The New York herald., 1872-08-20

|
the people may rule themselves by constitu-
tional and legal methods, and the occupation
Of military adventurous cease
Americas Share i'm the Suppression
| OF the East African Slave Trade.
The measures about to be taken to insure
the suppression of the slave trade on the east
coast of Africa are encouraging, in view of the
unanimity displayed by the Powers re-
quested to join Great Britain in her
effort in that direction. As the fact
of bringing the horrors of that traffic
in the interior of Africa under the eyes of the
British government was due to American en-
terprise, it is satisfactory to learn that the
American government WILL in all proba-
bility, be the first to request the
Imaum of Musoat to consent to an
abrogaton of that part of the treaty with
England which allowed him to import slaves
from Africa for domestic purposes. The United
States steamer Yantic, Commander Wilson,
will sail from Norfolk in q few days for Mus
cat, via Suez Canal, on her way to join the
East India Squadron. On her arrival
at Muscat Commander Wilson will
call personally upon the Imaum and
intimate to him the desire OF our government
that he should abrogate the obnoxious portion
Of the treaty. Should however, Great Britain
decide on being herself the first to convey
her wishes on the matter to the Imaum,
the graceful part of congratulating that
potentate upon the abatement Of a
wrong to humanity will still devolve
upon the commander of the Yantic
In whatever form the desired result is
brought about the promptness of the action to
achieve it is especially gratifying. England,
in her Eastern policy, has for some time acted
on the prudent, if not always commendable,
policy of letting well enough alone. With the
task of managing her huge but immensely prof
table East Indian possessions in hand, she has
not troubled herself much about the morals of
her neighbors. Under the treaty made with
the late Imaum Of Muscat, who lorded it also
over Zanzibar, provision allowing the i'm
portaion of domestic slaves left the door
open for complete revival of the odious
trade. This may have grown up by
degrees; but the graphic story of Doctor
Livingstone to the HERALD and his dispatches
to the English Foreign Office exhibit its
extent and surroundings to-day. The
greed of the Arabs who carry on
the trade, combined with the avarice
of the Customs authorities at Bagomoyo,
will, we fear, require considerable attention of
strongly-marked kind before they can be
turned into less lucrative channels, and the
smallest loophole left open to these willy
tricksters and masters of chicane will
lead back by slow but sure steps to
a revival of the profitable slave business.
frame will doubtless be tried to wriggle out
of the necessity of ceasing to barter in
human flesh and blood, and it will, therefore,
probably require good deal moro than
the consent of the Imaum to the treaty's
abrogation being worth anything. He
may graciously accord the request
of the united Powers but, as force or dis
play of force will be necessary to actually end
the slave business, he may not see his way to
mourning the expense. This part of the trans
action would not cost much, as it would only
be necessary to guard one or two portions of
the coast where the caravan routes meet the
sea. These could be well covered by o British
cruiser, similar to those stationed on the
western coast of Africa, off Guinea.
For the part America takes in it we may
be extremely grateful to Providence. There
will be a good lesson for history in the mind
which takes in the scene "a the Yantic steams
up the Muscat. It is but ten years
since the government of the land
which commissions her was bleeding
from every vein because of her sins against
God and man in regard to the slave. Now,
however, with her conscience cleansed of the
crime through seas of blood, she stretches
out her mighty arm to prevent the further en-
slavement of man by man.