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estimated from 50 to 80,000; and even to 100,000 annually.

Mr. Wright, Representative for Maryland, in a late speech in Congress, estimated the number of African slaves annually imported into the United States at 15,000. So also did Mr. Midleton, Member for South Carolina, who stated in his place, and without contradiction, that cargoes-entire cargoes of African slaves were smuggled into the south to a deplorable extent.

The importation of slaves from beyond the seas is prohibited, it is true, by the laws of the Republic ; but these laws are dexterously evaded by its own free citizens, who carry on an extensive trade under the joint protection of the American and Portuguese flag. The peculiar clipper-build of American shipping, so remarkable for their speed and other capabilities, has well adapted them as the carriers in this infamous traffic. We have been on board some of these vessels in the port of New York, notoriously intended for this trade, and prepared with every requisite for the undertaking. Their destination and purpose, though well known, occasioned no surprise, or the least disapprobation amongst the goodly citizens-the soi-disant liberals of this city. The enterprise was to enrich some one or other of themselves, and it mattered very little the means to be resorted to for this purpose, or the outrage to be committed against mankind in this projected piracy on their rights. A seizure of one of these vessels has sometimes been made, possibly the better to

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deceive the remaining public, and relieve the authorities from the charge of an entire abandonment of their duty in the sanction given to these proceedings. The affair, however, apart from these occasional and slight interruptions, is generally well contrived, and usually conducted in this way. Vessels well adapted for this purpose, are always to be found in some of the American ports, sailing under United States papers, and the protection of her flag. When purchased by the slave dealer, a contract is usually made with the seller, by which these papers are to continue with the vessel for some stated time, at the expiration of which, they are to be returned with the register to the proper United States authorities. All her other arrangements being completed, she continues to sail as an American vessel, perhaps for the Havanna, or to some other Spanish West India port. A new crew is there put on board, with either the same or some other captain, who must be an United States' citizen, to secure the vessel from all contingencies, (for the American flag covers every delinquency of this kind), and the difficulties to be sometimes apprehended from the vigilance and busy intermeddling of British cruisers, until she should reach her destination on the African coast, or possibly have secured her intended cargo of human beings. These captains, or any other person, to ostensibly assume the title, are readily procured from the United States. They are usually of a daring, adventurous character-generally of desperate means,

1

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who are always prepared to lend themselves to any wicked or nefarious enterprise of this kind, where money, or the prospect of money is to be the reward. It matters little in the arrangement, whether they are seamen or of any other profession or calling, as their authority while on board is merely nominal, and only recognised for the purpose of ensuring the vessel's safety, and exemption from interference on her outward voyage. After this

project is realised, and that the scheme has so far succeeded, and the vessel, freighted with the sighs and sufferings of several hundreds it may be, of human beings, is about to quit the coast on her return voyage--the captain, in fact, now assumes his real character and place on board-presents a letter, or power of attorney from the owners for an entire transfer of the vessel, of which he immediately assumes the charge, the former captain, who is frequently a joint owner, returning in her as a passenger merely, while the Portuguese flag is substituted for the Stars and Stripes of the United States, and the original papers returned, according to the compact entered into on the first purchase of the vessel.

The Havanna is usually the first place of rendezvous of all vessels of this character, on leaving the United States, where the official authorities of the United States Government have been often charged with aiding in the promotion of these speculations.

The breeding and rearing slaves for sale in the United States, has often been denied, and strange

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as it may appear, on the authority of those, who, from their position in the country, and character before the world, should have shewn some respect for honesty and truth in such matters. The practice is so notorious-the system so very general, that its denial can hardly tend to satisfy any person in the least acquainted with the domestic history of the Republic, in such matters.

Among the latest who have publicly pledged their reputation in repudiation of any such belief, is the honourable Mr. Stephenson, late United States Minister to England, disclaiming the charges made against him by Mr. O'Connell, of being a slavebreeder, in his native State, (Virginia) and which he denied as "wholly destitute of truth." We are, perhaps, bound to accept Mr. Stephenson's disavowal as regards his own personal conduct, though that the statement has been publicly reiterated in his own country, and its truth, without any further explanation from Mr. Stephenson, insisted on beyond all controversy. But Mr. Stephenson was not content to record this denial on his own behalf, of a charge, which he declares to "have been wholly with a most unbe

destitute of truth," but adds, coming disregard of actual fact, that "such is also the case, in relation to the charge, of slave-breeding in the United States."

We can very well imagine the honourable gentleman's anxiety, whilst a resident in Great Britain, to redeem his individual character from the reproach of being a slave-breeder for traffic, or in anywise

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personally connected with a system so abhorrent to the minds of the English public: we can equally understand his desire, while representing the United States at the British Court, to relieve his country generally from any such imputation. But he should have paid some better respect to truth, and in his zeal, have abstained from drawing 30 largely upon the public credulity in a matter of this notoriety-of positive fact-sustained by the concurrent testimony of so many of his own countrymen.

Virginia is not merely a slave-breeding State, in the absolute and full meaning of the phrase, but draws the greater portion of her wealth from this disreputable source. But Virginia does not stand alone; Maryland, and to some partial extent, North Carolina, and Kentucky, encourages the same abominable traffic, and by a steady annual increase of their slave population, are enabled to dispose of several thousands in each year, to southern dealers. The precise number can scarcely be ascertained, as there is no official or positive means of determining the extent, which is variously estimated, as we have already shewn, at from 80,000 to 100,000 annually.*

* Professor Dew, now President of the University of William and Mary, Virginia, in his review of the Debates of the Virginian Legislature, page 49, says :

"From all the information we can obtain, we have no hesitation in saying that upwards of 6000 (slaves), which Virginia annually sends to the south, are a source of wealth to Virginia." And again, in page 120 of the same work, "A full equivalent