Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-10-15
Practice vs.. Precept.

|
he institution Of Slavery is connected.
| The English language can scarcely furnish
words sufficiently expressive of their holy
Indignation at the enormiues of Slavery
One would very naturally conclude that
they themselves were entirely free from
the sin of the :. hetIish institution )" that
the skirts of their own garments were un-
polluted.
For several years these pseudo-philan-
thropists have been directing their artillery
against the slave-trade in the District OF
Columbia, drawing largely upon their pre-
cious stock Of slang, in order TO make the
picture as horIid and f1ghuuI as possible.
Through the magnanimity and the con-
cessions of the South this "11uisance ="
has been abated.
But Washington is not the only city in
which the - hellish traffic " is carried on,
and as these lovers Of their race are doubt
! less anxious TO discover all the horrors Of
the slave-trade, that they may have full
stock IN trade for consumption during the
coming session of Congress, we present
for their special use the following rich ex-
hibit, which has Of late come to the light
of day:
The State Of South Carolina, in 1904,
opened her ports TO the traffic, and large
number of eargoes of negroes was brought
in there direct from the coast of Africa,
from that time 10 December, 1907. Of
course regular register was kept at the
custom-house Of the number Of vessels
engaged in the trade-for that period of
four years-the owners, consignes, their
places Of residence, &c.
In 1920, when The Missouri question
was before Congress, no State was more
bitter against shareholders generally, and
against the admission of Missouri in par
trular, unless slavery was prohibited,
than the State of Rhode Island. At that
same session of the State Legislature
lS2O-2l-they elected Mr.. Jas. De Wolf
Senator in Congress--continulng their
instructions against slavery.
On this state of facts Mr.. VIM. Smith
then, Senator from the State Of South
Carolina--a man Of great weight of char
acter and influence, who afterwards resi-
ded in Alabama, and died few years
since at Huntsvlle--took the pains TO OBJ
tain from the custom-hOu books tran
script of the papers in every case of i'm
ported slaves at Charleston, during the
period named, and read it in the Senate.
We copy some of the revelations.
The number Of vessels entered was
202, ard they were owned az follows ::
10 British. FL Charleston, SO Rhode Is
land, Baltimore. 2 French, 3 Norfolk, l
Connecticut, Boston, / Swede.
The list of cnnsignees presents stonger
picture; OF these 81 were natives of En-
gland, SO natives of Rhode Island, 10
natives of France, and only 10 natives OF
Charleston
The whole number Of slaves imported
was 29.O75, Of which 2l,027 were on
British and French account. The three
Rhode Island ports of Bristol, Newport
and Providence furnished 1858, and the
whole number imported on Charleston
account, by merchants and planters OF
that vicinity, was only 2,006!
Ten of these cargoes belonged 10 Mr..
James De Wolf, The newly elected Sena-
tor from Rhode Island.
When Mr.. Smith read this document
in the Senate there was a great Hutterlng,
and all attempt was made to call him to
order, for refecung upon the State Of
Rhode Island but 1t was ruled that Mr.
De Wolf not having taken bis seat was
not yet Senator; and Mr.. Smith sarcae-
ucaIy observed that he was not reprOach-
ing even Mr.. De Wolf for trading in a
lawful traffic, but replying to the resolo-
lions and reproaches Of that StaIc against
shareholders.
Perhaps the notes given for some OF
these negroes are the same which Mr.
DeTTtSH OOl GGleu. II tIl GOIo l!lE ~ i
Express says:
with such facts staring Us III the
face, and proclaimed aloud in the Senate
Chamber at Washington, may not our
zeal for the true welfare of slaves be ques-
toned. and the taunt Of hypocrisy be
flung back upon us, as we herald or own
love of freedom and our adherence Of
oppression. The fact which Mr.. Pratt
has here drawn OUT is not a new one to
many of our readers, but it is a sad one,
and one which we cite now not only 10
deplore it. but for the sake Of saying. IN
the name Of common cha.ity for all men.
that it ought To teach us TO have lille
forbearance with others, when. to say The
least of is, we are no better than we should
be ourselves"