The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-03-12

is confirmed, in INV own knowledge, a
it must be in that Of an honorable col.
league OF mine in my eye, IGen. Floyd.
by what another honorable member, now
a minister abroad, (Mr. Middleton. Of =
&c declared, S years ago, TO be his be-
lief-that not less than $4,000 African
negroes were annually struggled into
| the southern states. Within few DAYS
past have been informed, BY the high
lily respectable representative oil the mos,
| remote OF those states, Mr.. Johnston, o!
louisiana that numerous instances have
| more recently occurred os the Illicit IN
production of this population, ,hrough
Gaivcstowp, and line adjacent shores, into
the territory of louisiana. If the u :
and especially the southern states Of this
union, were exposed to the hazard OF
having their settled and salntary policy
haaled by The cupiJi,y of these daring
adventurers, before the recent acquisition
of Florida, how greatly is that hazard
augmented by sea coast, without inhah-
itants, Of great extent, bordered by pu-
merous islands, indeuted by many COM
mo6ious iniets, and immediately opposite
the great slave rsrket of the West In
dies. Tie guard coast like this, whole
NquadroDs Nfrevenue cutter, e armies {
casIom-house off, ers would prove if,ef-
fectual. An hour or two, or at most a
single night, suffices TO perfect one of
these iniquitous enterprises. The unsor-
tunate captiVes are landed, conveyed INTO
the interior, and $40 mention OF them
more is made They are CONSIGNED 20
hereditary slavery and TO the d. nlallon
OF the country from which they hyye been
torn, is added the curse of that which re-
ceives them.
Sir, said Mr.. NJ. the United States
cannot be insensible ofthe danger OF mum
dating, with new floods of black popula-
ton, not only the extensive and numerous
islands on their southern border, but their
Own territory. A danger greatly enhanc-
ed 10y the rapid Increase, in our own bo-
som, of third caste, midway Le,ween
the slave and the white population of the
south, and alike pernicious 10 the happi-
ness Of both. As advance, said Mr. NJ
new views of the mailgnity OF this grow
ing evil crowd upon my Imagination, and
perceive il 10 be necessary to rec olleci
the pledge with which | sat nu, in ttnis
'gument.. will but add, that it's not
less the interest of the European colo.
MICS in the West Indies, than our own, to
arrest this cruel, this unnecessary traffic.
Wherever 1t has been partially suspended,
as in the u. States, and British ". Indies,
his species Of labor, fostered by better
treatment, multiplied but too rapidly by
its natural resources while in the island
OF Guadaloupe, a census lately repeated,
after short interval OF ten years, affords
the horrible result, that, of population
OF little more than one hundred thousmud,
Notwithstanding all the accessions ..l
foreign importation, there has been de-
clension OF fifteen thousand souls! A
fact, which must sound an audible appeal
to The humanity Of the hardest heat
Having seen that the root CT ali these
calamilies cannot be eradicated by the
means which have been hitherto employ
ed either by others, or ourselves that
our own flag has disappeared from the
African coast, only 10 give place to that
OF other nationsS by whom this trade is
alike forbidden tAat The occasional YES
sci which We despatch for that desolated
land, carries with it, under the late in
struc'ions o! our governments no authori.
ty competent TO the execution of our own
purpose aud that no measure Of AIN i'll
terDal pollcy,can shield US from that shai G
OF the general calamity resulting from
this traffic, which falls peculiarly On our
own county allow me, said MIR. "a. 10
invite the earnest attention of the house
to the remedy provided by the resolution
which have presumed to propose.
Let the African slave trade be denounc-
ed to be piracy, under the law Of nations,
by the consent Of the maritime powers Of
Europe and America, and this species
of piracy will, like any other, speedily
disappear from The surface of the ocean.
All nations will have authority to detect,
TO punish, to hunt il down.
am aware, sir, that technical oblecs
tons have been urged, and sneers have
Oeen INDUCED against the legal accuracy
Of the application OF the term piracy TO
this offence. Such criticism has no
sound eason TO sustain it. The law OF
nations rs, IN part, natural in part con-
VeDIlonal Its only sanction is TO be found
IN the physical force, its legal authority
IN the express or iacit consent of nations
The consent Of nations may make pira
cy oil any offence upon the high seas =
In seeking deDoT iDstion for new
crime II Is not necessary to invent a new
Term. The object of chasing the pro
bibiled act under an old lille, Is 10 pro,