsgant elSss Of Droductions.D
Wsare glad 70 observe that some attention
y oseaanine 70 b turned to this country BY
krenca commercial msa. THIS IL manifest In
me enterprise OF the ..Lons STAR aud In the
comments Of the Aavrs Cssyiey on the arrival
OF the stsamship Adriatic Ia that port. The
Courier Expresses its paisfsl regret that not
siasle stsaDsr. worthy Of bsaring ne tsa.co.I
l0r. 10 sngaesd II tsaasatlaatic nsvYrauon