Action of the Powers in the United States

Concerted Action of the Powers (1783–1814) and the International Status of the Slave-Trade (1783–1863)

In the book “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America 1638-1870” (1), W. E. B. Du Bois explained the following: During the peace negotiations between the United States and Great Britain in 1783, it was proposed by Jay, in June, that there be a proviso inserted as follows: “Provided that the subjects of 135his Britannic Majesty shall not have any right or claim under the convention, to carry or import, into the said States any slaves from any part of the world; it being the intention of the said States entirely to prohibit the importation thereof.”10 Fox promptly replied: “If that be their policy, it never can be competent to us to dispute with them their own regulations.”11 No mention of this was, however, made in the final treaty, probably because it was thought unnecessary.

In the proposed treaty of 1806, signed at London December 31, Article 24 provided that “The high contracting parties engage to communicate to each other, without delay, all such laws as have been or shall be hereafter enacted by their respective Legislatures, as also all measures which shall have been taken for the abolition or limitation of the African slave trade; and they further agree to use their best endeavors to procure the co-operation of other Powers for the final and complete abolition of a trade so repugnant to the principles of justice and humanity.”12

This marks the beginning of a long series of treaties between England and other powers looking toward the prohibition of the traffic by international agreement. During the years 1810–1814 she signed treaties relating to the subject with Portugal, Denmark, and Sweden.13 May 30, 1814, an additional article to the Treaty of Paris, between France and Great Britain, engaged these powers to endeavor to induce the approaching Congress at Vienna “to decree the abolition of the Slave Trade, so that the said Trade shall cease universally, as it shall cease definitively, under any circumstances, on the part of the French Government, in the course of 5 years; and that during the said period no Slave Merchant shall import or sell Slaves, except in the Colonies of the State of which he is a Subject.”14 In addition to this, the next day a circular letter was despatched by Castlereagh to Austria, Russia, and Prussia, expressing the hope “that the Powers of Europe,136 when restoring Peace to Europe, with one common interest, will crown this great work by interposing their benign offices in favour of those Regions of the Globe, which yet continue to be desolated by this unnatural and inhuman traffic.”15 Meantime additional treaties were secured: in 1814 by royal decree Netherlands agreed to abolish the trade;16 Spain was induced by her necessities to restrain her trade to her own colonies, and to endeavor to prevent the fraudulent use of her flag by foreigners;17 and in 1815 Portugal agreed to abolish the slave-trade north of the equator.18

Resources

Notes and References

1. W. E. B. Du Bois, “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America 1638-1870” (1893), Longmans, Green and Co., London, New York, Bombay and Calcuta.

See Also

Further Reading

• James Bandinel. Some Account of the Trade in Slaves from Africa as connected with Europe and America; From the Introduction of the Trade into Modern Europe, down to the present Time; especially with reference to the efforts made by the British Government for its extinction. London, 1842.
• T. and J.W. Johnson. Inquiry into the Law of Negro Slavery in the United States.
• Emerson Etheridge. Speech … on the Revival of the African Slave Trade, etc. Washington, 1857.
• William Noel Sainsbury, editor. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, America and the West Indies, 1574–1676. 4 vols. London, 1860–93.
• T.R.R. Cobb. An Historical Sketch of Slavery, from the Earliest Periods. Philadelphia and Savannah. 1858.
• Memorials presented to the Congress of the United States of America, by the Different Societies instituted for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, etc., etc., in the States of Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Philadelphia, 1792.
• Agénor Étienne de Gasparin. Esclavage et Traite. Paris, 1838.
• United States Congress. Annals of Congress, 1789–1824; Congressional Debates, 1824–37; Congressional Globe, 1833–73; Congressional Record, 1873-; Documents (House and Senate); Executive Documents (House and Senate); 345Journals (House and Senate); Miscellaneous Documents (House and Senate); Reports (House and Senate); Statutes at Large.

Action of the Powers from 1814 to 1820 and the International Status of the Slave-Trade (1783–1863)

In the book “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America 1638-1870” (1), W. E. B. Du Bois explained the following: At the Congress of Vienna, which assembled late in 1814, Castlereagh was indefatigable in his endeavors to secure the abolition of the trade. France and Spain, however, refused to yield farther than they had already done, and the other powers hesitated to go to the lengths he recommended. Nevertheless, he secured the institution of annual conferences on the matter, and a declaration by the Congress strongly condemning the trade and declaring that “the public voice in all civilized countries was raised to demand its suppression as soon as possible,” and that, while the definitive period of termination would be left to subsequent negotiation, the sovereigns would not consider their work done until the trade was entirely suppressed.19

In the Treaty of Ghent, between Great Britain and the United States, ratified February 17, 1815, Article 10, proposed by Great Britain, declared that, “Whereas the traffic in slaves is irreconcilable with the principles of humanity and justice,” the two countries agreed to use their best endeavors in abolishing the trade.20 The final overthrow of Napoleon was marked by a second declaration of the powers, who, “desiring to give effect to the measures on which they deliberated at the Congress of Vienna, relative to the complete and universal 137abolition of the Slave Trade, and having, each in their respective Dominions, prohibited without restriction their Colonies and Subjects from taking any part whatever in this Traffic, engage to renew conjointly their efforts, with the view of securing final success to those principles which they proclaimed in the Declaration of the 4th February, 1815, and of concerting, without loss of time, through their Ministers at the Courts of London and of Paris, the most effectual measures for the entire and definitive abolition of a Commerce so odious, and so strongly condemned by the laws of religion and of nature.”21

Treaties further restricting the trade continued to be made by Great Britain: Spain abolished the trade north of the equator in 1817,22 and promised entire abolition in 1820; Spain, Portugal, and Holland also granted a mutual limited Right of Search to England, and joined in establishing mixed courts.23 The effort, however, to secure a general declaration of the powers urging, if not compelling, the abolition of the trade in 1820, as well as the attempt to secure a qualified international Right of Visit, failed, although both propositions were strongly urged by England at the Conference of 1818.24

Resources

Notes and References

1. W. E. B. Du Bois, “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America 1638-1870” (1893), Longmans, Green and Co., London, New York, Bom
   bay and Calcuta.

See Also

Further Reading

• Anthony Benezet. Inquiry into the Rise and Progress of the Slave Trade, 1442–1771. (In his Historical Account of Guinea, etc., Philadelphia, 1771.)
• Alexandre Moreau de Jonnès. Recherches Statistiques sur l’Esclavage Colonial et sur les Moyens de le supprimer. Paris, 1842.
• Alexander Falconbridge. An Account of the Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa. London, 1788.
• George Sauer. La Traite et l’Esclavage des Noirs. London, 1863.
• T.R.R. Cobb. Inquiry into the Law of Negro Slavery in the United States of America. Vol. I. Philadelphia and Savannah, 1858.
• Charles F. Mercer. Mémoires relatifs à l’Abolition de la Traite Africaine, etc. Paris, 1855.
• Joshua R. Giddings. Speech … on his motion to reconsider the vote taken upon the final passage of the “Bill338 for the relief of the owners of slaves lost from on Board the Comet and Encomium.” [Washington, 1843.]
• United States Supreme Court. Reports of Decisions.