PORTUGUESE SLAVERY AND THE GOVERNMENT.
[TO THE EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR:1
SIR,—Your comprehensive review of Mr. Crawford's book in last week's issue gives one furiously to think. It seems a strange inconsistency that a Government which stands for freedom is devoting its time to an endeavour to drive loyal subjects out of the British Empire, while it allows the national honour and conscience to be stained by an alliance with a republic whose officials and colonists still make a living by kidnapping and selling the unfortunate natives of Central Africa. Surely it would be a nobler aim for a British Government to undertake to stop slavery in its vilest form than to spend its time in upsetting the Constitution of Great Britain and destroying a Church which was doing a noble work. One cannot believe that Sir Edward Grey will continue to neglect the condition of the Portuguese West African colonies. Here is a chance to make our relations with Germany still more amicable than they are becoming. By withdrawing our protection over the Portuguese African colonies, and more particularly Angola, we shall both vindicate our beliefs and pretensions and show our great rival on the Continent of Europe that we have no desire to prevent her from "taking her place in the sun" if she wishes to procure Angola. Portugal has shown itself unworthy of our protection. Let us by all means protect the weak, but let us never extend our guardianship to the cruel and the unwilling.—.I am, Sir, &c.,
Clifton House, Bradford. E. J. LASSEN.
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