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sixty thousand. Now, in our West Indies, the women exceeded the men in number-there was no slave-trade to supply vacancies-the masters were Englishmen, and consequently influenced by English public opinion; and other mitigating measures had been introduced. How much swifter must be the mortality in Cuba and Brazil in the absence of all these ameliorating circumstances; some plantations in the countries consisting entirely of male slaves, and the "using up" system prevailing to such a degree, that though the imported Africans are generally young men, yet, on an average, they only survive eight years.

Were slaves in Brazil and Cuba cheapened by the removal of the squadron, more work would be forced from the miserable negro, while his lessened value would lead to more brutal treatment. The sick, the aged, the young would not be considered worth the cost of support, and the extinction of life would proceed with unexampled velocity.

The yearly vacuum thus created and filled up, represents a proportionally brisker slavetrade.

It is well known that vast tracts of land in Brazil, well suited for the cultivation of sugar and coffee remain unoccupied, because labor cannot be obtained sufficiently cheap for profit. Three or four millions of square miles of the finest soil in the world, and capable of sustaining the densest population, would thus be thrown open, by removing the impediments to the slave-trade, to the myriads of Africa. The insatiable consumption and demand thus created, would never allow the slave-market to be glutted.*

On this point, the evidence presented to the committees even by persons themselves slavedealers and slave-owners, is irresistible, that but for the prevention caused by the cruisers, the slave-trade within a few years would rise to twice and thrice its present amount. It should then be borne in mind that England has reduced the duties on foreign as well as colonial sugar; and that facilities thus given for replacing negroes when "used up" by excessive labor, would leave the free labor of tropical climates to compete, not with slavery alone, but with slavery resting on an unrestrained slave-trade. And as year by year the demand in Europe for sugar increases, so year by year will increase the demand which is to drain Africa of its population, and consign it to hopeless misery and desolation.

With regard to the probable results within the limits of Africa, of the increase of the

If we ask where the capital is to come from to supply this demand, we are met by this significant fact that already English capital is largely embarked in the Brazilian mines and plantations.

slave-trade many persons are led to overlook the evils of it, by fixing their eye too exclusively upon what they imagine to be the aggravation of the horrors of the Middle Passage by the system of prevention. But the Middle Passage is only one scene in the terrible drama that begins in Africa and ends only with the life of the slave in Cuba or Brazil.

The trade is supplied from the more peaceable and agricultural tribes of the interior. The warlike and savage tribes on the coast descend upon these inland villages, burn their houses, murder the men and women, and carry off only the boys and girls for the slaver. Whole districts are devastated even now to supply this commerce. If the coast squadron were removed, the whole country would be one scene of blood and flame. All the progress that Christianity and civilization have made, would be lost, and Western Africa would be in a year or two in its worst pristine savage condition.

Equally with the misery of Africa, would the sufferings of the slaves in Cuba and Brazil be inhanced by the removal of our cruis

ers.

Even at present prices, the temptation to abridge their lives is irresistible in Cuba; they are worked during the five months of crop time for eighteen or twenty hours in the day, the whip kept in constant exercise, and at night shut up in pens and guarded like wild beasts. What an amount of human agony is involved in this process! And how much greater it would be if their value were lessened two-thirds!

With regard to the Middle Passage itself, there is reason to think that its cruelties would be by no means mitigated, by leaving the trade unrestrained. At present, in so perilous a trade, a much higher class of vessels is required as slavers. They are generally fast, sharp built clippers, not admitting the practice of stowing away the slaves in tiers as in the large square hulls of the old slave vessels.Their fast sailing also, shortens the voyage several weeks, releasing the slaves sooner from the hold; and the cargo being more precious, it is more necessary to land the commodity alive and marketable. Evidence before the House of Commons in 1792 shows that the worst features of the present system were exercised then. "No slave was allowed more than five feet six inches in length by sixteen inches in breadth,-the floor was thus covered with bodies,-between decks were often platforms packed with bodies,-the slaves were locked spoonways' to each other, and stowed away by means of the cat-o-ninetails, they had not as much room as a man in his coffin!" To remove the pressure resulting from prevention would hardly lessen the degree of suffering, while it would increase the number of victims.

But this squadron is maintained by taxation, and it becomes necessary to view this expenditure on the score of economy,-of profit and loss.

It was proved before the Committees that the withdrawal of the squadron would ruin our legitimate trade with Africa. The coasts of that vast continent are not protected by civilized powers like those of Europe and America. The only protection they can have against piracy, murder and rapine, is in a maritime police, such as this squadron furnishes. England would be forced to keep ten or twelve men-of-war on the African coast, to repress such outrages, even were she to abandon all opposition to the slave-trade. Nor is this commerce, even now, so insignificant as many may suppose. The population of the western coast of Africa is upwards of forty or fifty millions, and all authorities represent them as eager traders. There is scarcely any tropical production known in the world that does not thrive to perfection in Africa. Dyewoods, timber, and palm-oil, already present materials for a vast commerce, while cotton of good quality grows wild in many parts. But this commerce only springs up where the slave trade is repressed, and dies down whereever that trade is flourishing.

But collateral with the ruin of our African commerce would proceed the ruin of our West India colonies. These colonies now suffer under the competition of slaves at £100 and utter destruction would be before them if the price were reduced to £25 or £30. They are at last beginning to revive from their state of depression, and promise to become once more valuable possessions of the Empire. What short-sighted economy then to check this reviving prosperity, and to drive England and the rest of Europe for their supply of sugar to the slave dealers and planters of Brazil and

Cuba!

Thus much on the score of economy; but we must also make up our mind, if we abandon the prevention afforded by our squadron, to abandon also the good work commenced by our missionaries, in inducing the natives to give up their savage customs, their human sacrifices, their slave expeditions, and to adopt in a degree the habits of civilized life. We must also he prepared to witness the return of our countrymen to the slave-trade. No doubt can be felt on this point by those who remember the state of the Liverpool traffic, before the British slave-trade was abolished; the petitions from that town, and the speeches of its representatives.

From the whole of the evidence presented to the committees, we are satisfied, that, on the removal of the cruisers

1. The slave-trade would increase to twice or thrice its present extent :

2. That this increase would fill Africa with ruin and desolation :

3. That it would add vastly to both the numbers and the sufferings of the slaves in Cuba and Brazil:

4. That the horrors of the Middle Passage would remain unabated, while a far greater number of persons would have to undergo them:

5. That our legitimate commerce with Africa, which is great, and may become of enormous value, would be destroyed:

6. That our West India Islands would be almost totally ruined by the cheapness of slave labor in Cuba and Brazil, were the slavetrade free:

7. That the missions in West Africa would be extinguished, and with them the promise they give of becoming foci of civilization, agriculture, and commerce:

8. And that Englishmen would again largely engage in the slave-trade, to the utter disgrace of the nation.

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