General Intelligence: Government Slave-trading

The attention of the Anti-Skvery Uoramit - tce in London, and through tlieir vigilance, that of the British government haa been colled to a trade in slaves, now carried on by the government of the Netherlands, which purchasrs, negro men on the coast of África, as recruits tbr the Dutch army in Java and Surinam! - Lord Palmerston at once directed a remoustrance to be presented to the Dutch government, agaiust thia infraction of tiie treaty of 1318. The Dutch minisier replies by admitting the purchase! but alleges that the negroes are made soldiere, &. eo are tree as the soldiere of Great Britain or any other coumrj', and after the completion of their term of service, they are returned to África. Similar transactions have been attempted by the French governroent, which have drawn fort h the most earnest remnnstrances froni the British authoritied, on the ground, fust, of the injustice done to the persuns purchased, who liave no option, are bought as 6laves, transport - ed in vessels filted up like slavers, with the hatches secured with iron bais, fcc. ; but more especially on account of the encouragement it givcd to the kidnappers and slave factors on the coast. Extract f rom a letter lo H. TV. Macaulay, Esq., dated Rio JYunez, December st, 1839. Knowing how reaciily the natives caich at a bait such as the opening of the' slave trade would bfi, the French purpose npplyLüg to the Nabos for a spot of ground whereon to establish a factory for the purchase of 600 slaves, to be made eoldiers of fur tl:e use of the government. They have gone so far as to receive tendera from the merchante of Si. Louia for the supply of theso tix lmndreU flave% and thtendera have varied from fifty dollars to eighty dollars par head. The Frenchmen here aic dnily expecting two or three vessels from Son egal, under convoy of La Fine, cnrry this pro ject into execution. üf course, lt is to be under the auspices and protection of the Fiench government. Güiana. By command of Gov. Light, Mr. Wolseley, a magi8tiate, made an inspection tour in June last. His report, says Gov. L., "ia especially gratifymg, as ehowing the highly creditable and useful manner in which these laborera who have become ogricultural freeholdera are conducting themselves in the new etation which their industry has achieved." He also Bpeaks of an increasing readiness iii the oíd proprietors to sell smnll trncts lo the laborers, of the happy settlcnent of the relation between employers and hired laborere, and of the eacrifices ma. by tk& laborers to obtain religious and general mstruction for themselves and thcir femilies. Hegives a table of estates recently pirchaaed by ltborers, the price puid, amoimting to more tlan twenty thousands pounds 6terhng. Plartation Better-ver-Wayting was purchasrid by ai association of laborers, formerly slaves in :he neighborhood, for $22,000. It was uncultivited, butby iudustry and judicious managenent, they have cleared and planted in joint-stock, 70 acres oí plantains, expected to yieldabout $10,000, and have cleared and planted each his separate plot of one acre as a gardnn. The whole management is entrusted to ene of their own number. The first step after the purchase was to employ a 6choolmaBter. Another plantation was purcha6ed by 1L8 peraons,formerly slaves,for $50,000, of which $23,000 were paid down, and the remainder payüble in in6talments, at 3, 6, and 9 months. In 7 months and a half the whole was paid. In reference to another aettlement, called Victoria, aheady growing into a village, contnining a cha pel, etore, and druggiet ehop, the (icopij of which had been charged with cattle rtealing, he says, 'To any one disposed to believe an absurdity of tbis kind, I can only say , go to the estáte, converse with the people. ascertain in what way they epend the Sabbath, find a card or a symptoraof gambling among them if you can; the resultmust be a conviction to tho mind,tliat, as a community,there is much to adnüre,and but little to censure in their conduct." In addition to theae sales to the laborera, there have been 23 estates sold, Bince the lst of August, 1833, for L592,500. These estates were not purchased uf their fornier owners by speculatora in lands, but by residents in the colony intimately acquainted with their real valué, and able to íbnn a correct idea of the future proBpecls of the colonics; and t is not a little remnrkable that íhe two individuáis, Captain Warren, of Deznerara, and Mr. Laing, ofBerbice, who have done more to deprédate the valué of proporty in British Guiana than perhap8 Bny othwr men, have become purchas6M of 'St&'-oa af ndvanced pricee; and the latter bad actually doubled his 6tuke in tne co.ony. The proprietors are now generally holding to the estates, so that few, if any, aro uow in the market.