Letter of His Majesty's Commissioners at Surinam, of the 15th February last. I, in consequence, held yesterday morning a Conference with the Baron de Nagell, in which I read to him that part of the Despatch of the Commissioners which relates to additional infractions of the Treaty, stating to him, that the permission of these was much and deeply felt by the British Government. The Marquess of Londonderry, K.G. CLANCARTY. No. 28.-The Earl of Clancarty to the Marquess of Londonderry. (Received June 9.) (Extract.) Brussels, 5th June, 1821. YOUR Lordship is already acquainted with the state in which the Negotiation stands, relative to the construction of the Treaty of 1818 with this Court, on the subject of the Slave-trade. The object of the Official Correspondence lately carried on by me, under your Lordship's directions, for the purpose of obtaining a Declaration more in unison with the manifest expressions of the Treaty, has at length been accomplished. The Arrêté, or Decree of the King, of the 16th of April last, directly acknowledges the illegality, and prohibits under penalty, the introduction of Slaves into his Colonies from Places with which a direct Trade with the Coast of Africa is still permitted; and the same conclusion is come to with regard to importations from Foreign Colonies or Places, the direct Trade between which and the Coast of Africa in Slaves is prohibited. This will be found by reference to the accompanying Copy of an Official Note which I yesterday received from M. le Chevalier Le Clerc. Though we have thus far made progress upon the true and plain construction of the Treaty, yet I shall think it my duty, fully aware of your Lordship's anxiety on this subject, again to press this Government upon it. The Marquess of Londonderry, K.G. CLANCARTY. (Inclosure.)-The Chevalier Le Clerc to the Earl of Clancarty. Bruxelles, le 4 Juin, 1821. (Extrait.) LE Soussigné, ayant reçu les Ordres du Roi, son Maître, concernant la Note que son Excellence Monsieur le Comte de Clancarty, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Ministre Plénipotentiaire de Sa Majesté Britannique, a remise au Département des Affaires Etrangères, touchant les mesures prises en dernier lieu par le Gouvernement des Pays Bas contre l'introduction d'Esclaves dans les Colonies de ce Royaume, et particulièrement à Surinam, se trouve autorisé de représenter à son Excellence que la Traite des Nègres ayant été abolie [1821-22.] D dans les Pays Bas dès l'an 1814, les dispositions subséquentes en exécution des engagemens pris par le Traité du 4 Mai, 1818, pour la Répression du Commerce des Esclaves, ont mis de nouveaux obstacles à ce que cet odieux trafic ne soit point exercé par les Sujets de Sa Majesté le Roi des Pays Bas: Que le Gouvernement Britannique s'étant plaint que l'introduction d'Esclaves dans les Colonies des Pays Bas, et particulièrement à Surinam, continuait à avoir lieu, le Gouvernement des Pays Bas, considérant qu'il n'est guère probable que cette importation puisse se faire des Colonies Britanniques, ou d'autres endroits où le Commerce d'Esclaves a été défendu et prohibé, a rendu son Arrêté du 16 Avril de la presente Année: Que par les dispositions qu'il renferme, le Gouvernement a ôté aux Colonies de ce Royaume la possibilité d'entretenir les relations qu'elles auraient pu avoir contracté, en fait du Commerce des Esclaves, avec les Possessions Européennes, dont les Souverains auraient pu avoir mis des restrictions à la répression de ce trafic, et nommément ceux d'Espagne, de la France et du Portugal. Que les nouvelles reçues des Plantations à Surinam, par rapport à l'Arrêté susdit, fournissent les preuves les plus décisives que toute chance d'importer des Esclaves a été entièrement perdue par la Résolution Royale du 16 Avril : Qu'on ne saurait concevoir d'après cela, quel serait l'endroit du monde qui puisse encore inspirer de la crainte, ou donner lieu à des soupçons d'une introduction frauduleuse : Enfin, que par suite des Instructions qui ont été dépêchées à M. le Gouverneur-Général, ad interim, de Surinam, ce Fonctionnaire ne se trouvera nullement dans l'incertitude à l'égard des intentions, et de la volonté du Roi sur cette matière. Par toutes ces raisons, le Gouvernement des Pays Bas aime à se persuader que le maintien du Traité du 4 Mai, 1818, sera suffisamment assuré par les dispositions actuellement existantes contre le Commerce d'Esclaves, sans qu'il soit nécessaire de recourir à d'autres mesures plus coërcitives; et que les nouvelles explications que le Soussigné a été chargé de donner à son Excellence le Comte de Clancarty, ne laisseront plus rien à désirer au Gouvernement de Sa Majesté Britannique, et lui feront attendre avec confiance l'effet de l'Arrêté du 16 Avril. En l'absence du Ministre des Affaires Etrangères, S. E, le Comte de Clancarty. A. LE CLERC. No. 29.-The Marquess of Londonderry to the Earl of Clancarty. MY LORD, Foreign Office, 25th June, 1821. IN reference to my former Despatches to your Excellency upon the subject of the illegal Slave-trade still carried on at Surinam, in contravention of the spirit of the Treaties contracted between His Majesty and the King of The Netherlands, for the Abolition of this inhuman traffick, I have the honour to furnish your Excellency with the Extract of a Despatch dated the 5th of February, 1821; the Copy of a Despatch dated the 16th of February, 1821; and the Copy of a Despatch dated the 1st of March, 1821; from His Majesty's Commissioners at that Colony. These Documents state, as your Lordship will perceive, that, owing to the inefficacy of the Dutch Laws, and the indifference of the Local Authorities, the admission of Slaves from Africa into the Colony of Surinam is continually taking place, and that the French Flag is almost always resorted to for these nefarious practices. His Majesty's Ambassador at Paris has been consequently written to upon the subject, and these Papers are furnished to your Excellency for the purpose of giving still more weight to the earnest application which you are now making to The Netherland Government upon this subject. I am, &c. H. E. the Earl of Clancarty, G.C.B. LONDONDERRY. No. 30.-The Earl of Clancarty to the Marquess of Londonderry. (Received July 2.) (Extract.) Brussels, 29th June, 1821. I HAD this morning the honour of receiving your Lordship's Despatch of the 25th instant, with its several Inclosures. In my former Notes to M. de Nagell and M. le Chevalier Le Clerc, I had already remonstrated with this Government, on the subject of the facts conveyed in the Correspondence with His Majesty's Government of the Commissioners at Surinam, up to the 15th of February last, inclusive. I had therefore only, on receipt of your last Instruction, to convey to this Government the additional complaints made by these Gentlemen, of the continued infractions of the Treaty referred to in their Letter of the 1st of March, and to avail myself of the occasion thus presented, to urge in the strongest manner, a final and satisfactory decision upon the whole of this business. The Marquess of Londonderry, K.G. CLANCARTY. No. 31. The Marquess of Londonderry to the Earl of Clancarty. MY LORD, Foreign Office, 7th August, 1821. I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Excellency, Copies of the Addresses of the two Houses of Parliament to His Majesty the King, at the close of the last Session, on the subject of the continued prosecution of the Slave-trade under the Flags of Foreign Powers, notwithstanding the recorded abhorrence of that traffick by every Government in Europe. I furnish your Excellency with these Documents, not with any view to your officially communicating them to the Government to which you are accredited, or founding any immediate and special proceeding upon them, other than in following up the Instructions of which you are already in possession; but it is necessary that you should know the sentiments of Parliament upon the subject, in order that, in your intercourse with the Dutch Ministers, you may frame your language and conduct thereon, in conformity to the views therein expressed. I am, &c. H. E. the Earl of Clancarty, G.C.B. - LONDONDERRY. No. 32. The Marquess of Londonderry to the Earl of Clancarty. MY LORD, Foreign Office, 14th September, 1821. I HAVE the honour herewith to inclose for your Excellency's information, the accompanying Copies of a Despatch and Inclosures which the Lords of the Admiralty have received from Commodore Sir G. Collier, dated off Accra, on the 12th of March last, covering a Correspondence between the Commander of His Majesty's Sloop Pheasant and the President of Elmina Castle, relative to a supply of Canoes, which Portuguese Vessels engaged in illicit Slave-trade, are stated to have obtained from Elmina; and your Excellency will communicate to The Netherland Government the contents of the said Papers, in pursuance of the Instructions under which your Excellency is acting on this subject. I am, &c. H. E. the Earl of Clancarty, G.C.B. LONDONDERRY. No. 33.-The Earl of Clancarty to the Marquess of Londonderry. (Received September 22.) MY LORD, Brussels, 18th September, 1821. YOUR Lordship's Despatch of the 14th instant, conveying a Copy of Commodore Sir George Collier's Letter to Mr. Croker, with the Correspondence therein inclosed, reached me yesterday. Your Lordship may rest assured that I shall make use of the same, for the accomplishment of the main object we have in view :-that of inducing the Court, heartily to concur with us in the adoption of every requisite detail for the final and universal Abolition of the Trade in Slaves. I have, &c. The Marquess of Londonderry, K.G. CLANCARTY. No. 34.- The Marquess of Londonderry to the Earl of Clancarty. MY LORD, Foreign Office, 21st September, 1821. I HAVE received and laid before the King your Excellency's Despatch of the 3d of August, together with the Note inclosed in it, which the Baron de Nagell addressed to you on the 28th July, upon the subject of the due execution of the Treaty concluded between Great Britain and The Netherlands, for the Extinction of the Traffick in Slaves. This subject is felt to be of so much importance, that the King has commanded me to direct your Excellency to solicit the honour of a personal interview upon it with His Majesty the King of The Netherlands. You will state to His Majesty, that the King has every confidence in the known integrity of the Councils of the King of The Netherlands, and that the general assurances of the Baron de Nagell, that the last Instructions sent out to the Dutch Colonies are adequate to the effectual prevention of the Traffick, have afforded gratification to His Majesty, inasmuch as those assurances are indicative of a desire to satisfy the solicitude felt by this Government, that the hoped-for result of the Treaty shall not, by any omission, mistake, or unnecessary delay, fail of receiving its due accomplishment. You will say to His Majesty, however, that you are directed not to conceal from Him that this gratification is very much lessened by the general nature of the expressions in which the assurances are conveyed, and in which the Baron de Nagell appears to abstain from any communication of the contents of the Instructions given. You will repeat to His Majesty, that every confidence is placed by this Government in the wish of the King of The Netherlands to act up to what he feels to be the due execution of the Treaty, and that in this spirit His Majesty has been ready, and will always be found willing, to direct his Ministers to communicate to the Government of The Netherlands, every Law, Instruction, or other proceeding, entered upon by the Government of Great Britain, towards the due execution (on their part) of the Treaty between the two Countries. You will express the hope entertained here, that His Netherland Majesty will not suffer this confidence to be abated by any want of return on the part of this Government; and you will submit to His Majesty, that this Government cannot be satisfied with a reserve of the measures taken upon the question by The Netherland Government, whilst those which have been hitherto adopted are known to have varied somewhat from the full stipulation of the Treaty, and to be manifestly insufficient to the carrying it into effect. You will here state to His Majesty the fact, amongst others, which has come to the knowledge of this Government, that in the latter end of May last, the French Schooner l'Aurore, M. l'Oiseau, Master, was permitted to disembark in the town of Paramaribo 143 Slaves, recently imported from Africa, and consigned to M. Solomon de la Para, a resident Proprietor of the Colony of Surinam. Your Excellency will press the circumstance of these infractions of the Treaty by the Colonial Authorities of The Netherlands, thus |