rds, or Portuguese, you are acting in violation of the
established laws of your respective countries, and, therefore, are not
entitled to any protection from your governments. You have placed
yourselves beyond the protection of any civilized nation, as you are
engaged in a traffic which has been made _piracy_ by most of the
Christian nations of the world.

"As I have been sent by my government to root out, if possible, this
traffic on and near our settlements on the coast, I must now give you
notice, that you must break up your establishment at this point, in
two weeks from this date; failing to do so, I shall take such measures
as I conceive necessary to attain this object. I will thank you to
send a reply to this communication immediately, stating your
intentions, and also sending an account of the number of slaves you
have on hand.

"I am, &c., &c., &c.,
"CHARLES R. BELL,
"_Lieut. Com. U. S. Naval Forces, Coast of Africa_.

"To Mr. A. DEMER and others,
"NEW SESTROS, _Coast of Africa_."

I do not know what reply was made to this communication, as a copy was
not retained; but when my clerk handed me the original letter from
Lieutenant Bell, on my arrival from Cuba I lost no time in forwarding
the following answer to Col. Hicks, at Monrovia, to be despatched by
him to the American officer:

"TO CHARLES R. BELL, ESQ.,
"_Lieut. Com. of the U. S. Forces, Coast of Africa, Monrovia_.
"NEW SESTROS, _April 2, 1840_.

"SIR:

"Your letter of the 6th March, directed to the white residents of New
Sestros, was handed me on my return to this country, and I am sorry I
can make but the following short answer.

"First, sir, you seem to assume a supremacy over the most civilized
nations of the world, and, under the doubtful pretext of your nation's
authority, threaten to land and destroy our property on these neutral
shores. Next, you are pleased to inform us that all Christian nations
have declared the slave-trade _piracy_, and that we are not entitled
to any protection from our government. Why, then, do the Southern
States of your great confederacy allow slavery, public auctions,
transportation from one State to another,--not only of civilized black
native subjects,--but of nearly white, American, Christian citizens?
Such is the case in your free and independent country; and, though the
slave-trade is carried on in the United States of America with more
brutality than in any other colony, I s