their respective Courts; but no answer was received from them previously to the Congress at Aix-laChapelle.

whilst the Trade remained legal, within certain limits, to the subjects of both the Crowns of Spain and Portugal: but if the principal Powers frequenting the Coast of Africa evinced a determination to combine their means against the illicit Slave Trader as a common enemy, and if they were supported in doing so by other States denying to such illicit Slave Traders the cover of their flag, the traffic would soon be rendered too hazardous for profitable speculation

That the evil must thus cease; and the efforts of Africa would then be directed to those habits of peaceful commerce and industry, in which all na tions would find their best reward for the exertions they should have devoted to the suppression of this great moral evil.

Lord Castlereagh, upon these grounds, invited the different Plenipotentiaries, in the name of the Prince Regent-should the powers under which they at present act not enable them to proceed to negotiate a Convention upon the grounds above stated-to solicit, without delay, from their respective Sovereigns, the authority necessary to this effect; His Royal, Highness, confidently trusting, that the enlarged and enlightened principles which guided the councils of these illustrious persons at Vienna, and which have now happily advanced the cause of Abolition so nearly to its completion, would deter mine them perseveringly to conduct the measure to that successful close, which nothing but their combined wisdom and continued exertions could effectuate.

In conclusion, his Lordship referred to the indisputable proofs afforded, both by the present state of the Colony of Sierra Leone, and by the increase of African Commerce in latter years, of the faculties of that Continent, both in its soil and population, for becoming civilized and Industrious; the only impediment to such improvement undoubtedly being the pernicious practice of Slave Trading, which, wherever it prevailed, at once turned aside the attention of the Natives from the more slow and laborious means of barter which industry presented, to that of seizing upon and selling each other; and

that it was, therefore, only through the
total extinction of this traffic that Africa
could be expected to make its natural ad-
vances in civilization-a result which it
was the declared object of these Confe-
rences, by all possible means, to accelerate
and to promote.

PROCEEDINGS AT THE CONGRESS AT AIX-
LA-CHAPELLE.

This proposition was immediately transmitted by the several Plenipotentiaries, for the consideration of

With reference to this Congress, the Report states—

A short time before that Meeting, the Directors had received from the Coast of Africa authentic information, chiefly from eye-witnesses, of the increased and continually increasing extent of the Slave Trade. This information was communicated to their indefatigable fellowlabourer, Mr. Clarkson, who had expressed an intention of repairing to Aixla-Chapelle; having conceived this a favourable opportunity to forward the interests of this great cause. He was particularly anxious to endeavour personally to avail himself of the humane and enlightened sentiments which the Emperor of Russia was believed to entertain on the subject,

A pamphlet, containing a very able statement respecting the measures hitherto adopted for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, was also distributed by Mr. the Sovereigns assembled in Congress, the, Clarkson; calling to the recollection of Resolution which they had come to, at Vienna, to put an end for ever “to that Scourge which had so long desolated Africa, degraded Europe, and afflicted humanity;" and entreating them to consider whether their beneficent intentions, with respect to Africa, had been in any adequate degree fulfilled; and, if it should appear that they had not, imploring them to devise such measures as might give complete effect to those elevated views and truly Christian Principles, which dictated their former Declaration in her favour.

A copy of this Statement is given in the Appendix. It has appeared, also, in the Public Papers; and is worthy both of the Writer and of his Cause. The Report proceeds:

The Directors were gratified to learn, that the question so near to their feelings was to be discussed at the Congress. They knew the favourable disposition of the British Government; and they seemed to have good reason to believe, that the Emperor of Russia would be eager to concur in any measures which promised

to be effectual for the speedy, final, and total extinction of the traffic in Slaves. By what had passed at the Congress of Vienna, they had been led to entertain equally favourable expectations of the disposition of the Austrian and Prussian Monarchs; and they ventured to hope that the Representative of the French Sovereign, who had directed his Ministers to denounce this traffic in strong terms, would, on this occasion, assist in furthering the same great object.

The subject of the Slave Trade, as had been expected, was brought under the consideration of the Congress; and it appears, by the Papers recently laid upon the table of both Houses of Parliament, that long and interesting discussions took place upon it. But at the result of these discussions, the Directors must be allowed to express their deep regret.

Lord Castlereagh submits Propositions, for an Appeal to the Court of Portugal, and for agreeing to a qualified Right of Search.

The first proceeding, in reference to the African Slave Trade, appears to have taken place on the 24th of October; when Lord Castlereagh explained to the Plenipotentiaries the existing state of that Trade, and the progress already made in proposing further measures for accom. plishing its final Abolition. His Lordship also gave notice, that, on a future day, he would submit to them Two Propositions: the first, for addressing to the King of Portugal, on the part of the Five Courts represented at the Congress, an Appeal founded upon the Declaration made at Vienna; and urging him to give effect to that Declaration at the period fixed upon by Spain for her final Abolition, viz. on the 30th of May, 1820:

the second, that the Powers represented in Congress should agree to the principle of a qualified right of mutual visit, as adopted by Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands; and should apply it to the case of their respective flags, as circumstances should point out.

The latter of these Propositions appears to have been received with some hesitation by the other Plenipotentiaries; and, in particular, by the Duc de Richelieu, who gave his Lordship, however, every assurance of its being fully consi

dered, and requested to be furnished with a Memorandum stating the substance of Lord Castlereagh's explanations.

His Lordship lost no time in furnishing the required Memorandum; in which he urges, with considerable force of argument, the advantages which the cause of Abolition would derive from the concession, on the part of France in particular, of a qualified right of mutual search.

In the conclusion of his Memorandum, he thus urges the adoption by France of the proposed concession:-" It may be confidently asserted," he observes, "that if the Powers having a real and local interest come to an understanding and act together, the other States will cheerfully come into the measure, so far as not to suffer their flags to be so monstrously perverted and abused. The omission of France is, above all others, important, from its station in Europe, and from its possessions in Africa. Its separation from the common effort, more especially if imitated by Russia, Austria, and Prussia, will not only disappoint all the hopes which the world has been taught to form with respect to the labours of the Conference established in London, under the Third Additional Article of the Treaty of November, 1815, but will introduce schism and murmur into the ranks of the friends of Abolition. The States having abolished, will no longer form one com. pact and unanimous body, labouring to affiliate the State which has yet to abolish, to a common system, and to render their own efficacious; but they will compose two sects-one, of States that have made the possible inconvenience of a restricted visit of their merchant ships bend to the greater claims of humanity-the other, of States, considering their former objection as so far paramount, as not to admit of any qualification, even for the indisputable advantage of a cause, to the importance of which they have at Vienna given a not less solemn sanction. This must materially retard the ultimate success of the measure: and it may, in the interval, keep alive an inconvenient degree of controversy and agitation, upon a subject which has contributed, above all others, seriously to excite the moral and religious sentiments of all nations; but especially of the British People, by whom the question has long been regarded as one of the deepest interest."

of November, Lord Castlereagh brought Notes of Russia, France, Austria, and forward his Propositions: the object of which his Lordship stated to be, on the one hand, to complete and extend the measures already adopted for the attain

baps, obtain the suffrage of all States, equally desirous of accomplishing a sacred duty in putting an end to the horrors of the Slave Trade. This expedient would consist in a special Association between all States, having for its end the extinction of the traffic in Slaves. IT WOULD PRO

NOUNCE, AS A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE, A LAW CHARACTERIZING THIS ODIOUS TRAFFIC AS A DESCRIPTION OF PIRACY, AND RENDERING IT PUNISHABLE AS SUCH. It appears evident, that the general promulgation of such a Law could not take place, until the Abolition was universally pronounced; that is to say, until Portugal had totally and everywhere renounced the Trade. The execution of the Law should be confided to an Institution, the seat of which should be in a central point on the Coast of Africa; and in the formation of which, all the Christian States should take a part. Declared for ever neutral, to be estranged from all political and local interests, like the Fraternal and Christian Alliance, of which it would be a practical manifestation, this Institution would follow the single object of strictly maintaining the execution of the Law. It would consist of a Maritime Force, composed of a sufficient number of ships of war, appropriated to the service assigned to them-of a Judicial Power, which should judge all crimes relating to the Trade, according to a legislation established upon the subject, by the Common Law-of a Supreme Council, in which would reside the authority of the Institution; which would regulate the operations of the maritime force, would revise the sentences of the tribunals, would put them in execution, would inspect all the details, and would render an account of its administration to the future European Conferences. The right of visit and detention would be granted to this Institution, as the means of fulfilling its end: and perhaps no Maritime Nation would refuse to submit its flag to this police, exercised in a limited and clearly defined manner; and by a power too feeble to allow of vexations, and too disinterested on all maritime and commercial questions, and, above all, too widely combined in its elements, not to observe a severe, but impartial justice towards all. Would it not be possible to compose this Institution of such different elements, as to give it no other tendency, as long as it remained united, but that of doing its duty? The expense which it would occa

sion, divided among all the Christian States, could not be very burthensome; and its duration would be regulated ac cording to the time required for the developement of African Civilization, which it would protect, and might bring about ʼn happy change in the system of cultivation in the Colonies.

The Memoir of the FRENCH GOVERNMENT begins by stating the disposition of France to abide by the Declaration to which she subscribed at Vienna, of the 8th of February, 1815; and which has been demonstrated by her subsequent meaLaw in March, 1818, pronouncing against sures, especially by the enactment of the violators of it the most severe punishments which the laws of France in such case admit. It further alleges, that measures of surveillance had been prescribed, with a view to secure the execution of the Law; and that the King of France had ordered a naval force to cruize on the Western Coast of Africa, and visit all vessels suspected of continuing a trade which had been most strictly prohibited : but that, with respect to the Conventions between Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands, relative to the qualified right of mutual search, the French Government would eagerly accede to such a Convention, if they did not perceive, in the means pointed out for attaining the object, dangers which attach, perhaps, peculiarly to their situation, but which it is their duty to prevent.

The reasons are then given, at great length, which deter France from acceding to a similar Convention,

The Memoir goes on to state, that France would not feel that she had sufficiently proved her desire for the suppression of the Slave Trade, if she did not propose, in her turn, new means of effect, ing it.

Those means would not be directed to check it in the Middle Passage; but at the points, where the purchase and sale of the Negroes are effected: and, to this end, it is proposed to establish, in the factories where Slaves are usually bought, Commissioners charged to notify what passes to the Government, and empowered to prosecute the offending parties before the public tribunals. There might also be introduced into all the Colonies where the proprietors are likely to endeavour to recruit their gangs of Slaves, Regulations like those of the Registry Bill, to ascer