Be it known to Her Majesty that her good undertakens our late King Akitoye observe; and when he is in a troubled state, induces him to appeal to Her Majesty for assistance. The whole complaint of our late King has been heard, and it was proved to be, in fact, he was the right heir of the throne, and that he was driven from it by the exiled Prince Kosoko. Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain observ'd that our late King has been perfect in all his complaint; induced her to send him with a full command to be replaced on his former throne. His former villages or places belonging to him were given up to him; moreover, the laws of Great Britain were placed in his hands by Her Majesty's Representative, the late Consul J. Becroft; the said law of which we do prove that till his death never transgress. After his death, the late Consul B. Campbell, by the command of Her Majesty, took his son, Docemo by name, and set him on the throne, and gave him the afore-mention'd laws of Great Britain which his father had left, the least of which our present King do not set apart. But unexpectedly, the 28th July last, we saw Commander Norman B. Bedingfeld, of Her Majesty's ship Prometheus, and Wm. McCoskry, Acting Consul, came to our King. We afterwards learn that his presence is wanted on board Her Majesty's ship Prometheus the following day. He is requested to call on board the said steamer without his Cheifs and captains; but his reply is, he will not come alone. Notwithstanding this, the Commander replied, that if the King chooses to call over, he may left the said Cheifs and captains behind. Seeing that he, Commander Bedingfeld, have a secreet word to inform the King, the next day, being the 29th, our King went on board the said steamer, and the secreet word was discovered to him, i. e., our King must give up the Island of Lagos, with all "the rights, profits, territories," &c. This was drawn in a paper, and Commander Bedingfeld requested our King to sign it, but he rejected. There is no decision made that day previous to our King's return. On the 3rd August last, the said Commander and Wm. McCoskry call on the King, with two brass-gun boats, well armed marines, and commanded the King to sign the said paper or Treaty he has refused to sign on board Her Majesty's ship Prometheus; this the King would not consent to do. For some time previous the King has asked the Commander for permission to write to Her Majesty respecting the said Treaty, but it was disregarded. Seeing that the Commander impose so much on the King to sign the said Treaty, he was obliged to tell him that he agree to one thing, i. e., if any white gentleman or emigrant in the island has any affairs, that it should be settled by themselves. After this the Commander requested the King to call on him at the British Consulate the following day, as to sign what he consented to. Such being the case that the King went there the next day; but instead of what he was call'd for, the Commander brought before him the one he had previous refused to sign, and bade him sign it, or else he will instantly discharge fire on the island. To prevent the Commander from fireing to the land, and to keep back those that intent to leave the island on account of the confusion, induces him to sign the Treaty. We afterwards learn from him that he was obliged the more to sign the Treaty in order to be permitted to write to Her Majesty. Dear Madam,-We are very sorry to bring to Her Majesty's notice that all the interior Cheifs were enemy to us; the particular reason is, because our late King Akitoye had fallen into a covenant with the Queen of Great Britain, and he had signed the Treaty for the suppression of the Slave Trade, which the interior Chiefs dislike. The fact is, they have no more convenient place or port as that of the island of Lagos to dispose their slaves. But as we are now receiving such hard treatment as that from Commander Norman B. Bedingfeld, of Her Majesty's ship Prometheus, we say Great Britain now turned her back towards us. And, yea! we are falling down before our enemies the slave-dealers. This induces us to cry unto Her Majesty that we are droping down before our enemies, together with our King and people. Therefore we, in the name of God, beseech Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain to raise us up, and let not our adversaries triumph over us. Yea! Her Majesty's praises shall be heard throughout the whole African lands. With this, we beg, &c. his ONIKOYI, and 23 others. mark. (Inclosure 1.)-Petition from certain Natives of the Island of Lagos. MADAM, Lagos, September 10, 1861. To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. WE, the Undersigned common men of the Island of Lagos, do send this again, as a compliment to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain. We have heard, and observe in several instances, that Her Majesty is a merciful Queen, not to be compared to the rest Queens or Kings of the earth, safe to the Supreme Being. Her Majesty's actions we observed first was, by not knowing we poor black Africans, we that often raise war against ourselves, fight, [1861-62. LII.] kill, and the remnant we sold to the slave dealers. But through Her Majesty's good actions the slaves are taken from the slavedealers, and are carried to British settlement, where they were made free; moreover, they were made there to observe wisdom and instruction. After this they were brought to their native lands by the expencise of Her Majesty. The emancipated reached their homes, met their parents, in sound health, and they all began to be merry. This we observe, moreover, several others of the sort, which induces us all to join our voices in one solemn prayer, that the blessing of God may rest on Great Britain Queen. N.B. That such good actions of Her Majesty our late King Akitoye observe, and when he is in trouble do beseech Her Majesty for assistance, and the which has been granted. Her Majesty have heard the whole complaint of our late King, and have deeply search into the matter, and it was found to be in fact he was the right heir of the throne, and that he was driven out by the exiled Prince Kosoko. Her Majesty Queen of Great Britain observ'd that our late King has been perfect in his complaint. This leads Her Majesty's good wishes to bring our late King Akitoye to his home, and replaced him on his former throne. Moreover, the laws of Great Britain is placed in his hands, which we do prove that till his death never transgress. Previous to this, by the command of His Majesty, the whole town or villages of our late King were delivered to him by the hand of the Queen's Representative, namely, the late Consul J. Beecroft. After our King's death, the late Consul B. Campbell, by the command of Her Majesty, took his son Docemo and place him on the throne of his father; also he gave him the laws of Great Britain, which his father had left. We humble beg to state that we have not heard that our present King brake any of the laws of Great Britain, Britain Queen. But on the 28th July last we saw unexpectedly Commander Norman B. Bedingfeld, of Her Majesty's ship Prometheus; and Wm. McCoskry, Acting Consul, came to our King. We afterwards learn that our King's presence is wanted on board Her Majesty's ship Prometheus the following day. He is requested to call on board the said steamer without his Chiefs and Captains; but his reply is that he will not come alone. Notwithstanding this, the Commander replied that if the King choose to come he may left the said Cheifs and Captains behind him, seeing that he, Commander Bedingfeld, has a secreet word to tell the King. On the next day, the 29th, our King went on board the said steamer, and the secreet word was discovered to him by Commander Bedingfeld; that is, our King must give up the island of Lagos, with all the "rights, profits, and territories," &c. This was drawn in a paper, and our King is requested to sign the same; and we were witnesses to the same that our King refuses to sign the said paper or Treaty. There is no décision made till our King's return. On the 3rd of August last, the said Commander and Wm. McCoskry came over to our King with two brass-gun boats, wellarmed Marines, and commanded the King to sign the said Treaty that he has refused to sign on board Her Majesty's ship Prometheus; but our King would not. Previous to this, the King asked the Commander for permission to write to Her Majesty respecting the same, but it was disregarded. Seeing that the Commander impose so much on the King to sign the said Treaty, he was obliged to tell him that what he agree to is this: that if the white gentlemen and emigrants in the town has any affairs between themselves, let it be settled by themselves. After this the King was called to the British Consulate to sign what he agree to; but instead of that, the Commander brought before him the rejected Treaty, and told him then that, whether he wish to sign or not, he is ready to take the island of Lagos by compulsion. To prevent the Commander from firing in the town, and to keep his people from running away for specified time, induces him to sign the said Treaty. We after this learn from the King that he was obliged the more to sign the Treaty in order to be permitted to write to London to Her Majesty. Dear Madam, we are extremely sorry to state that all the interior Cheifs were our enimies. The reason is, because our late King Akitoye had, as it were, fallen into a covenant with the Queen of Great Britain, and had signed the Treaty for the suppression of the Slave Trade, which the interior Chiefs dislike, seeing they have no more convenient places to dispose of their slaves. But as we are now receiving such hard treatment as that from Commander N. B. Bedingfeld, of Her Majesty's ship Prometheus, we say, Great Britain now turned her back towards us; and yea! we are falling down before our enimies the slave-dealers. This induces us to cry unto Her Majesty that we are droping down before our enimies, together with our King, Cheifs, and Captains. Therefore we, in the name of God, beseech Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain to raise us up, and let not our enimies triumph over us. Yea! Her Majesty's praises shall be heard throughout the whole African lands. We beg, &c. his EDON, and 79 others. mark. (Inclosure 2.)—The Chiefs of Lagos to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. ment to Her Majesty. We herewith beg to state, that since we have written last to Her Majesty, till this present, the island is not at ease. There is much disquietness in the land. The King, as it were, informing the people in the town to be quiet, for that he has written to Her Majesty, and in short expecting to receive a satisfactory reply. Let us beg to inform Her Majesty that a merchant here, by name Wm. McCoskry, Esq., whom the late Consul G. Foote made a Vice-Consul, is rather a hard man for us. His actions towards us is very savage. We do not witness such bad treatments from the late succeeding Consuls or Acting-Consuls as these at Coskry's time. Of this gentleman we beg to say he knows nothing about the management of the town; and we, in our common sense, judge that he is not a fit man for the office he is placed. We beg to say (not of command) that we do not want this gentleman McCoskry to hold the office of a Vice-Consul any longer in this island. Why so? Our King, in the time of the late Consul B. Campbell, made some rules, which, if any disregard, a penalty of certain sum is to be laid on him. Notwithstanding this Mr. Coskry went against the rules, and the said penalty was laid on him. We see from since that time he was seeking the destruction of our King. All his endeavours is to be an office-bearer to Her Majesty, in order to get the more chance to revenge himself on the King. This we forsee in his movements. Properly speaking, this gentleman is our real enemy; and if he continue bearing the office of a Vice-Consul in this island he will totally destroy it-not by his power, but by making many false reports concerning things that we knows nothing of. This induces us to write, as to inform Her Majesty previous. We hope this few lines will meet Her Majesty, as well as the Royal families, in a good health. In this we pray that Her Majesty may long live to see the civilization of Africa, by the hand of her good Representatives. With this, we beg, &c. his ONIKOYI, and 23 others. mark. |