Slavery, as a legal institution to be enforced by Courts
or police, has been abolished on the Gold Coast. On 3rd November, Governor Strahan called the native Chiefs of the Protectorate together, and after recapitulating the recent exertions and expen- diture of the Queen in their behalf, told them that in return she and her people expected that slavery should cease. "The Queen does not desire to take any of your people from you ; those of them who like to work for and with and to assist you can remain -with you. If they are happy, and continue to live with you on the same terms as now, no change will be forced upon you ; but any person who does not desire to live with you on those terms, can leave, and, will not be compelled by any Court, British or native, to return to you." The Governor added, that although when the Queen had spoken, their business was to obey, he would listen to any representations. The Chiefs, who had previously been consulted, yielded, but asked for a continuance a a right to keep the slaves who were not maltreated, and to
pawn slaves. Both requests were, in substance, refused, though explanations were given which the bulletin-writer has mis- understood. It is evidently, as we have shown elsewhere, the Indian anti-slavery scheme which has been adopted, and under that scheme no slave-owner need enfranchise his slaves, but if they disobey or depart, no official will restore them. Slavery, even of the voluntary kind, will probably disappear in a short time, as a slave who cannot be struck, or starved, or sold, or pawned, is a slave who has only to sit still to make himself a burdensome nuisance to his owner.
