of the negroes died in a few weeks after they were
landed, in seasoning, so called, or in becoming acclimated—or,
as I should think, a distemper broke out among them,
and they died like the Israelites when smitten with
the plague. Those who did not die in seasoning,
must be hired out a little while, to be sure, as the
city authorities could not afford to keep them on
expense doing nothing. As it happened, the man
in whose employ I was when the cargo of human beings
arrived, hired some twenty or thirty of them, and put
them under my care. They continued with me until
the sickly season drove me off to the north.
I soon returned, but could not hear a word about the
crew of pirates. They had something like a mock
trial, as I should think, for no one, as I ever learned,
was condemned, fined, or censured. But where
were the poor captives, who were going to be returned
to Africa by the city authorities, as soon as they
could make it convenient? Oh, forsooth, those
of whom I spoke, being under my care, were tugging
away for the same man; the remainder were scattered
about among different planters. When I returned
to the north again, the next year, the city authorities
had not, down to that time; made it convenient to
return these poor victims. The fact is, they belonged
there; and, in my opinion, they were designed to be
landed near by the place where the revenue cutter
seized them. Probably those very planters for
whom they were originally designed received them; and
still there was a pretence kept up that they would
be returned to Africa. This must have been done,
that the consciences of those might be quieted, who
were looking for justice to be administered to these
poor captives. It is easy for a company of slaveholders,
who desire to traffic in human flesh, to fit out a
vessel, under Spanish colors, and then go prowling
about the African coast for the victims of their lusts.
If all the facts with relation to the African slave-trade,
now secretly carried on at the south, could be disclosed,
the people of the free states would be filled with
amazement.”
It is plain, from the nature of this trade, and the
circumstances under which it is carried on, that the
number of slaves imported would be likely to be estimated
far below the truth. There can be little
doubt that the estimate of Mr. Wright, of Maryland,
(fifteen thousand annually,) is some thousands too
small. But even according to his estimate, the
African slave-trade adds ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND
SLAVES TO EACH UNITED STATES’ CENSUS. These
are in the prime of life, and their children would
swell the slave population many thousands annually—thus
making a great addition to each census.
4. It is a notorious fact, that large numbers
of free colored persons are kidnapped every year in
the free states, taken to the south, and sold as slaves.
Hon. GEORGE M. STROUD, Judge of the Criminal Court
of Philadelphia, in his sketch of the slave laws,
speaking of the kidnapping of free colored persons
in the northern states, says—