State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-09-19

persuade all the nations of the civilized
world in like manner to contract
II, again, by any progress of events ut :
any future distant time, Texas were to be- /
come member of the Union, then, I'M
doubtedly, there would be some danger
that at least from other states Of America
slaves might he introduced into the prov
inco ofTeXas; but there would not be any
real danger in practice of the importation
of slaves brought from the coast Of Africa,
or from nny of the islands Of the West In
dies. If there had been hitherto any inn
portation of slaves into Texas, which he
was inclined 10 believe there had been, it
would DO found, he apprchendcd, that they
had come from Cuba and some ncghbor-
ing places in the West Indies: he had not
heard of any cargoes being brought to Tex
as direct from the coast Of Africa. With
regard to the importation from Cuba, that
was branch ola large question which, he
trusted, had been satisfactorily settled. The
house knew that we had concluded
treaty with Spain for the suppression ofthe
slave trade under the flag OF Spain. That
treaty had only lately come into operation,
and, therefore, the statement which the
honorable gentleman had made us to the
transfer of slaves from Cuba to Texas, re-
lated to period Of time, and state of
things, antccedent to the practical operation
of the new treaty. 1t was well known that
some years ngo we persuaded the French
government to enter into IA treaty by which
a mutual right of search, subject TO certain
limitations, was conceded by one country
TO the other. The treaty likewise contain
ed other regulations, having for their object
the suppression of the slave trade.
What had been the effect Of that treaty?
Until then the trade in slaves was carried
on to an enormous extent under the flag OF
France but he believed that from the mo-
mcnt the treaty came into operation, not n
single slave ship had sailed under the flag
of that country. We had now also col-
cluded treaty with Spain. Previous 10
! the conclusion of this treaty, and perhaps,
he might say almost up to the present mo-
ment, the flag of Spain had been extensive
ly used for the purpose of covering the
abonnable traffic. He, however, trusted
and believed that the same provisions
which in the treaty with France had prov
ed effectuai in suppressng the Illicit traffic
carried on under the French flag, would,
in the treaty with Spain, be found equally
cffectual in preventing it from being carri-
ed OH under the flag of the latter country,
and that the enormous trade in slaves car
red on with Cuba in defiance of our repre-
sensations to the local authorities of that
island, and in reproacl of the good faith of
the Spanish government, would finally he
put an end to as well as that subdivision of
traffic which had flowed into the territory
of Texas. There was another flag which
had, perhaps, been more abused for the
purposes of the slave trade than that of
Spain; he meant the flag of Portugal.
Hear, hear.)
! The papers which have been laid upon
the table contained sufficient evidence of
the abominatiOEs carried on under chat
flag, and hardly week passed withou
his receiving fresh accounts, each exceed
ing its predecessor in the enormity of the
facts disclosed. 1t, therefore, gave him
much pleasure to lie able to state to the
house, that this country has entered into
negotiations with Portugal for the purpose
! of concluding treaty precisely similar to
that concluded with Spain. These nego
| tiations were brought SO near TO conclu-
sion TINT he expected, before many weeks
elapsed, to receive the treaty signed, and, if
that should be the case, he trusted that the
slave trade, now being carried on under
the Portuguese flag, would be put down.
Then there would remain chiefly to be
! spite of u treaty, had, to certain extent,
been applied to that purpose. The Govern
ment Of Brazil had lately signed two sup
Elementary articles containing the essential
! stipulatons, for want of which the existing
treaty had proved Intellectual: lie meant
! the slipulations respecting equipment and
breaking up of vessels. We had now,
therefore, associated with lis in the com
mon cause of putting down the slave trade
almost all the maritime powers, whose flags
could be abused and prostituted for that
purpose. The British government was
going still further than this.
| They had made proposition 10 the gov
ernments of Austria, Prussia ard Russia,
who had not hitherto concurrcd i'll any
treaty on the subject, i'll consequence of
which those powers had agreed 10 treaty
conJointy with France and England and
( he hoped that, before n considerable time
elapsed, he would be in possession of the
ratified document lie must say, there
fore, that the subject of the slave trade in
Texas WINS comparatively insignificant
branch of much greater and more extern
siye question; and, if we should succeed,
and he trusted it would be the case, in car
| rying our object into effect with respect to
the general question, little apprehension
need be entertained OH the score of Texas.
If, however, it should appear that the i'm
portaton of slaves into Texas still contin-
ued, it would undoubtedly be the duty OF
government to taxa such steps us circum-
stances might require to endeavor TO put
an end To the abuse. Upon political grounds,
therefore, he thought il was unnecessary
! for the house to address the crown on the
subject of Texas, and, with respect TO the
question of the slave trade, lie venlured TO
say that it was equally unnecessary 10 ap-
proach the throne aud, if the house should