Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-07-15

centered IN JULIUS Sfshr, iei uP"',
swori-posterity have, with one accord, a.
warded the tribute Of immortal isine., :,
But il the being, who Ess welded uie
dagger of destruction, ever deserved APP
plause for his deed OF death, certainly the
object who now lies bleeding before the
ewes of our Imagination, merits more eXa't-
ed fame than even Lucre,ia, Virginius, or
Cato. Shame influenced the first, parental
pride the second, AMI chagrlp, because the
world bowed down TO Cesar, prompted The
suicide of Cato. But no shane, no MINOR
passion, no disappointed AMBITION urged
the unfortunate Afrcan-the grand moving
principles of her conduct, were IncorruPt-
ed patriotism, determined hatred OF tyran1,,
nv, ard genuine love Of liberty. She ''ouIa
not leave the land OF her fathers-She ronid
shewher tyrant that she despised his chains
her soul would either live on earth Tree
as she had lived, or seek for liberty IN the
boundless regions OF heaven,
"Where no 6ends mr'est, no christians
thirst for blood"
But what were the feelings OF the slave,
trader. when he behell this bloody sight ?
Did coatrition melt his sou! Did ply, or
even horror, giisten in his eyes All, 10 !!
his soul, dark as the blacklist shades OF md
night, sees not CLEAN of pity within ITS
gloomy recesses-his heart, bard ai the
mountain adamant, feels not even the com
punctious visitings of nature When The
relentless man saw the poor woman lying
al his feet, he loaded her dead body with
the most horrid imprec~t:Cns, aid then ieit
her to be burieA IS The hands OF others.
These are scenes which frequently occur
-tncy may appear extraordinary 10 you,
who, immersed in business, study Or plea
sure, cannot behold The misery which reigns
around you. But there are many who can
youch for their reality
When the slave trader IS Reproduced with
the crueil;es which he iniicts, he attempts
10 defend himself by saying tina, all these
his dungeons, stripes and chains, are only
Intended for the preservation OF his pro-
perty-for the safety Of his victims! Aye,
these ere the instruments Of safety but
not of that kind of safety which protects
one friend when he is shielded by another
from injury and insult; not OF that kind OF
safetywhich protects the tender iniantwhen
the sleepless mother sits beside its cradle,
watching its every movement, exploring
every tear, reverberating every sigh, and
guarding every avenue OF approach, that
not :: EN- the winds OF Heaven shall visit
its face too roughly Of that kind OF
safety with which the tiger protects the
hind, when having seized it, he drags it
painting to his den, there on some future
day to glut anticipated hunger. II may
save TO the implying monster food Tor hrs
rapacity but TO the he pless and trembling
prey, his safety Is his destruction, las pre-
ser1ation is his death. 81
But the ierocity of the slave-trader is, If
possible, worse than that OF the brute crea-
ton. The lion does rot prey upon the lion
the tiger does not prey upon the tiger
nor the leopard upon the leopard: IL is re-
ser, ed for the slave trader 10 prey upon his
own species, no, like tie beasts OF the earth,
urged by the necessity OF nature, but i'm
PEELED by disposition which he created
himself
So far these men are justified by tie laws
Of the state Of Maryland so far the legis-
latiye authority OF an enlightened country
upholds their arms. Put they are not con-
tent with acting within the limits of the law
they are not content with purchasing
their unhappy vic,ms-,hey even steal
them: Man-stealing is praciised in the
state OF Maryland. One would suppose
that the cup of iniGuity was already sult-
GENTLY full: hut alas il seems that il must
overflow. Who would believe that had
not witnessed the fact, that human beings
could arrive at such consummation OF
guilt Who, When ne reflects upon the sub
iect, does not Llush for Inc dignity OF hui
Man nature!
A neat and lowly cottage stands on the
borders of wood, thick with foliage. II is
tenanted by husband and wife, and seve-
raj children they have long lived in this
spot, happy and contented, freed even from
the suspicion Of danger. This evening they
retire as usual TO repose, after the toll aud
labor of the day when the shades OF mid
night have wrapped the earth in gloomy
darkness when nothing distrrbs the awful
silence that reigns around-sudtenly IS
heard the sound of hostile feet issuing IRON
the adjacent ,hicket; it is the uuhalloTed
tread OF kidnappers! Arrived at the cot
tage door, they burst it open-ioad shriehs |
echo through the wood-the unfortunate |
creatures are seized, bound, and led of in |
triumph to the dens OF the ssvagcs. Oh
could you behold sight like this-oould |
you see lellow-being thus torn from his |
home in the darkness of nishr-his hands !
bound behind him with cruel ihongs-his
mouth stopped with a gag ierocicis
graspiug bis throat and dragging
him along every passion which is exci-
led by misfortune, or aroused by injustice,
would minglc in your cOunenance.
Most frequently the stolen victim is one
who has been emancipated. and in that case
bis condition is far more deplorablc. He
had tasted the delicious sweets Of liberty /; |
bis heart beat high with joy he bounded
with the alacrity Of the deer over his ma
tive hills, ami seemed TO move under the