Hence the necessity of some regular publication, devoted to the specific work of diffusing intelligence in regard to their present state, and their comparative progress.

It may here be useful to refer to some of the many letters we are constantly receiving, showing the estimation in which the Repository is held, and the amount of good which results from its circulation. One of our agents, writing to us, says:

"Wherever the Repository is taken, I find the ground ready prepared. The people understand the subject. They know how great are the wants. And there I can raise money. I have to say but few words. The people are ready to contribute."

A valued correspondent, enclosing a draft for $50, says:

66

"I believe that I appreciate in some measure the great benefits which have resulted from the operations of the Society thus far, and the still greater prospective benefits which must be hereafter developed; and I look forward with great confidence to the time, and that not far distant, when the great body of our American people will regard with favor a cause so eminently calculated to benefit so large a portion of our fellow beings."

Such friendship to the cause is invaluable,

Another gentleman says:

"I am happy to enclose you an order for $1,000, which I promised you. The African Repository is a very valuable publication. I wish it could reach all our reading population. It must be circulated. If Liberia is the best home of the man of color, he will find it in course of time, as surely as the poor emigrants from Europe do this country, or we resort to the valley of the West. Canada, the West India Islands, &c., are not the home of our people of color. They may make the experiment, and be convinced." A lady writes:

"I have been called on several times within a few weeks for Colonization documents. There are many who are willing to read; and I rather think that there are a good many papers and pamphlets scattered about your office, that are of little or no benefit there, that would be read with interest and profit here. Many of us know but little about Colonization.— Could we be made acquainted with this great cause, I am sure we should do much for it."

A gentleman of age and learning writes:

"From its earliest date, I have been the sincere and unshaken friend of Colonization, and, viewing it in all its bearings, I rank it among the most philanthropic, christian, and sublime enterprises of this, or any other, age or country. Public sentiment is reviving and spreading in favor of Colonization. The present is regarded as a favorable moment for more systematic and efficient action. Information must be circulated. The Repository must be distributed, and reprinted in the various papers of the day."

A clergyman writing from the Choctaw nation, Arkansas, says: "We need information on the subject of Colonization. 'Will you please send me the African Repository? I inclose you the payment for one year. It would be a great satisfaction to the colored people to get a copy or two of the Liberia Herald.

"By a law of the Choctaw nation, passed at the late session of their Legislature, all free people of color who are born of bond mothers, or rather all, excepting those born of Choctaw mothers, are required to leave the na

tion by the first of March next, under the penalty of being sold as slaves for life, the proceeds to be placed in the treasury of the nation. There is a very large number of this class of persons, and among them several who want to go to Liberia. Their attention in this trying exigency has been turned there, as presenting the only safe asylum for the oppressed of their race."

Surely something more must be done to diffuse information, and cause Liberia to be known, and its advantages to be understood. It is not right that those who are loooking around for a place of refuge, should be left in ignorance of the home provided for them in Africa.

Another gentleman writes under date of November 28, 1840:

"I inclose you $10, for the African Repository. I prize it highly. I congratulate you on the evident increase of the Colonization cause in the public favor. It is no more than what I have long confidently expected. In fact, it is a wonder to me, that all parties have not perceived the Colonization Society has hit upon the solution of this awfully dark and tangled problem. It is a plan which looks equally at the interests and the just wishes of the whole country, harmonizing the objects of all, and giving all a fair chance to co-operate with the workings of Divne providence."

Another gentleman writes:

"I inclose you $5 to pay for the Repository. I have read the paper with great pleasure, and feel a deep interest in the African Colony, and a strong conviction that something may be done, through its instrumentality, for the civilization of Africa. This certainly would be no mean accomplishment."

It is unnecessary to multiply these extracts. We have given a specimen of the letters we are continually receiving, which greatly encourage us to persevere in these efforts to diffuse light and knowledge throughout the length and breadth of the land. They convince us of the absolute necessity of the Repository to the prosperity and success of the scheme of Colonization. Hence we are earnest in endeavoring to make the Repository interesting, and to gain for it many new read

ers.

It may not be amiss here to state, that we have lately sent the paper to about 700 gentlemen of known intelligence and liberality, with a request that they would become subscribers, and that less than fifty of them have refused. And we hope that our agents and friends will all feel the importance of uniting with us in this endeavor to extend the circulation of a paper so vital to the cause of Colonization.

To all those who have liberally aided us during the last year, we return our sincere thanks, and hope for their continued and increased co-operation.

The cause is worthy of the noblest efforts which mortal powers can put forth. And the reward will be one of lasting blessedness and re

nown.

SIERRA LEONE.-The Liverpool Mercury says that recent intelligence shows the necessity of some more effective measures for the prevention of the Slave Trade, than any that have yet been adopted. A vessel belonging to Liverpool, the brig Guyana, had been seized and condemned as a slaver. The Colony, generally speaking, was healthy; but the missionaries, out but a short time from England, had suffered severely, and many had diel. Several vessels had been brought in, and condemned for being connected with the Slave Trade. The Planet, under American colors, not yet tried. The San Pablo Loando, condemned and cut up. Two New York pilot boats, one condemned and cut up, as Spanish property; the other waiting adjudication.

THE BRITISH NIGER EXPEDITION-BRITISH POLICY PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

WE have frequently called the attention of our readers to this important expedition. It was to sail from England on the 1st of December, ultimo. We shall anxiously wait intelligence of its progress and accomplishments. Its principal or immediate object is one of survey and investigation, with the ulterior hope of putting an end to the Slave Trade, by negotiating treaties with the native chiefs, "within whose dominions the internal Slave Trade is carried on, and the external trade supplied with its victims." It is intended to ascend the Niger as far as the point from which PARK commenced his downward, disastrous voyage. This route will enable them to communicate with a large portion of the native chiefs engaged in the Slave Trade.

Many important results may be expected. Dr. R. R. MADDEN, the celebrated traveller and philanthropist, was expected to go out in some responsible office in connexion with the expedition. Other gentlemen of science were also to go, in order that the climate, the soil, the products, the metals, and all the resources of the country might be thoroughly examined, and every possible advantage to commerce be unfolded. It cannot be doubted that it is the interest of the chiefs along the Niger to keep their people at home, and devote themselves to agriculture, commerce, and the arts. It would be more profitable than the Slave Trade now is. Their soil is rich, easy of cultivation, already fruitful in natural productions, and capable of being made the source of a legitimate and profitable commerce.

And it is equally true, that the British, in planning and carrying forward this expedition, have an eye more intent and keen to their own, than to Africa's, welfare. They have a great horror of the Slave Trade, as now carried on, but at the same time they know that it is immensely valuable to their commercial and manufacturing interests. They now reap a vast revenue from the goods and chattels manufactured expressly for, and carried to, the Slave factories on the coast of Africa, and from the trade which they carry on with those who are actually and openly engaged in the Slave Trade. Their Government dare not assail this trade-dare not forbid their citizens to traffic with the Slave factories. Their interests are too deeply affected. The least they can do, therefore, is to try to make safe and justifiable what they dare not attempt to put down. They would fain open new fields of enterprise in Africa; create new markets for their goods; and render their commerce safe and salutary, by running it in another direction.

And the good to civilization and religion will rather be incidental and unavoidable, than primary and designed. They cannot succeed in their policy, and realize the consummation of their hopes, without the aid of Christianity. Hence several missionaries and teachers are to accompany this, their first expedition. The two African princes who have been educated under the care of the Rev. Mr. PAINE, will return to Ashantee, well qualified to fill some important station there.

In connexion with this subject, we wish to call the attention of our readers to one important part of the

Report of the Secretary of the Navy.

The Executive of our country have taken important measures to redeem our flag from the disgrace of protecting the Slave Trade.

The Secretary deserves great praise for the stand he has taken, and for the good which has been, and is yet to be, accomplished. He

says:

"From the report of Lieutenants BELL and PAINE, it appears that the traffic in slaves is now carried on principally under Portuguese colors, through the medium of slave stations, as they are denominated, established at different points of the coast, under the protection of the neighboring native chiefs, who furnish the slaves, and receive in return goods manufactured in England expressly for this purpose. Here the slaves are collected, until an opportunity offers for the slaver to approach the land under cover of night, and receive them on board. Both officers are of opinion, that so long as these stations are permitted to exist, and this barter carried on, all attempts effectually to arrest the traffic in slaves will end in administering only partial remedies, which will but aggravate the disease."

We cannot but think that England has little cause to reproach our country as she does, on account of the existence of Slavery, or because our national flag is used by some of the monsters engaged in the horrid traffic. This is without our consent. But she knowingly allows her citizens to make the manacles, and sell them to the slavers-to make the goods, and sell them to the slave factories. She knowingly allows her merchants to engage in a commerce, without which the slavers must be exceedingly crippled, and their work of death impeded; but with which, they can defy all the naval force that she can drive along the coast. Her flag-not by stealth and fraud, and contrary to all the laws and injunctions of the Government-openly covers and protects a trade which most essentially aids and abets the Slave Trade. Will she allow our men of war the right of search of such vessels as are found engaged in this trade? And will she allow their seizure and condemnation? If not, let her cease to taunt our nation as being too scrupulously sensitive because we will not allow the right of search. They like well to get hands on an American vessel, not so much for their love of Africa and desire to break up the Slave Trade, as for their wish for cause to ridicule our nation, and rail against our free institutions and general liberty. We shall believe her sincere in her efforts to arrest the Slave Trade, when we see her cut off the supplies which she furnishes, and the facilities which she affords, by protecting with her naval force on the coast of Africa, her merchantmen who are trading between the different Slave factories! We shall believe her sincere, when we see her prohibit the goods which she finds in a captured slaver being sold immediately to slave traders, under the very throne of her power, at Sierra Leone, and by her own authorized and commissioned officers.* But, while she makes a double speculation, and gathers a two-fold revenue out of every vessel she captures-one from enlisting the slaves on board in her standing armies, and the other by selling the goods to the Slave factories-it looks too much as if the whole policy was one of pure selfishness and aggrandisement, under a show of philanthropy and benevolence.

It is a fact of public notoriety, that the British authorities at Eierra Leone permit the slave traders to become the purchasers of the goods and vessels captured from the slavers. This is admitted by Mr. BUXTON himself, who also states that there are large manufacturing establishments in England wholly employed in the fabrication of articles suitable to no other trade than that of slavers.

As far as the American Colonies on the coast of Africa are engaged in putting down the Slave Trade, truth compels us to say that England is a drawback, a dead weight to the cause of bleeding humanity. Through her merchantmen, she furnishes such facilities to the slave dealers, as to place her between the slave and his deliverer. How long shall this shameful commerce continue? How long shall those champions of freedom close their ears to the groans, and their eyes to the tears and blood, of the thousands who are every year torn from home and friends, and carried into hopeless bondage, by means of the supplies of provisions and chains which they furnish? How long will their Government permit her agents at Sierra Leone to sell the goods found in every slaver captured, to the slave factories along the coast! From the shores of bleeding Africa, and from the channels of the deep-from Brazil and from Cuba-echo answers; "how long?"

At the same time that we make these statements, we confess, and with becoming shame, that our own country Has been far from doing what she ought to stop all intercourse and cut off all trade with the slavers. But we hope for better things. Indeed, we already see them beginning to brighten our horizon. We have great pleasure in furnishing our readers with the following extract from

The President's Message,

in which we discover a determination to attack this horrible traffic single-handed, and at the only accessible point; and if Congress carries out the suggestions of the President, we shall expect, at no distant day, to see a total revolution on this subject. The nations that are attempting now to break up the Slave Trade by their navies, while their merchantmen "aid and abet" it, will be compelled to change their policy, or give up all claim to sincerity in their professed hatred of this horrible traffic.

"The suppression of the African Slave Trade has received the continued attention of the Government. The brig Dolphin and schooner Grampus have been employed during the last season on the coast of Africa, for the purpose of preventing such portions of that trade as was said to be prosecuted under the American flag. After cruising off those parts of the coast most usually resorted to by slavers, until the commencement of the rainy season, these vessels returned to the United States for supplies, and have since been despatched on a similar service.

"From the report of the commanding officers, it appears that the trade is now principally carried on under the Portuguese colors; and they express the opinion that the apprehension of their presence on the slave coast has, in a great degree, arrested the prostitution of the American flag to this inhuman purpose. It is hoped that, by continuing to maintain this force in that quarter, and by the exertions of the officers in command, much will be done to put a stop to whatever portion of this traffic may have been carried on under the American flag, and to prevent its use in a trade which, while it violates the law, is equally an outrage on the rights of others and the feelings of humanity.

"The efforts of the several governments who are anxiously seeking to suppress this traffic must, however, be directed against the facilities afforded by what are now recognized as legitimate commercial pursuits, before that object can be fully accomplished. Supplies of provisions, water-casks, merchandise, and articles connected with the prosecution of the Slave Trade,