Great Britain has for half a century been employing physical force for
the suppression of the slave trade, which after the expenditure of
upwards of forty millions sterling, and the noble sacrifice of the lives
of some of the best and bravest of her sons, still exists. It is but
just to state that the exportation of slaves from Africa has been
reduced from 150,000 to 50,000 per annum, by the persevering effort of
those who are opposed to a traffic disgraceful to Christianity.
Is the ultimate object of those who are opposed to this traffic its
suppression or its annihilation? The annihilation of the slave trade and
slavery in Africa was unquestionably the aim of the philanthropists who
originated this great movement.
The experience of half a century has proved that physical force cannot
destroy the traffic while there is a demand for slave labor. Diplomacy
must be baffled in its well-intentioned efforts to oppose this traffic
while the profits for carrying each slave from the continent of Africa
to the island of Cuba amount to the enormous return of fourteen hundred
percent.
It is a well-attested fact, that the same quality of cotton may be
obtained from Africa for twenty millions of money for which Great
Britain pays the slaveholders in America thirty millions per annum. If
cotton can be sold in the Liverpool market at anything less than 4-3/4d.
per lb., the slaveholders in America will cease to grow what, under
altered circumstances, would be unprofitable. Cotton of middling quality
(which is in the greatest demand) may be obtained in West and Eastern
Africa at 4d. per lb.; and, already, cotton from Western Africa
(Liberia) has been sent to Liverpool, there re-shipped, and sold at
Boston, in the United States, at a less cost than cotton of a similar
quality could be supplied from the Southern States of the Union.
The Executive Committee feel assured that the peaceful means adopted by
this society for the Christian civilization of the African races require
only the advocacy of _Christian Ministers_ and the _Press_ generally to
be responded to by the people of Great Britain.
The horrors of the slave trade, as perpetrated on the continent of
Africa and during the middle passage, can only be put an end to by the
establishment of a lawful and a lucrative, a powerful and a permanent,
trade between this country and Africa; which will have the effect of
destroying the slave trade, spreading the Gospel of Christ, and
civilizing the African races. For this purpose the support of the
mercantile class is earnestly solicited for a movement which--commenced
by the colored people of America flying from oppression--bids fair to
open new cotton fields for the supply of British industry, and new
markets for our commerce, realizing the sublime promise of Scripture,
"Cast thy bread upon the waters, and after many days it shall return
unto thee."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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