Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-04-05
FRIDAY MORNING., AioIsli. 5. Is50


from Lord Asfburtous letter. that he himself felt tn
force OF the argument. lie sought 10 evadc the agn
men he reminded Mr. Webster i sensitive oG tn
public opinion OF England upon this subject and advised hin
TO transfer the negotiation London And what ih
result! Did we ever obtain any compensation! Did VI
ever Obtain any treaty stipulation against the repetition
such injuries? Nothing of the sort; but
from Lord Ashbuon thai he would recommend the anhori
ties in the British West India Islands repeat the of
ience We have had no repetition OF the offence with whicf
am acquainted; but whether this proceeded from The wan
of opportunity or the want Of disposition know not Ger
tain s that these wrongs edessed and does I'll.
man believe that could invoke this government 10
force to protect against such 0utragcs with hope
success! No. sir five were to atenpt should get NJ
assaults upon our property AT home which would ne u
as much than the foreign aggression
But, Mr.. President how could expect this government
prosecute this claim for satisfaction any serious length
We had ut that very time similar pending between IL
and Spain in which We stood Sin pari dcco' mean iii.
case OF the Amstad Spanish vessel transporting negroes
alcng the coast Of Cuba, who of that upon e
crew. murdered the captain and forced the bring
the vessel into the United States This offence
mitlcd under the Spanish lag upon Spanish vessel o III,
coast OF Spanish island; aud when the vessel was rouG
rto the United States the produced the certificate
he Captain General OF Cuba To prove that those Africans
were slaves according the laws of Spain The Spanish
Minister demanded the restoration OF the vessel and ID
hc Spanish authorities only upon the faith of treaty
but upon the authority Of that very principle Of nationa
law which, by unanimous resolution, the Senate OF Tho
United States had affirmed If these propositions 80 affirm
ed trcand who doubt question of national
law!thc Spanish jurisdiction followed its lag the Amis
tad and the Except far salvage concerned
was one for the decision Of Spanish authorities But
Judicial authority did not decide The masters instead OF
being Hospitality received and dismissed imprisoned
The suit OF the slaves. An English aocn-oao Madden
was The witness wh'sc testimony mainly relied upon 10
establish the iact whether these imported be-
fore after the slave trade treaty between Spain and
England, although he had of them before;
and upon such notions Of Spanish law gathered
loosely b. the court aud partly; believe from the evidence
at this very Maddcsal 10 have been abolition agent
they dismissed The negroes, and tau: ASSUMED jurisdiction
which naniesily belonged tna Spanish bnn7 and decided
'ne upon such knowledge Spanish law they
| be presumed to have had
But upon the merits of that decision is not purpose
here IL pconounce il is 10 proceeding beyond this 10
which wish 10 REFER for the purpose Of indicating the in
fucncc which controls this government wherever The rights
Vt shareholders concerned. Tie Spanish government
certainly not bound by the decision "f lie Supreme
Court There nothing in its past history from which it
could he inferred that recognized itself bound by The d.
clsons OF the Supreme Court al thc United States in
arising between il and the government oi The United States
IL would be strange indeed il il could he bound by dec
sion in 1rhici ras no parf cou parfy
And YET when the Spanish Minister demanded satisfaction
for this violation of the rights of his government according
10 own Interpretation Of The laws o lao9s ne was an
swered by reference 10 ;hc aci.nn Of The Supreme Co
nc Il or court could be the arber oil differences between
This government and oier nations of e earth all Of whom
10 bc bound by i,s decisions Well did the Spanish
Minister say II such opinion o the powers Of that
court foreign nations should mike treaties with it, and
with the r. Siicnt and Senate. But. Mr. PcSica there is
paragraph in the letter Of VI a. Aa2 Secretary o
State which cd no Eli ~ Impress me-, IL should do every
Southern 'Whd iuescc that minister his l
September u. lSil 'he horrible consequences which
may rrsu!t wen the Island Of Cuba and Porto Rico in
the Southern States of The Union should The sI.cS
mand there will bc want # ,raoS - inform them
thar numbering Killing and flying from lawful captivity
whenever ,hec may be in transportation from part
islands another n. coming the United S;aies the de-
livery OF them account oi their having murdered Killed
| hed cannot be demanded r;.h The undersigned
leaves 10 the characteristic penetration OF The Secretary Of
State the tas; y! Imagining the serious incalculabe evils
which may be occasione by realizing This suppos!t!on.
The "characics' peneirolin Of the Secretary of State
quite adequate 10 Imagining the evils 10 arise from this
cxainpc bat what could he do after he had ina lined them
lie knew like Lord A.hbuIon, that this subject public
opinion WAS sensitive home; and he did even less ha his
lordshp for he did offer the Spanish the be-
neft of his exorlatnns the domestic authorities too BET
Ter heIe,iiur He probably knew tina, il would be- useless
Hut succeeding Secretary of State r Buelanan) did
commend The satisfaction Of his claim made by Tie Spanish
government. Why is il that This recommendation has al
ways failed! WHY is H. except nt il is a precedent which
will forever dcbar from cnpg the protection iS gn
vrrnment, and its demand FL .aalacon Ia such
the Creole This Is he which does and will csnp
i:on such demand until the just demands o Spain
satisfied.
Mr. President all these circumstances wei oalcu
lated 10 ail;i the Southern min ,ongnce ii that the
protection 10 which the slave states entitled from this
yerna will mol be afforded to it, either nj home abroad
Nay sir does this review of past history justify the
apprehension that this government may yet become the in
slrumen of serious and dangerous assaults pcn The
important interest whether Viewed IN lis moral pecunary
reiatons Vh,Gh exists In the Souih Suppose that this
sd,erninent should ever be committed, fully and uncquvo
cay, TO the proposition that there be property in
s!aes how long afterwards before the institution il abolish
eli in the Stnes2 II this government regards the slaves not
as property hut al persons how long before il will recog
c1Dise their right III those States where they constitute the
majority 10 form The government, and claim protection Tor
the government thus iolmed under the petencc o the
ranties of the Conslituoni How long sir ii the
be thus regarded and insuecon should b. soktd
before they will be liberated under his power persons
likely 10 be dangerous If held in bondage? doctrine o
this se ha. been already boached in e other House and
~ whose opinions were certainly not without weight.
When review, Mr. President the history "f the war
which had been waged upon the institution and The direct
and indirect aid which has received through the State and
federal governments when perceive too. that in the pro-
css oi this war II has grown in bitterness and those who
wage il have been gaining whilst the South has been losing
friends the retrospect calculated 10 till our minds
with apprehension and anxiety In this al .fh.s II
brhooyes look 10 deences nndsr The constitution
do not mean mere parchment securities bal that power in
the government which lis trainers well knew ind!pen
sable for the protection of rights. Here 100 the prospect
lcfore US is gloomy and alarming The equilibrium which
has sbsisted for long between the free and slave States
is in fact now destroyed The North already POSSESSES an
overwhelming influence in tho House If Representatives and
the Electoral College Here too their power s 10 be
predominant. Exclusively othe territory acquired from Mex
ico il conputedby the Senator from Illinois that hcems
least twelve free States added to the conederacy
In this point Of view, it becomes all important claim
if possess H. the right settle ard coan4c the
territory OF the United States Of nl thc political hoons
which could be offered the South the valuable and
important would be that of bringing in States
ao this confcderacy enough 10 preserve the old balance in
this body or, il that cannot be- To approach that object
nearly as possible.
Tn refuse thea, the Southern States equal right with
ne Northern raise up kindred and sympa hiang Culn-
mites is TO deny them The rgh, Of preserving their relative
weight in he concdcracy, and Of acquiring power like the
other States not only By growth but Ivy colonization If
this be constitutional right, deny ee7ous
wrong under the circumstances if you take
away portion of the already given by the charter
Of union. Both would violate the constitution would
reach the end by but little diIerentl that
OF placing the South in the power Of the North IT, then
have this right preserve political weight in the
concdcracy by taking equal chance settle the vacant
lands Of the Unon not bound by every consideration
of honor and sep-cseryation defend and maintain this
righi 1t would require bur little effort of Imagination
the part of Northern brethren look facts they
are and then 10 put themselves in places Would any
fir-nnded man amongst thcm vino had thus conceived
change places deny the propriciy and the necessity of orr
using all tho known 10 The constitution and within
power to maintain this right! And yet told that
be c3cdcd that ;e institution of slavery is 81
odious ard accurscd Thai consideration justify
its further extension Thus of the vital rights
if It be the right Of life ITSELF which least be-
lieyc ourselves TO possess under the constitution, IL
denied to u.s. and we called upon behold in patience
and in peace this accumulation of power which at least
may be used in the further prosecution of the against
slavery. know thai this right is said have been 81
by the constitution, but its existence has been de-
mcnstraed believe, and think il may again be prov
cd by line ot argument which has yet been takel-
There Two views of the of this governments az
cordng TO one II Is the trustee and representative of people
of The States States; according the other il represents
tho sovereignty OF srSat American people According
either supposon the right which claim be de-