The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-03-10

On the northern shores Of the Med;ter.
ranean. there IS no state, except those
which have named, whose colonial noli.
~ requires the labor OF Africa to sustain
What the United States may hone to
fec: in the new world, il must he left IN
England to accomplish in the old, where
ier influence is predominant and CONT.
nued peace yet favors every effort of hu-
,naniiy to improve the condition of Our
race. Great Britain cannot but perceive
he ineficacy OF those mixed courts on
which she has relied 10 give effect to her
avs and treaties for the abolition of the
slave trade, and, above all, that her pre-
sent system, complicated and difficult of
xecution in peace, must be exposed TO
great arrangement, If not abandoned, in
war. She cannot but prefer to il the SUBJ
stitute offered by our resolution, which is
IN ,ts character as simple, as il must prove
IN its operation, effective; and which will
endure until ITS purpose, the entire aboli-
ION OF the African slave trade, is accom-
piished.
In concluding, said Mr.. NJ. perceive,
cir Speaker, that have omitted much of
what had intended to say /; and what
have uttered, with feeble voice. under
pede my thoughts, as well as my speech.
has, lear, done but little Justice to the
Doblesl theme that ever engaged an ad
vocate.
Should this resolution fail, il will be
source OF deep and lasting regret to me
that have venured 10 submit it TO the
Judgment OF the house. call, therefore,
upon my friends rom Massachusetts and
Pennsylvania, and upon my colleagues,
tslessrs Gorbam, Hemphill, and Floyd
who nave hitherto CO operated with me i'm
this sacred cause, not 10 allow Il to sink,
through my inability to sustain it. i'm
plore the humanity OF this house TO up
hold IL; demand il OF their Justice.
Mr.. WRIGHT said, ne rose 10 aid his
honorable friend from Virginia, Mr.. Mer
Ger, in his noble effort to put a stop to the
African Slave Trade, that odious blot on
all the nations concerned in it. Ii will be
recolected, said Mr. w. that, at the COM
mencement OF the preset Mt session, insist
ed that that part of the presidents mes.
sage, that related TO the African slave
trade, should be referred 10 select com
mittee, with directions to make an early
report, that the subject might be brought
before us 10 tangible shape. THIS reso>
luton goes to request the president to en-
deavor 10 effect, by negotiation, this great
OBJECT; and, by convention with the ma
tons that can be induced TO agree 10 il,
TO make Vt piracy, as we have done. Al
though. sir, this resolution authorizes the
president to adopt any measure necessary
TO effect the object, feel it due 10 the adj
minlstratiOn, VINO feel delicacy on the
subject OF the right OF search, TO propose
10 add to the resolution" and that we
IN orb ~
this Cong res. ought by the adoption of
this amendment. TO take upen the mselyes
the responsibility of this messure by their
positive opinion, and leave il no longer a
subject OF doubt what is the will of the
American people. Sir. with what pride
do we look back on ourselves, even 10 the
commencement OF the government, when,
by an article IN that hailowed instrument,
we agreed to prohibit this immoral traffic,
af'er'the year eighteen hundred aud eight !;
and with what pleasure have we seen The
governments of Europe adopting our phi
lanthroPIc policy, and traadiDg in our foot
steps; and lei me ask, what must be the
feeling, oil those patriots who have exam
ined this subject and have seen our go
vernment retiring from this qualified right
OF search, the only possible means, in my
Judgment, to effect the object" This, sir,
has been agreed to by several OF the pow
eTs of Europe, not less tenacious OF their
rights than we are, hut our government,
recolleciing the claims of Great Britain to
impressment, have feared some collision
might arise in the exercise OF this right,
and have as yet declined it. | therefore
feel anxious that we should take on us that
responsibility Sir, il must be recollected
that eighty thousand Africans are annually
vIctimaied 10 bondage, and they and their
offspring consigned to endless slavery !;
and that TIVE hundred tree blacks, on the
river Sierra Leone, have been captured
and sent INTO slavery, although sent there
to be governed by themselves aud il is
said that fifteen thousand annually are
smUggied into the southern states directly
or through the Spanish provinces. This,
sir. Is the borFid practice of the case and
two several committees of this house have,
at the last session and the session prece.
ding it, reported that "tbe president OF
the United States be requested TO enter
INTO such arrangements as he may deem
suitable and proper With one or more oil
the maritime powers of Europe, for the
effectual abolition of the Afriaan slave
trade" This resolution was proposed in
the session ending 4th March, 1921; and
here let me ask your attention to the E
dinburg Review, of Oct. 1891. page 30
The Immorta honor which the Americans
have gained by their former exertions a.
gainst the African slave trade, augmentec
by their recent ensctmeDts, CHASING il a.
! mODg piratical offences. will soon, as i
no" appears, be eoosummaied, by Their