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—­