The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-03

tofore regulated the intercourse of civilized ma
tlous- Such IL the course she 10 now pursuing
in Central America, for the purpose of subiu.
> eating that region, and thus obstructing the
great communication between the Atlantic aud
Pacific oceans. Under prctence Of protecting
the rights Of savage hordcs, who have never be-
fore been brought within the pale Of civilization,
or considered as parties to national laws, WHICH
they violate at pleasure, England has interfered
with treaty between the independent govern
Inent OF tho United States and the equally indie
pendent government of Nicaragua, and thus
prolonged to IN indefinite period the completion
OF work In. which the whole world, and most
especially the United States, are most deeply in.
terestcd. In word, philanthropy is now her
most powerful instrument in establishing not
only now system of morals, but new code Of
international law.
Somewhat more than a century ago, Philip
the Fifth of Spain, made contract with the
King Of France, by which the latter had the mo-
nopoly of supplying the Spanish American colo
MES with African slaves ut certain stipulated
prices, not necessary to specify. This was the
famous Assienio contract BY the treaty OF
Utrecht, this contract was assigned to England,
according to the historians "as an inducement
that might prevail with Queen Anne to conclude
a peace, which France and Spain desired with
equal ardor." Thus the inducement for ceasng
4 IN oh thn
lege Of supplying the, Spanish American colo
MES with African slaves, by the phanthropic
government Of England, at an immense profit
viii that philanthropic government, or its sister
phanthropist, Republican. France, refund
portion of the vast sums derived from the As
siento contract, to redeem the posterity of those
they thus sold to slavery? Or will England do
the like with the posterity Of those African
slaves whose introduction into Virginia and
South Carolina she refused to prohibit, by her
King vetoing colonial laws passed for that
purpose? This would be something like re-
pentance. 1t would not only be repentance,
but atonement, without which repentance is only
device of hypocrisy, or an impulse Of AFFECT
fear Until these two pnks of the moral and
religious world, whoss glo-ies are represented
by Paris and London, where, according to Off
cial authorities, at least one half the children
are bastards-until they do something at their
own expense, rather than that of their defence
less colonies, the world will be very apt to con-
slider their philanthropy as an artfce Of State,
and their piety as very profitable article Ct
trade
But the most important question connected
with the subject is whether these philanthropic
governments will eventually succeed in persund-
ing, or bullying our rulers into the abrogation
Of these enactments contrary TO every law Of
nations" as tl.at great civilian General De La
hitte terms the local regulations subsisting in
the Southern States with regard to the intro
duction Of free negroes In any other state OF
things, or in any other crisis, should say at
once, that the thing is absurd and impossible
But am by no means prepared to say so now.
With All abolition Congress, an abolition Presi
for his nflinites with England, and his hostility
to the rights of the States and most especk, y
with great majority of the people of the United
States ready and willing nay, anxious to. extir-
pate slavery and Jealous in behalf of all and
every means for that purposc-with this com.
bination to back tho influence Of England and
France, see no reason to doubt that the thing
may be accomplished, and the new principle of
loxr hIi.h.1 ub;.h ,,;lI co-,,,
precedent for every other species Of interior
ence with our domestic and internal policy. The
governments of France and England might, with
Just as much reason and right, pretend that our
quarantine regulations were outrages on the
laws OF nations, because they equally affect ships
of war as well as merchantmen, and their viola
| ton is fenced by fines and forfeatures But ab-
surd MS the pretension is, the South had best be
on its guard. At this moment negotiations
may be in progress, as we have a right to be-
Iieve from the disclosure of Sir La Hitte--to
accomplish the objet. 1t will be only another
triumph Of philanthropy, and philanthropy has
been Of late accustomed to greater triumphs than
this For my part, am free to decla my be-
lief that if trea,y--whch being the supreme
law Of the land, would Of cour-e ,upersede ali
other-carryng with il the abroga ion of these
State provisions, were to come before the Senate
Of the United States, would be approved by II
majority. Abolition now ovcrrides c,erytn I. :,
State rights State laws, and Federal Consttu-
ton. A storm will follow the present deceilful
calm, which will scatter the elements OF society
in the South to the winds, if not arrested in
| time
have lived almost fourscore years; have
passed through every grade Of life, from that OF
a poor boy, self-educated and self-dependent to
a station among the highest Of the land, which
| attained without the sacrifice Of my principles
or my independence. During the whole Of this
long pilgrimage, have been from habit and in
clination conversant with books and have thus
added to the experience Of long life, the lessons
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