Mr. Schieffelin to Mr. Seward
Sir: I see by the newspapers that a resolution has been offered in the House of Representatives of the United States “to discontinue an arrangement made with Great Britain to keep a naval force on the coast of Africa,” on the assumption that the slave trade has now ceased.
[Page 331]I have before me two letters from Liberia recently received, one from W. S. Anderson, dated 5th January, 1866, giving an account of a journey made last year about ninety miles, in a straight line, interiorward from Monrovia, in which he says he found the native towns barricaded against wars which were then prevailing, the sole object of which was the capture of men, women, and children; the other from President Warner, urging me to endeavor to procure, by purchase on a credit or otherwise from the United States government, a small gun steam vessel of not over one hundred, and twenty tons, and intimates that the slave trade has not yet been suppressed within the lines of the Liberian coast by the forces employed by America and England, but would be if Liberia had such small vessel.
I beg leave to recall to your notice a part of the note which I had the honor to address to you on the 1st of November last, as follows:
You are aware that the late and lamented President Lincoln recommended to Congress to sell a small gun-boat to Liberia. I have been informed that a bill to do so was passed by one house, but that Congress adjourned before action on it was had in the other.
The United States having been at great expense in maintaining vessels on the coast of Africa, to suppress the slave trade, permit me to ask (in consideration of the fact that the use of a small gun-boat by the government of Liberia would enable them more easily to keep 500 miles of coast entirely free from that trade) whether the United States could consistently lend, until by act of Congress it could sell to Liberia on a credit, a small gun-boat of about one hundred tons, and thereby promote one of its own cherished objects to so great an extent at so much smaller cost than can be effected in any other manner.
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I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.