292 Sierra Leone, and 



most cruelly ; that he allowed them, at one time, to be almost starved, 

 and, at other times, suffered their hospital to be most shamefully neg- 

 lected ; that he permitted them to stray away from the colony, many of 

 them to be kidnapped and inveigled from the colony, and intrusted 

 them to persons who sold or placed them in slavery ; that he has neg- 

 lected to make suspected persons, to whom they were intrusted, account 

 for them, or enforce the penalties against those who had used them ill ; 

 that he has even entrusted them to a woman of infamous character, who 

 was known to prostitute them in the colony ; that he was known to have 

 debauched many of the girls, and to have lived with them in the most 

 profligate state." Yet, such is the fatal consequences of the climate, 

 that this miscreant of " iron constitution" has, from necessity, been 

 permitted to fill places of power and authority, and to amass an im- 

 mense fortune under the protection and auspices of leading philan- 

 thropists. 



Is it matter of surprise, therefore, that, under such guidance, feeble 

 attempts to introduce order and improvement were constantly defeated ; 

 and that, instead of realizing the views of the projectors, the place has 

 become a sink of infamy and a den of pollution, even to the untutored 

 African ? 



It will be recollected that, with a view of more effectually putting an 

 end to the contraband trade in slaves, and, at the same time, to prevent 

 the recurrence of those disgraceful blunders which took place during 

 the first years of the abolition, Great Britain, in conjunction with other 

 states, established in 1819 courts of commission, before whom are brought, 

 for adjudication, all vessels detained or captured while in the act of pursu- 

 ing this interdicted trade, and that a numerous squadron of British ships, 

 under active and zealous officers, is kept upon the African coast, and 

 elsewhere, for the purpose of hunting these slave traders. Many vessels 

 have, in consequence, been captured, and thousands of wretched beings 

 liberated from their pestilential holds. Yet, when we look at the dread- 

 ful mortality that takes place before the rescued slaves can be landed 

 and located, and when we consider attentively their subsequent condi- 

 tion, we cannot help feeling that our present measures, on the African 

 coast, at least, are diametrically opposite to real humanity. 



The true state of matters there has been made plain by the reports of 

 commissioners sent out by parliament, and can no longer be glossed over, 

 or denied by the party usually denominated the saints, whether in or out 

 of parliament.* 



The instructions to these commissioners are dated November, 1825, 

 and additional directions were given to them 18th January, 1826/f- to 

 which there is now appended a dispatch from General Turner, 

 wherein he states, " Should the trade in slaves continue to increase in 

 the manner it has done for the last two years, there is no doubt that the 

 number brought in here will increase also."^ " They have been distri- 

 buted amongst the villages, where they have beenybr years supported in 

 idleness by the government." " In the cases where they have been located 

 in the villages, and have received gratuitous maintenance, they can with 

 difficulty be induced to give a day's labour, even for good mages" 



* Parliamentary papers, 312, Sess. 1827, and 552, Sess. 1829. 

 f- Parliamentary papers, 532, Sess. 1 f>2G. 

 $ Parliamentary papers, 38!>, Sess. 182. 



