under fuch regulations as fhall prevent the repetition of fo flagrant an abuse of the intention of the legislature, and fo injurious to that trade, the protection and extenfion of which were the great objects of its care. Samuel Bainbridge Samuel Gift Alex. Stevenfon Kender Mafon James Tweed Ellis Needham James Lone Robert Sorfie Peter Boftock Ben. Kenton Swete Wood John Macmillan Patt Power Robert Eyre Miles Barber Samuel Smith Gilbert Franklin Arthur Jones John Peter Demarin Christopher Court Robert Macmillan William Barber John Hamilton John Barnard John Pickett After this it would be an injustice to a very eminent and very worthy merchant, not to infert his vindication of himself from having any hand in fuch finifter practices as the committee-men's agreement, Their making a fort of referve for his being of the committee was probably, done to keep him, if poffible, from expofing the improprieties in their conduct, which they must be fenfible he was well acquainted with; and that it was not with any real purpose of serving him he clearly fhewed by cutting off all poffibility of objection by the certificate of those gentlemen, who had the inspection of his affairs.-The following letter appeared in the Public Advertiser: SIR, THE fociety of merchants trading to Africa from this port having published in your paper the memorial by them presented to the Lords of Trade and Plantations on the 17th of March laft, relative to the abufes which have obtained in the choice of African committee-men for fome time paft, and there being in that memorial fet forth an agreement, dated September 12, 1770, wherein I am mentioned in such manner, that it may be supposed I was a party "On examining his books, which were fettled in a very few days, we found every transaction regular and fair, and have not fince on farther examinations found any errors. Upon the balance of his affairs it clearly appears that he ought to have, after paying all his debts, a very good fortune remaining without taking into the account any profits arifing from his extensive trade to Africa. That he has more effects at his fettlements, and on board his ships now at Africa and America, than will pay all his debts, which is acknowledged by his partner Richard Brew, Efq; of Annamaboe, who intends to fend off flaves fufficient for that purpose in the course of this and next year. Being fatisfied of Mr. Smith's integrity and good conduct, alfo of the honour and honesty of his partner Mr. Brew, we (agreeable to the powers invested in us) have fent out upwards of 20,000l. value in goods, &c. to affort the goods in his factories on the coaft of Africa, which, together with 11,000l. actually paid to creditors who had fecurities, would have reduced his debts more than one half. 4 As Mr. Smith has acted with fo much honour, refolution, and diligence, to do juftice to all the world, we think him eligible to hold and exercise any employment of reputation and trust. London, April 30, 1771. C. BIRCH, THOMAS SUTTON, ROBERT ALLEN, ALEXANDER ANDERSON, MARTIN PETRIE, CHARLES EASTGATE." One would have thought, after producing this certificate, every objection or difficulty on the part of the five gentlemen who figned the agreement would have been obviated and removed, but it had no fuch effect. They continued to support each other, and were the chief people who oppofed my election last year, for reafons best known to fome of themselves, and more than gueffed at by the merchants concerned in the African African trade, and by me, who have had the honour of being formerly a member of the African committee for London and Bristol feveral Extracts from a Pamphlet published by Mr. Tweed, a Gentleman who refided upwards of Fifteen Years in Africa, which shews the miferable Condition of the Forts, the Arts of the Governors, and other Abuses worthy attending to, on the Coaft. Come now to a point which I hope will merit attention; as I dare fay administration, and the nation in general, have understood it, and looked upon it, in a very different point of view to what it really is: I mean the fituation of the forts and fettlements on the Gold Coast of Africa. I am forry to fay, that they are in almost every refpect a difgrace to the nation. They lie like a heap of rubbish-a neft for filth and vermin without influence, degraded and stigmatized, as mere burlesques on fortification; laughing stocks for Europeans, and the derifion of the natives. Inftead of fupporting the dignity of the nation, they fully and disgrace it. The governors or chiefs, tamely and difpiritedly, have fuffered British subjects to be grofsly infulted, nay flogged, under the muzzles of their guns, in fight of their half-ftarved centries with arms in their hands; and have bore the infults of the haughty natives, when with menaces they dared them to resent it. And fo greatly difpirited are these poor wretches of foldiers, that they are the next step to inanimate beings.. The poor pittance of putrid falt provifion which they are allowed, though they pay very exorbitantly for it, contrary to the allowance and intention of government, is scarce fufficient to fuftain life; and their meagre pitiful countenances plainly indicate the scenes of mifery and want to which they are subjected; having often had the misfortune of being lorded over by a set of unfeeling beings, whofe hearts are steeled against fympathy, and every other Chriftian or focial virtue. Wealth is the deity they worship; worship; and do they only accomplish that end, national honour, national intereft, or national influence, are quite beneath their confideration. They receive a falary for doing their own business; and the warehouses, craft, and fervants of the public, are all fubfervient to their ends and purposes. From this general rule, there may, no doubt, be some exceptions; but it is manifeft, and past all contradiction, that it has been too often the cafe; and it can easily be made appear, that instead of the forts being in any degree ferviceable, or their chiefs affording any fuccour to the British trader or interests, they have, from their self-interested views, been highly detrimental to it by obstructing the shipping in their purchases. It will naturally occur to afk, from what means these complaints and grievances arife, and under whose care and management the African affairs are conducted and carried on? The answer of course must be, that there is a committee chofen by the merchants, who are by act of parliament admitted, for the more effectual extenfion of the African trade, on paying in to the committee's fecretary forty fhillings, and half a crown for perquifite. The majority of fuffrages in this body conftitutes a committee-man: but though the intention is originally good, it is often like other matters of the kind bafely fubverted to finifter purposes. For instance, a tooth-drawer or mountebank, on paying this paltry fum, becomes qualified to vote for whom he may be influenced, even for the ordinary of Newgate, or fexton of St. Giles's, fhould they put up as candidates: indeed, had ever either or both these perfonages been chofen, their knowledge of Africa would only have proved tantamount to many of the refpectable gentlemen who have filled that office; and, if we may judge from their conduct, would neither have expofed themselves fo much, or would have committed fuch arrant blunders. But to proceedThis committee is to confift of three for London, three for Liverpool, and three for Bristol. They are to fuperintend and manage all the affairs relative to the public forts and fettlements in Africa (Senegambia excepted) and to give fuch directions and orders to the governors and chiefs, as may be conducive to the national interefts and credit abroad. They, in consequence, are to indent for such ftores and goods as may be thought need |