Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-08-20
rae slave-rrade "a. rhe GsoIis-Trads

Lord John Russell has addressed letter
10 the British Ministers resident with the
great r, wers, uteine the necessity of pro-
yiding more efiectual meaus for supprcssing
the slave-trade. He claims that the efforts
to stop the trade have reduced the number
Of slaves exported, from an average Of $4,000
annually, in the period from 1888 10 1870, TO
1900 or 2o,000 the number estimated for
the last year. Buth announces the lament
able fact that during Che last two years the
trade has again increased, and at the present
time it is actively carried on, and "recent
intelligence received by Her Majesty's Gov
ernment proves that preparations are being
made for prosecuting the trade on most
extensive scale BY means Of an association
Therefore Her Majesty sGovernnient appeals
10 the nations Of Christendom to eface by
final effort this stain upon the Christian
name. 4N M tkt.ta ~
This is the case presented and 1t viii be
observed that il is adapted TO the remedy
proposed. II presents the rather singular
view that armed repression has succeeded in
reducing the slave-trade TO about one-fifth of
its original proportions yet, although the
African squadrons were never so large and
active as now, Her Majesiys Government
has heard OF preparations for reviving the
trade on large scale, and has at once lost
confidence in the success of armed suppress
ion. In reality, Her Maiesty's Government
is not so foolishiy yacillating as her Secre-
tary would make ouf. There neverwere
any reliable statistics by which il could be
proved that the slave-trade had been cut oil
in any degree. II was merely delusiou to
cover up the total failure of the effort and
to keep the United States from abandoning
IL; and which. now that Her Majcsty's Gov
ernment has anetbor policy, it abandons
and dishonors, by showing that in the
face of the very means which, it pre-
tends, have almost suppressed the trade,
il Is going 10 take start which will make
all armed suppression hopeless.
The truth is, there is no evidence that the
effort has ever reduced the trade. The trade
does not admit of reliable statistics. All
that is known is that il is apparently carried
ON as actively as ever, and, ifwe may be-
lieve the New York papers, it is now one of
the chief features of the commerce of that
port. British anti-slavery testimony refutes
the statement Of Lord Russell, and the Lon
don Times, in an article, since this letter,
pays no regard to It's sstatement, but says:
"Although we Keep up the ancient form Of
suppression, we have dropped every pretense
of effective jurisdiction over the acts of other
nations. What we are doing aggrayates the
horrors and increases the profits of this trade;
il does not suppress It,"
In ls47, seven years after the date from
which Lord Russell estimates the operation
of the effort to stop the trade, the British and
Foreign Anti-slavery Society declared that
the slave-trade was then more actively and
systematically prosecuted than for many
years, and that its horrors had been greatly
increased by the effort for its suppression,
and it urged upon the Government, from
motives of humanity, the suspension of all
force and the repeal of all laws inficting
penalties upon those engaged in the traffic
Lord Russell attributes the difficulties in
putting down the traffic mainly to the
market which Cuba furnishes, and lament
the stain upon the good name of Spain by
this violation of treaty obligations. Spain
in 1885, sereed with Great Britain to abolisl
tie slavc-tradc, in consideration of 10000
But in the present relations between Spai
and France, and in view Of the indifference
which Louis Napoleon has manifesto
toward the effort to stop the trade, il doe
not seem to he good policy to try to cocrc
Spain into fulfilling the obligation, or refund
ing the consideration.
But Lord Russell quotes the foolish AM
imprrdent remark of Mr.. Buchanan in hi
message: .
at is truly laInentable that Great Britai
aud the United States should be obliged I
expend such vast amount OF blood an
treasure fer the African slave-trade, aud tn
when the only portion Of the civilized worl
Spanish Islands Of Cuba and Puerto Rico.
This remark was only hypocritical whin
of the President. ], This and remark {
Secretary Cass, thar il England wished
put down the slave-trade, she had bctt'
blockade Cuba, was acted upon, and got !
into another furry on the right Of search,
which we gained snother Of those eve
beginning, ncver-ending, victories on q
right-oEseareh question, which furnish US
mbtb tfOtt ~ hHu ut"NJo icdfO t-Ac fuO1ti
In sfdfu quo- siehAA fif-
Lord Russell does moi propose to aband
the effort at lorcible suppression. Huma
i,arians can not afford ia lose the horrors
The middle passage, which that effort create
and the dead loss OF twenty-hveper cent,
thecargo with probahiya many more after
landed, from disease contracted on thevoya
This Is the triumph Of humanity, and this i
proposed 10 keep sacred by systcma
plan Of cruising of the coast of Cuba, q
by s.an improvement of the laws Of I
United States, respecting the equipment
slave ships" Our laws already make leg
mate commerce with Africa as hazardous
American vessels as the siave-ifade is
while II depriyes legitimate eomnerce Of
enormous profits which make up the ios
Of Che other. All This operates very mic
to keep the African commerce in Brit
hands, and the profits ofa trade which is
dicaied by exports of fS,oo6, 600 year
l secured in British Golfers, BY this nice j
opsraiion, into which Jonathan Is led
his philanthropic pose, s.E
But the chief means on which Lord il
Russell now relies TO put down the Afrit
slave-tradc, Is on eompetitien with II by
introduction Of coolies from China, and