The national Republican., 1861-09-18


dumb, driven eattlen
being about one-sixth He gives us some Idea
Of the immense profits arising from this inhu-
man traffic, In the following estimate Of the ex-
penses and receipts of a single voyage to the
coast, occupying in all, probably, about four
months, viz:
Port expenses, before smiling hence. ...... 5000
-Four months wages Of crew. ............. 5000
Purchase Of 900 Africans ON the coast, at $50
Expense: Of landing ihs 900 survivors. $500
Making the entire cost Of the expedition. s1s,ooo
RECEIPTS.
Sale of 500 Africans Cuba, at $500 each 900
And We find the net profit, Of the voyage
If this estimate be correct, and 1t is thought
by many to be too high as to the cost of the
captives in Africa, the profits of the trade for
the past year have amounted to the enormous
sum Of fourteen million one hundred and sixty
thousand dollars.
The horrors Of this detestable traffic no pen
can depict Forty years ago, It's description
was attempted by one Of the ablest and most
distinguished Of American jurists, Mr.. Justice
Story. We quote the graphic and thrilling lam
guage used BY him, which he felt and acknowl-
edged fell short Of the truth. He ssid
"What Is the fact as to the ordinary, nay,
necessary, course Of this trade? 1t begins in
corruption and plunder and kidnapping. It
creates and stimulates unholy wars for the pur-
poee of making csptives II desolates whole
villages and provinces for the purpose of seiz-
the innocent. 1t breaks down all the ties of
parent and children, and family aud country.
It shuts up all sympathy for human suffering
and sorrow. 1t manacles the inoffensive females
aud the starving infants. 1t forces the brave
10 untimely death, In defence of their humble
homes and 6resides, or drives them to despair
and selt-immolstion. 1t stirs up the worst pas
sions Of the human soul, darkening the spirit Of
! revenge, sharpening the greediness Of avarice,
brutalizing the selfish, envenoming the cruel,
famishing the weak, aud crushing to death the
broken.hearted. This is but the beginning Of
the evils Before the unhappy captives arrive
| at the destined market, where the traffic ends,
one quarter part at least In the ordinary course
of events perish in cold blood under the inhu.
man or thoughtless treatment of their oppress.
ors.
Strong as these expressions may seem, and
dark as the coOring OF this statement II Ia short
Of the real cslamitiss inflicted by this traffic
All the wars that have desolated Africa for the
last three centuries have had their origin In
the slave trade The blood of thousands of her
miserable children has stained her shores, or
quenGhed the dying embers of her desolated
towns, to glut the appetite of slave dealers
The ocean has received in its deep and silent
bosom thousands more, who have perished from
disease aud want during their passage from
their native homes to the foreign colonies"
The suppression of this iniquitous trade has
long been the anxious desire of the American
people, and Is Now engaging the earnest and
hearty efforts of the no less philosophic than
distinguished Secretary OF the Interior, who Is
charged with the execution of the laws for that
purpose; and VIC confidently predict for his
efforts degree Of success which has, unfortu.
nately, not hitherto crowned the labors of the
Government. In his Office may be seen the
cruel and revolving manacles found on board
some of the recently-captured slavers, used for
the purpose of controlling those poor, refrsc
tory creatures In whom the God-given spark
Of liberty was not wholly extinguished. In
lieu Of these, we are informed that sharp carpet.
tacks are sometimes thrown, by the handful.
into the naked persons of the oaptives, to quell
| their revolts.
We learn that some forty or fifty persons are
now under indictment or arrest, and awaiting
trial, for participating In This trade and even
as we write we observe the announcement Of
the seizure Of vessel at Boston, and another at
New York. on suspicion Of having been fitted
out for the Congo river for illegal traffic, thus
giving new evidence of the vigilance and zeal
of the officers Of the Government in this re-
spect.
| 1t |, In view of the monstrous wrong we have
been speaking of, and the difficulty of prevent
ing 1t and OF Furnishing its perpetra tors, that
we desre thus to awaken the public mind and
bring II to the aid Of the Government. II the
guilty parties escape the meshes of the law, q
virtuous public opinion should allow them no
resting or bidiug place in Christian land
In this connection, we may appropriately
allude, briefly, to the disposition which is made
by the Government of the Africans recaptured
by vessels Of the United States navy. Under
contracts or agreements made through the In
Society, they are taken to the Republic of
Liberia, on the west coast of Africa, and there
placed In charge Of an agent of the United
States, appointed for the express purpose Of
seeing them properly cared for, and furnished
with food, shelter, clothing, medical attend.
ance, &C., for the space OF one year, for which
the United States allows and pays the sum Of
500 for each one over, and $50 for those under
the age Of eight years The Government now
has in Its charge under thePe contracts about
$500 of these unfortunate creatures, who had
been torn from their homes, and destined to
perpetual bondage, all of whom have been re.
captured and landed in Liberia since August
1860. Thus does the Government of the United
States endeavor to bring this benighted race
into the light of civilization and Christianity.
Iapt kaa k,l t., Ia Il