The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-01-05

timstio ia which persons held depends much
upon the number Of slaves they may own yet bis
| lordship says:
~ confess that il is my decided impression that
this adoption of oil the minute und detailed proyl-
sions rcconme nded by the Law commissioners would
much rather impede than advance The object have
in view That object is the earliest possible extne
tion first practically, and in the end even ayowedIy
OF slavery in far such results can be attained
| by acts Of the Government. But II, as II is the
intention Of one OF the recommendations, we connect
the public officers with the registry OF the sales oil
persons slaves, how shall be able at any future
time to treat those transactions as otherwise Than
perfectly valid TO deal oitA claims Of consideration
and ,oeA may be preferred by the p,1e.a-
ssrs7 II is undoubtedly most desirable 10 put
mediate and entire stop 10 such practices, wherever
they may yet partially prevail, as those OF the sale Of
slaves without their own consent Of their sale under
circumstances separately from their families or of
the sale Of agrestic slaves separately from the land
| to which they are attached.
/" But in prohibiting every kind Of coercion by the
master over the person. and all summary interference
Of authority for the return Of person claimed
slavc TO his assuming owner, we shall In truth do
away with ali such practices, for oiH be found
10 purchase thai, efae continued possession # hch he
hare no assurance"
His Lordshp's recommendation was adopted :,
You paid the West India proprieors E20 900 600 as
an indemnity for emancipating their slaves but TO
avoid the claim for an indemnity you did not declare
u m
bsde your civil tribunals to enforce the rights of the
master! Why this difference Does Justice or bu
mainly act so inconsistentlyi
But am told that the act of emancipation ia new
ertheiess an act of disnterested bene Violence re-
fer you to the memorial presented by the committee
OF the British and Foreign Anti-Slayery Society to
Lord Melbourne, and dated Goth March Is4I in
which they insist that the increased consumption of
your manufactured goods depends upon the increase
Of population and the general distribution of wealth
among the community-a thing which they declare
can never take place where the great mass of the
laboring population are slaves "
But perhaps there is nothing in your legislation
which illustrates forciby the difference between
your profession and your practice as the amendments
made IN the HOuse to Lord Brougbam's bill, previ-
ously referred to. 1t was objected to by Mr.. Mild
may, upon the ground that no man could enter into
trade with any country between Virginia and Brazils
who did not the risk of falling under the penal
ties OF the bill, or seeing the Spanards Frenchmen
and others getting securities for their debts and pay
monts for their advances, which the bill would with
hold from the English merchant" The bill was re-
ferred; it underwent entire modification and after
SO reclng the act Geo. w as to reconcile that act
with the purpose intended, the following words were
added as fifth section:
provided always and be 1t enacted, that in all
cases in which the holding or taking of slaves shall
not be prohibited by this any other act of Para
ment il shall be lawful to sell transfer such slaves
any thing in any other act contained notwilhstand-
ing"
The 9th section was also so amended as to author
ze any British subject to sell any slave or slaves
which were lawfully in his possession at the time of
the passing Of the act or which such person shall or
may have become possessed OF or entitled unto bona
fde, prior to such sale, by Inheritance, demise, be-
guest, marriage, or onertcse by operation Of laW."
when these amendments before the House.
Mr. Halves inquired their effect, and the Attorney
General said, " the object 10 guard against any
Indirect encouragement of the slave trade but at he
same time TO enable British subjects in Stare dealing cou
tries TO rseorer debts due them by the administration Of
ar." Thus legalizing the taking holding, purchase
and sale Of slaves
IL there be any one feature in the system of sla-
very more odous than all the rest, it is that which
enables remorseess creditor TO seize upon the hus-
band and the wife, the parent aud the child and,
by exposing them 10 sale in open market, break
asunder those ties which relieve the distress and
console the Affections Of man, whatever may be his
condition. This bill, thus enacted under the pre-
tence OF suppressing slavery and the slave trade
adopts Stare dealing, in IFS most odous FORM because
1t IS for the advantage Of British commerce e
You preach a crusade against slavery, in the name
Of religion and humanity but you instinctvely pro-
lect British interests. You denounce the system =,
,iDiu and cruel but you take To profit by il az
lar as consistent with your purpose OF substituting
another system, which you believe will still more
promote your interests. Thus while Won exclod. a
'ave-grown sugar from your home consum ption ihat
fou may thereby promote smancipa tion and under
'retence OF Encouraging the slave trade YOU enno
age the dealing in this same slave grown sugar for
consumption on The continent, by permitting II 10 be
inferred Tor re-e1poriation, free Of duty. Now does
rot all the world that the purchase of savc-pro,yn
ugar ior continental consumption encourages slavery
mo 'nc Aiaye-rade Just much as IL il were CON
umed an England The principle and the effect is
'recseiy the same why, then, IS one permitted
she the other Is denounced, Is il not because hnib
he permission and prohibition are as YOU beliry,
or the benefit Of British commerce By pernit,ing
he import and transportation free of duty of slave
,rown sugar, you retain market for the sale of a
arge amour, oil British manufactures, and secure a
front 10 British merchants, which would otherwise
enrich your manufacturing and commercial compe,i.
ors by forbiddiDg the consumption of slaye-erown
ugar IN England, and you seek TO abolish slavery else
where, and 10 protect your colonial and East India
nteresu, UNTIL by dong so, you destroy that system
II cheap labor which prevents your monopoly
'f sugar, cotton, &c.
! admit that there are many pious and humane per.
ons who believe that they are doing God service
md are sctuaied by purely dsiutercsted benevornce
3ut such has been the case with fanatcism Ia all
ges-ihc same spirit gave birth TO the Crusades to
he massacre OF the Saints to the witcbcraft
md to every atrocty perpctracd in the name of rc.
'ion What do these fanatics know Of the condition
u our slaves or by what right do they interfere in
'ur domestic institutions Have they no suffering
'oor-no sins to rebuLeno grievances to redress at
'"o, "s' "ey 'eno beif sfmpaihics on a voyage Of
discovery TO u.s.
we require no union warehouses 10 keep our
lsvcs from starsation-wc require no armed police
o keep them IN subsection; nor do we require sim
lie battalion, much less army of 900 men. 10
'rcvcn, scryile insurrcction. That. whether slave
y be or be not an evil whether il should or should
'ot be abolished are questions for u.s. and for ms
lonc, and about which you have no right whstsoever
o interfere Is proposition which few even 10 Eng.
and, will venture 10 controvert.
when, therefore, we see your Government by
means so Inconsistent, using such strenuous efforts to
accomplish measure fraught with 80 much injury
o US, and tending, II il could be accomplished, 10