Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-06-22

il in others. Thus the pure feelings Oh NUNS.
have been paralised in many minds, puohe JUS
,ice has been cramped in its exercise, anu eia
elites are allowed to be inflicted upon huma"
beings in our streets, which, IL they were com
milted upon the brute creation, wouia oe
verely punished by our laws.
Th;s traf;. is not confined TO thos who are
legally slaves for life: persons, whose Vf"s ~
serv;tude is limited and nearly expired, are ire-
oner,iv sold 10 these traders; others, Who are
ADJ free. are sometimes kidnapped and car
r;.d away before they can be rescued.
Notwithstanding this iniquitous trade has so
,or, .xi.,ed in the District Of Columbia, 1t does
not appear that any great exertions nave oe.h
made BY the public TO mitigate its cruelty II
was. indeed, presented as grievance by Inc
Grand Jury Of this county in the year iso2, nut
no active measures were taken, and 1t is sun
carried on with aggravated cruelty In otaer
IN shew what were then the sentiments OF that
respectable body, (some of whom were prooa-
bly, ve-holdersAwe will transcrlbe the pre-
sentiment:
January Term, 1902.
we. the Grand Jury for the body Of the coun-
ty of Alexandria in the District OF Columbia
pre- sent, as grievance, the prac'iee OF persons
coming from distan: parts ofthe United States
into this District for the purpose OF purchasing
slaves. where they exhibit 10 our view scene
of wretchedness and human depreciation, dis.
aceful 10 our characters as citizens oil Tree
government
True il is tina, those dealers 10, the persons oil
our fellow men, collect within this District from
various parts, numbers OF those victims oil sia-
very, and lodge them in some place OF contne'
ment until they have completed their numbers.
They are then turned out in our streets and ex'
posed TO view, loaded with chains as though
lhey had committed some heInous offence a.
rain.t our laws We consider il a grievance,
tha, citizens from distant parts oil the United
States should be permitted 10 come within this
District, and pursue traffic fraught win so
much misery to a class OF beings entitled 10 our
protection by the laws of justice AND humanity,
and that the interposition OF civil authority
cannot be had to preve ut parents being wrested
from their offspring, and children from their
parents, without respect to the ties OF nature
We consider, those grievances demanding lie.
pislative redress, especially the practice of
making sale OF black people who are, by the
will of their masters, designed to be free al the
expiration of term of years, who are sold and
fr. ouently taken 10 distant parts, where they
have not the power to avail themselves OF that
portion of liberty switch was designed for their
enjoyment"
These grievances, which were thus complain
ed Of in the year 1902, have since been rendered
even more injurious TO the public morals, by
many Of our own citizens participating in the
gains and the guilt attendant on this traffic.
Since the evils i, inf1icts, not only upon the
wreiched sufferers themselves, bur upon the
n not 81 move U.s. bV every consider
alton of good policy, as well as Of justice and
humanity, TO endeavor 10 obtain laws and regu-
laiions that viii protect the slaves from its cru.
ely, land guard The community against its de-
INCREASING influence?
Even the people Of the extreme Southern
States are becoming disguised with its enormi-
ties, or alarmed al It's consequences The Lee
gislature Of Alabama, at its asst session, passed
an act 10 prohibit slaves from being brought
into that State for sale or hire. The act pro-
vides, tina, any persohs carrying negroes into
the Safe, after the frs' day Of August next, for
sale or hire, shall be liable fine Of 8 5000 for
each negro Carried into the State, and impri.
sonment. IT, IeeislJture Of Louisiana has
also passed prohibiting the further intro
ducton of siavs .tbat State for sale: thus
two OF the prime pa a,arts for the sale of human
'ilesh will, we trust, >uan he closed The Geor-
gia Courier, In comm ting on the law Of Lou
isiana, highly applaud u, and urges the Legs
la,ure Of Georgia to frilnw this example. Ii
oommends the law Of The United States, BY
which the foreign slave trade is dec Jared to be
piracy; and then asks whether the traffic in
slaves now subsisting between the middle and
southern States is more consistent with huma.
nifty than that which our laws have proclaimed
piracy, and with unanimous appreciation.
Thus it appears tina, a good example has
been Sc, us by our brethren Of the South, white
The highly processing people Of this community
remain in state OF apathy and Indifference
like tn. Phsrisees Of old, "paying iylhe Of mint
and anse and cummin, bo. uniting the
We ghtier matters OF the law-judgment, mercy,
and faith" -.
Let us then beseech our fellow citizens to
turn their attention to this subject; if they will
not listen 10 The calls Of humanity and Justice,
let them not bedraf TO the claims Of interest,
and the dictates Of sound policy. The rulers
Of he nation, who govern this District, have no
interrs, in imposing upon Us laws injurious to
our prosperl,y;sald il the public sentiment were
clearly expressed agains, this disgraceful traf-
nc, it might be prohibited, or, at least, miliga.
ted in the District OF tolumbia, and then Vir- |
ginia and Maryland MI ght perhaps be induced
,,,f foil the Il