The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-01

lHc RESIDENT. Inc oIuef OF The day pure
and simple, has been proposed and according TO
the regulations, must have the priority.
From the London Gazette, Dec. 6.
INDIGNATION IN ESGLANp.--In the French Ma
uonal Assembly, few days since, On some inter.
Pellaiions being put TO the minister of marine re
ative TO the exclusion from certain of the States OF
the American Union of the free black or coored
people, and subjecting them, il discovered, TO im-
prsonment for this offence, M Schacher OBJ
served that the measures adopted by the United
States were violation of the 'treaties of commerce
and amity concluded with foreign nations. Upon
this point there surely cannot be second opinion
among civilized nations; and il is only surprising
that those countries which require to have inter-
course with the United States especially the ma
Rhine powers of Europe can tamey submit TO a
measure which alike sets at defiance the laws of
nations and the laws Of humanity indeed, we
may say which defes alike all laws, whether hu-
man or divine .fniertea TO be sure, is great na-
tion and there IS much IN IL TO erce our tconder al
though lille TO command respect; but great as IL
Is, Il can hare no right 10 make lanes for Etnope
We believe that, had the States of the Union at
tempted 10 make such laws some of the Fede-
raj States have made, firm and effectual resist
ance would have been offered by this and other
countries, TO such unjust and iniqultous legisla-
ton, affecting their rights and privileges That
each of these federal States should be a yegnun,
inter regno, according to the American Consttu-
ton, lis defect in that Constitution which ought
to be altogether dlsregarded by foreign countries,
unless the central government were to admit that
each State should be responsible for its own acts
in its relation with foreign powers. If this is
admitted, and we know it is not, the States should
set about remoddeing their Constitution
In some observations which were made in the
French National Assembly by the Minister of
Marine, he said that the free blacks and muattoes
of the North were excluded by law from the
sL.xs, n
Americans can act they please it is purely
conventional among themselves; but this exclu-
sion should not be allowed to affect other coun-
tries, and il is, as Mr. Schoelcher observed a vio-
lation of the treaties of commerce and amiy con-
cluded with foreign nations. law which ex-
cludes subject of this country, or OF France,
from any part of the United States, is breach of
the subsising amity between the two powers. and
in many instances would very justly be consider
ed casus belii for instance, in the case of the
colored seaman who was taken by the police from
on board of one of our merchant ships at Charles
ton, and imprisoned for two months during the
continuance ofthe vessel in the port.
But, in fact, the mercans, by the exclusion
referred to by the French Minister of Marine are
guilty of breach of their Constitution as it
was established in 1887. Section two Of article
four of the Constitution, as then drawn up and
adopted, expressly says that-''The citizens of
each State shall be entitled to all privileges and
Immunltles OF citizens In the several States; and
we dare say that when Washington signed this
Constitutions he never anticipated that citizen
Of Boston New York, if he happened to have
any tinge in his color, could be excluded from any
State in the Union, or be imprisoned if found in
it, But there were slaves in the United States
when the Constitution was passed.
The Southern States, as colonies of England,
had introduced slaves as they were introduced
into tie West Indian Islands; yet neither then
nor at any other time under British rule, was the
color Of man IS skin sufficient to insure his expe
riencing all the indignity, and some of the punish
ments to which the purchased negro was unhap
PLY too often exposed. 1t was reserved for free
Amerca--the land of liberty and equaty--to in
vent this refinement Of cruelty in a barbarous
code.
There is something revolving in the laws Of
these Southern States with respect to people Of
color it is calling in question the providence OF
the Almighty, who in his wisdom has created hu-
man beings Of different colors in the various re-
gons of the earth---from the fair Circassian, on
the shores of the Thew to the jet black negro on
the banks OF the Congo 1t is fortunate for hui
manty that federal America is the only country
pretending to civilization where such inhuman
laws prevail. Cuba and Brazil are slave coun-
tries, like Maryland and Georgia, but neither in
Cuba nor Brazil is prosecuted merely on
account Of his color. 1t is impossible that this
can end well in the United States of America: and
already may be seen the gathering tempes, which
will, before long, vindicate the rights of nature
and humanity, by overwhe Ginning in its fury, those
who have dared to set the laws of heaven at de-
hance.