Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-10-16
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4e, 1919.

total humiliation Of the African slave
trade, by all the foreign powers whose
subjects had hitherto been engaged in til:
That we also congratulate his Royal
Highness on the success with which his
efforts have been already attended; that
/ guilty traffic having been declared, by
the concurrent voice of all the great pow
ers of Europe assembled in congress, to
be repugnant to the principles of hu-
manity and universal morality:'
That, consequently, on this declara-
ton, all the states, whose subjects were
formerly concerned in this criminal traf-
tic, have since prohibited it; the greater
part absolutely and entirely; some for a
time partially, on that part of the coast of
Africa only which is to the north of the
line of the two states which still tole-
rate the traffic, one will soon cease to be
thus distinguished the period which
Spain has solemnly fixed for the total
abolition Of the trade, being near at hand !;
one power alone has hitherto forborne
to specify any period when the traffic
shall be absolutely abandoned
That the United States of America
were honorably distinguished as the first
who pronounced the condemnation of
this guilty traffic; and that they have
since successfully passed various laws
Tor carrying their prohibition into effect :
That nevertheless, we cannot but hear
with feelings of deep regret, that not
withstanding the strong condemnation Of
the crime by all the great powers of Eu-
rope, and by the United States of Ameri-
ca, there is reason to fear that the meas
ures which have been hitherto adopted
for actually suppressing these crimes are
not yet adequate to their purpose:
" That we never, however, can admit
the persuasion, that SO great and gene
rous people as that of France, which
has condemned this guilty commerce in
the strongea terms, will be less earnest
than ourselves to wipe away so foul a
blot on the character of christian peo-
lple:
That we are, if possible, still less
willing to admit such supposition in the
instance of the United States, people
derived originally from the same com
mon stock with ourselves, and favored
like ourselves, in degree hitherto, per-
haps, unequalled in the history of the
world, with the enjoyment Of religious
and civil liberty, and all their attendant
blessings:
Thatthe consciousness that the gov
eminent of this county was originally
instrumental in leading the Americans
into this criminal course, must naturally
! prompt us to call on them the more i'm
Fortunately to join us in endeayoring to
put an entire end to the evils of which it
is productive:
"That we also conceive that the estab-
liShment OF some concert and co-opera-
ton in the measures to be taken by the
different powers for the execution of their
common purpose, may, in various re-
spccts, be of great practical utility; and
| that, under this impression, several of the
European States have already entered
into conventional arrangements for seiz-
ing vessels engaged in the criminal traf-
fic, and for bringing to punishment those
who shall still be guilty of these nela-
rious practices:
I" That we therefore suppIicate his
Royal Highness, to renew his benefcent
endeavors, more especially with the gov
ernments Of France and of the United
States of America, for the cficctual at
taininent of an object which we all pro-
TESS equally to have in view; and we
cannot but indulge the confident hope,
that these efforts may yet, ere long, pro-
duce their desired effect, may insure the
practical enforcement of principles uni
sally acknowledged to be undcniabIy
just and true; and may obtain for the
long afflicted people of Africa the actual
termination Of their wrongs and mise
res, and may destroy for ever that fatal
barrier, which, by obstructing the ordina-
ry course Of civilization and social i'm
Iprovement, has so long kepta large por-
ton of the globe in darkness and barba-
rism, and rendered its connection with
the civilized and christian nations of the
earth fruitful source only of wretched-
ness and desolation.''
| HOUSE OF LORDS-JuLy 8.
| The Marquis of Lansdown again rose,
in pursuance of his notice to call the at
tention of the house to the state of the
slave trade, as still pursued in different
parts Of the world. TWAS hardly neces-
sary for him to inform their lordships,
whose attention had been anxionsly fixed
to this subject, that whatever hopes they,
| in common with every humane and in.
| telligent mind, had entertained from the
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