Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-10-16

bic friends. 1t was impossible to speak
fthe conduct of Portugal with truth and
deoorum. ( Hear. When we viewed
that powerful nation standing in the soil
tude of inhumanity and infamy-when
we viewed it refusing to join with other
nations to abolish the most nefarious OF
trades, it was impossible to speak of its
policy in terms fit to be applied to ma
ton in alliance with us.--With respect
to the United States, he felt great conf
dence in their determination to put final
end to the trade. 1t was remarkable
that they and we, without any concert,
had, within the space of twelve months,
declared the traffic illegal. He could
not but think that it would be remarked
by future historians, that two nations Of
the same race, separated by civil war,
but possessing common blood, common
language, and common liberty, were the
first to put an end to the traffic in fellow
men. Here he could not help once
again abiding to South America, and
lamenting that we should have passed
any law unfavorable to her rising liberty
and glory. He could not help remark
ing how much credit redounded to her,
a country Astounding in slave holders, that
the act abolishing the trade, was the FIRST
act of her independent existence. twas
impossibleto disguise that Fort St.Louis,
on the river Senegal, contained nothing
but slave traders. 1t was certain that
the officers in authority and trust were
not an exception to this statement. What
countenance they obtained at home he
knew not, but the reputation of the ma
ton suffered by allowing trade disgrace
full to the French name. He rejoiced, in
common with all who regarded the best
hopes of mankind, and the future peace
of the world, to see tic solid foundations
on which liberty was established in
France. The establishment of free
government in that country was the best
foundation for the future hopes of man
kind, and the best security against the
commissions of future revolutions. 1t
was impossible to see, without heartfelt
satisfaction and Joy, the general tran
guilty which followed the evacuation
Of France by foreign troops, the spirit
and order which prevailed in the legis-
lative assemblies, the regard and obedi-
ence to law and decorum which appear
ed in the publication of the press. Hear,
hear, hear )-He could not view these
happy results without expressing his
hope that all the sacrifices of the revolu-
ton would soon be repaid for repaid
they assuredly would be. He was per-
suaded that the free French nation would
soon retrieve its character, and could not
continue to allow such blot upon its
name. He was persuaded that the
French nation would not suffer its flag
flag that had been long unknown on
those coasts, and had lately re-appeared
thereto conceal the foulest and most
atrocious traffic that ever stained the
annals of a nation. He was persuaded
that the French nation would not suffer
their proud flag to protect robbery, and
murder, and desolation, and to be the
signal around which banditti Che could
not give them any other nancy should
rally for the atroclous purpose of renew
ing that state of guilt and misery to
which Africa had been SO long exposed.
{ Hear.
On the question being put,
Lord Castlereagh addressed the house,
but in so low a tone as not to be perfectly
audible in all his observations. We un-
derstood his lordship to say, he could
assure the house that no additional slim
illus was necessary to excite his maies-
ty's government to such exertions as
they could make to forward the object to
which the hon. gentleman had alluded.
1t gave him pleasure to state, that though
the abolition of the slave trade had not
made, in every instance, that progress
which might be desired, yet still it had
made considerable progress since it first
became the subject of negotiation. AS
to Portugal, he, should observe that she
had not formally refused to abolish the
traffic, and the period (eight years we
understand) had not arrived at which she
lad agreed to give her ultimate decision
upon it. She could not (not having yet
given her final answer) be accused of in
tending to so on indefinitely with the
traffic. With respect to France, he
could state, that her government had
made, and was still making, great exer-
tons to enforce her own laws against the
trade. She had a considerable force on
the coast of Africa, and he conceived was
quite anxious that her laws upon the
subject of the trade, should be strictly
carried into effect. In conclusion, the
noble lord observed, that nothing could