I have to desire that you will address a note in the sense of this despatch to the Netherlands Government. J. Hudson, Esq. ABERDEEN. No. 286.-Mr. Hudson to the Earl of Aberdeen.-(Rec. September 5.) MY LORD, The Hague, August 31, 1844, I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch of the 21st instant, inclosing a copy of despatch from Her Majesty's Arbitrator at Surinam, setting forth the claim which the Negro survivors of the cargo of the slave-vessel Snow have to pecuniary compensation from the Government of Surinam, for the labour exacted from them during the 20 years that they were in the service of that Government, and I beg to inclose herewith the copy of a note which I have addressed, in obedience to your Lordship's instructions in this matter, to the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs. I have, &c. The Earl of Aberdeen, K.T. JAMES HUDSON. (Inclosure.)-Mr. Hudson to Baron de la Sarraz. M. LE BARON, The Hague, August 31, 1844. I AM instructed by my Government to bring under the notice of your Excellency the case of certain Negroes, survivors of the cargo of the slave-vessel Snow. Your Excellency will have collected, from the communications which have been made by Her Britannic Majesty's Legation at this Court to the department over which you preside upon the condition of these unfortunate Negroes, that they were held during 20 years in Surinam in a state which, although nominally free, was in reality closely allied to slavery, that on the 27th of June last year, they received from the Government of Surinam their entire and perfect freedom, and quitted the colony of Surinam, and retired to that of Demerara towards the close of last year. It appears, from the despatches which have been addressed to Her Majesty's Government by Her Majesty's Arbitrator at Surinam, that the Negroes in question have advanced a claim for some pecuniary compensation from the Government of Surinam for the labour exacted from them during the 20 years that they were detained in the service of that Government. It would seem, therefore, that these Negroes have an equitable claim to pecuniary compensation for the labour which they were compelled to go under whilst unduly held in a state of slavery, and it is upon this ground that I am instructed by my Government to bring the case of these poor prisoners before the Government of His Netherlands Majesty, and to express the confidence of Her Majesty's Government that it will meet with a kind and benevolent reception. H.E. Lieut.-Gen. Baron de la Sarraz. I avail, &c. JAMES HUDSON. SWEDEN. No. 289.-Sir Thomas Cartwright to the Earl of Aberdeen. MY LORD, Stockholm, January 30, 1844. I HAVE had the honour to receive your Lordship's despatch of the 28th ultimo, inclosing a despatch from Sir Thomas Reade, relative to M. Gaspary being still employed by M. Tulin, the Swedish ConsulGeneral at Tunis, notwithstanding the latter had been directed by his Government to dismiss him from the office of Swedish Vice-Consul at the Goletta. I have communicated Sir Thomas Reade's despatch to Baron d'Ihre, and his Excellency has assured me, that orders shall be again sent to M. Tulin to abstain from making use of M. Gaspary's services. Baron d'Ihre showed me a despatch from M. Tulin, dated the 10th of August, 1842, in which he acknowledged having received the orders which were sent to him to dismiss M. Gaspary, and announced that he had executed them, and had appointed M. André Bernard to be the Swedish Vice-Consul at the Goletta in M. Gaspary's stead. Baron d'Ihre said, that he did not, therefore, understand, why M. Tulin should have again employed M. Gaspary, and added, that the King having thought fit to determine that M. Gaspary should be dismissed from the office of Swedish Vice-Consul at the Goletta, it was His Majesty's desire that his resolution should be strictly acted up to, and that renewed orders to this effect should certainly be sent to M. Tulin. I have, &c. The Earl of Aberdeen, K.T. THOMAS CARTWRIGHT. No. 291.-Sir Thomas Cartwright to the Earl of Aberdeen. MY LORD, (Received October 29.) Stockholm, October 18, 1844. I HAD the honour to inform your Lordship, in my despatches of January 28th, 1842, and October 31st, 1843, that it was the intention of the Swedish Covernment to propose in the next ensuing diet a measure for the emancipation of the slaves in the island of St. Bartholomew, upon the basis of pecuniary indemnity to the slave-owners. I have now the honour to transmit to your Lordship copy and translation of a proposition which, in pursuance of this intention, the Councillor of State, Munthe, laid before the different Houses of the Diet on the 13th instant. The King, in this proposition, recommends the emancipation of the slaves to the consideration of the Diet, and intimates that the sum which ought to be granted to the slave-owners for the slaves amounts to 97,320 Spanish dollars; but His Majesty states, that if the Diet should prefer to extend the term for carrying the emancipation into effect to 5 years, during which time a certain number of slaves might be bought up annually and liberated, the sum required for this object might be diminished to about 50,000 Spanish dollars. I have, &c. The Earl of Aberdeen, K.T. THOMAS CARTWRIGHT. (Inclosure.)-Proposition laid before the Swedish Diet respecting the Abolition of Slavery in the Island of St. Bartholomew. (Translation.) THE States of the Kingdom, in a communication during the last Diet, dated April 30, 1841, prayed His Majesty graciously to inquire how far slavery in the island of St. Bartholomew might be abolished, and requested that he would take all those steps for the accomplishment of this important object which could be arranged, or might be found suitable. In consequence thereof, His Majesty has called for a report from the Governor of St. Bartholomew. This document shows the condition of the slaves in the island to have been materially improved. At the same time, His Majesty has found more than sufficient reasons for sharing in the wish of the Diet, that slavery shall come to a speedy termination. The number of slaves on the island, which in 1842 was 595, is now reduced to 531. For the emancipation of these His Majesty has found no other means, consonant with reason and justice, than their purchase from their owners. For this purpose, if their emancipation should take place at one and the same time, and immediately, a sum of 97,320 Spanish dollars, or about 250,000 dollars banco, would be required. One method for diminishing this expense, however, would be, for the slaves only to be bought in by degrees, for public account, and so emaneipated, in proportion as opportunities presented themselves for purchasing or freeing the slaves at a lower rate. In this manner the cost might perhaps be reduced to about 50,000 Spanish dollars, and might be distributed over five years. For the rest, His Majesty would direct the attention of the Diet to the circumstance that, in case the island of St. Bartholomew should, in pursuance of His Majesty's gracious proposition hereon, be disposed of to some foreign Power before the emancipation of the slaves were completed, the necessity for grants for this purpose would cease or be diminished, in proportion to the conditions which, on any such transfer, might be obtained by His Majesty. ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION. CONSULAR. No. 331.-Mr. Griffiths to the Earl of Aberdeen.—(Rec. Feb. 15, 1844.) In compliance with the instructions contained in your Lordship's despatch to me, dated May 30th last, I have made inquiries of various persons whom I consider capable of affording me some information on the subjects therein set forth. No public census of the population of these provinces has been taken and published since the arrival of Consuls here in the year 1824, and it is asserted generally to me, that there are no means of obtaining any correct account of the number of the population of whites, coloured people, or blacks, now resident in this State. Future slave-traffic was abolished at Buenos Ayres in the year 1813, and the measures which have since been pursued have tended to do away with slavery almost entirely. It is reported to me, that the number of the inhabitants of this State is not supposed to exceed 200,000 persons of all classes. Of these it is said about a fourteenth part are of black or mixed blood, and I am assured that the number of blacks now remaining as slaves here does not amount to more than 300 persons. The black population has decreased very considerably within the last 20 years, as they have been employed chiefly as soldiers in the army and navy, and thus many have perished in the long continued warfare of these countries. There is scarcely any distinction on account of colour in this city; and the coloured men and blacks are admitted to serve in the various public offices on equal terms with others. I have the honour to inclose herewith a set of replies to the questions which have been transmitted to me by your Lordship, and hope that they will be deemed satisfactory. The Earl of Aberdeen, K.T. I have, &c. CHARLES GRIFFITHS. (Inclosure.)-Replies to Queries respecting Population and Slavery at Buenos Ayres. Buenos Ayres, November 1, 1843. 1. THE total amount of the population of this State is not known officially, as no public census has been taken or published relative to the number of whites, coloured persons, or blacks. It is however asserted, that 200,000 would be about the amount of the whole population. The females are in much greater proportion than the males, and the coloured and blacks are said to amount to one-fourteenth of the general population of the country. 2. No slaves have been imported from Africa, for there is a Decree of the year 1813, that they cannot be sold here. 3. The slave is protected by law, equally with a free man by the Advocate-General of the poor and minors. 4. There is a Court of Justice, called the Jurgado de Memores, Pobres, y Esclavos (Court of Minors, and Poor, and Slaves), to which a slave can apply for protection against ill-conduct of his master. 5. The evidence of a slave is received in a court of law, by means of the Advocate-General. 6. The slave is well fed and treated equally with whites, according to the length of his services and behaviour. 7. The slave is considered generally to enjoy fair health, and to live as long as free labouring persons. 8. The black population has decreased of late years, owing to their employment as soldiers, and very few now remain slaves. 9. The manumission of slaves has been common, and scarcely any now continue in servitude. 10. Future slavery in this State was abolished by a Decree issued in the year 1813. 12. There is no difference in the eye of the law between a free white and a free coloured man. 13. Free coloured men and free blacks are admitted to office, and are officers in the army and navy. 14. The information I have received has been afforded to me by individuals who have been employed in the public service of this country, and by others well acquainted with the laws and regulations of Buenos Ayres. The number of the inhabitants is supposed to have diminished during the last 20 years, in consequence of the frequent wars which have taken place in these provinces. CHARLES GRIFFITHS. |