Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-03-09


of q steam-tug direct for Africa. Everybody
knew il, except the United States Marshal.
person told me, who 1 know is well versed in
III ese matters, that for these little "sns of omis-
soh" some convenient friend Of the above-men-
toned officer was In the habit Of receiving check,
payable to bearer, for 81, 900.
In this way some seventy vessels are said to
have sailed from the port Of New York after car
goes Of slaves, since the 1st os January last. But
lauerly, owing to q pressure Of public opinion,
and it is to be hoped, also, somewhat to the stngs
of guilty conscience, these Unitel States officials
have been rather more rigid 10 their scrutihJ OF
suspected vessels, and, consequently, the manner
Of procedure has been changed.
CLEARANCE OF sLAvERs AT HAVANA.
The vessel now takes legal cargo to Havana,
and opportunely for the prosperity Of this traffic,
a recent decision Of Mr.. Attorney General Black,
nt tho suggestion, believe, of the American Con-
sui at Havana, relieves the latter gentleman, after
the arrival Of the vessel in that port, of all re-
sponsibity in reference to the legality of her fu-
ture course.
! The Attorney General has decided that the
clearance of any American vessel from the Gus
Of tho voyage, and, con ;equently, the consul need
take further steps than the ordinary one of ex-
acting an oath from ,he captain that he is bound
on legal voyage aud with cargo in accordance
with his clearance. 70 those acquainted with the
government officials in Havana, their sympathy
With this trade and their natural affinity to bribery
and corruption, it need not be told how easily such
q clearance can be obtained e. captain informed
me that his clearance cost him six ounces-l02
dollars
! But this decision of Mr.. Black. and this action
of our consul-while it may be consistent with
their sympatbes, and may also relieve them oil
direct responsibility not, at least as yet, had
the effect of diminishing the traffic under tho ma
tional flag; on the contrary, it has increased. and
is increasing every day. Our consul at Havana in.
! formed me that within the last twenty days he had
passed through his Office the clearances of eghI
American vessels which he knew were going after
negroes.
PREPARING FOR VOYAGE.
| The ship having been purchased in New York
arrived in Havana and discharged her cargo, now
proceeds to fulfil the real bject Of her owner Ir
the fret place she takes in new cargo, which
consists Of articles used in the purchase Of III,
slaves aud their subsistenes on the homoward trip
via: Barrels CT bread, terces of rice, puucheon,
of rum. beans, jerked beef. tobacco, vinegar, pow
der, 60, together with lumber for the slave decks
(Specie is seldom sent out) tNext the crew is ship
ped consisting usually of men of every nation;
these men agree to 60 the voyage upon terms tha,
are we'll understood--so much advance (say SO
dollars) aud one and half dollars per man for
every negro landed in Cuba.
| In addition to the captain, mate and second
nate, there comes On board sallow-faced, gloomy
| Spaniard, who is generally Don Jose, or Don
/ SOmebodyelse whose frequent voyages to "the
Coast are written in every line of his face. He
is the "sobrecargo," the great factotum and trans
actor of all the business of the ship, and in Of
need--as when boarded by an American Of
war-he hoists the Spanish flag and is the Span
ish captain.
After this important character comes another
man, called the contra m@stro," or boatswain.
lie is the "nigser driver" the brute who manages
and beats into submission the human cargo on it's
homeward trip; none but Spaniard could look
or be so cruel as be is. The ships cargo and
crew ore now complete, ard having CLEARED
from the custom house and the American consu-
late, she sails out of port some bright morning
with :he American flag, that beautiful emblem OF
liberty to the oppressed fadnting in the breeze,
and speeds on mission the horrors and oruelties
of which my pen cannot describe.
The outward voyage will occupy about forty
FIVE days. How this is employed by the captain
and his incongruous crew am unprepared to say;
perhaps in mutual speculations on their probable
gains, and guesses as to how many damn mig.
gers" will die before they land in Cuba each one
being worth to the meanest and vilest of this crew
one dollar and a half.
} AT THE CONGO.
But arrived in the river Congo, you perhaps
! imagine the dark night, the thick jungle and thu
sealthy tread of the man-stealer the necessary
aduncts OF this traffic. Quite the reverse sir; th
ship sails unmolested some thirty miles up tn,
river and with all the hustle of new arrival
ha6ls into pier opposite the ''factory" and ware
I house belonging to the Havana company, which
3 before mentioned.
3 The resident comes on board, and warmly vel
comes his old friend the "sobrecargo." and ate
being introduced and taking "a drink" with th
8 captain, they adjourn on shore to comfortabl
dinner, where, over their wine, they discuss tn
price oil rum ana the price oil nlggers.
In the meanw while, on this wharf there assemble
the most prOmiscuous crowd of men that perhap
you ever saw the result Of captures by men-of-wa
= on the coast, and landed at convenient points,
order that they may be again taken with fu
cargoes, and thus over and over again put pria
m oney in the pocket of her Britannia Majesty
naval officers These men a-e the outcasts of a
ivilization-desperadoes murderers, pirates
Chinese, Portuguese, native Africans, Engisl
Dutch, devils! As our ship left Havana with
small crew to save appearances, a fit addition
made to j, from these "experts" in the abomnabl
trade.
The next day, perhaps, man-ofwar steams u
the river-for she has a coal depot opposite thi
very warehouse--and our captain receives vis
from her, choeifully shows his regular NANTES
and clearance, certifAd nv tha oonaoI