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

IS not piracy; but it cannot be diffic Ill
TO determine what il is.
| Is it robbery, on the high seas. with.
on, lawful commission from am re
cognsed authority, to take forcibiy from
vessel, without color of law, single
package of goods And is it not robbie
ry 10 seize, not the property of the man,
but the man himself; TO chain him
down, with hundreds of his fellows. III
he presidential hold Of slave ship, in
order, ii he chance TO survive the voyage,
to sell him TO some foreign master To
| consign MIN, and not himself only, but
ms latest posterlty, to hereditary slave Y
IN an unknown joylcss land BY for.
| rncr laws almost coevai with our presen,
constitution of government, we made
murder on the high seas piracy. Kill
man by p isonins The air he breathes--
is it not murder, as truly as to kill him
| by poisoned food, or by planting a dag
ger in his heart ! Is it not. indeed, TO xiii
| with the aggravated horror of slow and
loathsome death ? II is robbery, combin.
| ed with murder. This crime, begun on
a barbarous shore. claimed by no civilz
| ed state, and subject TO no moral law, is
prosecuted TO its contamination, on the
high seas. Every day, every hour, of
such voyage of inquiry, furnishes a
fresh instance of the CRIME.
Search the ctvmoIogy of this term, and
nothing restricts piracy TO mere injuries
OF the rights Of property, or Limits its
commission to a certain distance from a.
ny foreign shore. Accor ding to the
most remote antiquity, the frs, pirates
were stealers OF men; and, for the very
purpose which now carries the African
Save dealer Il. that continent which his
crimes have so often inbueG with human
blood, TO ensiave and sell his spoil. From
the shores of the Mediterranean, this pi
racy spread along the Atlantic, and final
iy encircled Africa and her islands with
in its iron grasp. From the very history
OF this species OF piracy it may be conf
IDENTITY Inferred, that when once suppress
ed It cannot be revived. Other piracies
have their origin 10 transient disorders
in the world. They cease and re-appear
again This is a remnant of ancient bar
5arism-a curse extended to the new
world by the colonlsi policy oil the old -
Let Africa but once freight Will the fruits
OF her soil those ships which now carry
thither scourges and letters, and she VIII,
not sell her offspring. Let all Christen-
don, proclaim the slave trade to be pira
cy, AMI you will shortly revolulionize the
moral sentiment OF the few states, who
now seem, not by their professional ndeed,
but their conducts TO tolerate this crime
Pnbiic sentiment and law act reciprocal
ly on each other. Has not the denuncia-
ton OF the African slave, trade as piracy,
b the act of the last congress, done much
i2'gards the entire abolition of that pur-
1on OF this traffic which, then fingered in
America
The time is not very remote, when
men Of high standing in our country o.
penny, and unbushingly prosecuted
this profitable commerce. Is there now
remaining a single man in America, who
would brave tho public sentiment, not TO
speak of the public justice, by avowiug
himself participant in this guilty traffiC?
Sir, said Mr.. NJ. the present period is
most Propitious for the success OF the ex-
pertinent, have presumed 10 recon-
mend 10 the sanction OF the house and the
nation. South America furnished, and
Brazil yet Affords. IAN extensive market foi
African slaves. Two years only have
iapseds since this house pledged itself
10 sustain the executive IN a recognition
OF the independence of the Spanish a.
merican provinces, now the states oil
Mexico, Colombia, Buenos Ayres, Chill,
and Peru During our present session,
the executive has deputed ministers to
the several governments of these new
born empires, The instructions of these
ministers, 1t may be Presumed, are mo"
| preparing, ard If among them there shall
oe compreheuded this resolution, sus-
tanned as trust it will be, by the a2-
proving voice of this house, will those
governments deny to us the small boon
we ask Of them, humanity and Justice; IN
re'uIn for our recognition of their sove
relgnty? They have all, possibly, with
the exception OF Peru, followed the ex
ample Of the United States, by abolish
ing this trade. They will undoubtedly
seize the first occasion to pIopitiaie the
good will, ne. of America merely, but OF
all ChrisIeBdom, towards their infant
cause.
BAIL the great slave mart, which has
so long withheld Portugal from q cordial
union %ilh England in the abolition of the
slave trade, is also candidate for indie
pendence and it may be confidently
hoped that another year will afford SUI
ficient evidence OF her ability to sustain.