The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-17

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AsaIn coqld Won witness the landing Of the
poor creatures, and behold--as has been proved
before l'nniament bt ample testin0ny--the
massacre on the beach of hundreds whose con-
situations bad been utterly destroyed by their
suiferngs, thus rendering them understandable;
cou'd you behold all this as the Omnipotcnt
Judge OF all behods il, and thus be made to real
lze that 1t is not picture OF the Imagination,
but that these dreadful scenes are ut this very
moment being enacted-that villages are now
nightly burning in Africa--caravans Of human
beings are marching under hnrniDg sun TO the
coast--that slave ships, DER which waves the
hag of our common country, are waiting to re-
ceve them--and that nm hour never passes but
that rors than twenty human beings are
consigned to 4 violent or u suffering death in
support of this cruel commerce; we again re-
peat, could you thus behold these facts us they
really are, we believe that all other evils would
sink into utter iasgnifcapce la your estimation
when compared with this, and that you would
sgive not sleep to your eyes nor slumber to
your cyelids" until you had exhausted every re-
bear on the suppression Of the African slave
trade. I'll
"We would respectfully remind you that all
attempts to suppress this diabocaltraffc through
force of arms, has ever signally failed and that
the blockade of the slave coast by the fleets Of
Great Britain, the United States, and France
combined, at an expense OF more than $780,
100000, and the sacrifice of many lives, has re-
suited in great aggravation of the evil, instead
of promoting its suppression.
s'We would also respectfully state, that we
believe that the only effectuul barriers that have
ever been placed between the slaye-dealer and
his victims in Africa, have been the colonies that
have been planted on her coasts, and that these
have in every instance been found competent to
its suppression or control.
"We would again respectfully refer you to
fact, which has now become unquestionably es-
tablished as such by the results Of experience,
that that part of the western coast of Africa
which ever has been, and is now frequented by
slavers, cannot be colonized by whites, the eli
mate being deadly to their constitution, though
friendly to that Of the coored man.
Sand, lastly, we would remind you that about
one-third part Of this coast has been success
fully colonized by colored people from the
United. Ststes, under the auspices of the Ameri-
can Colonization Society, through the outlay, as
your memoralists believe, Of less than one mil
lion of dollars, and that the colonsts thus
planted, have effectualIy suppressed the slave
trade as far MS Their jurisdiction extends, which
we believe to be in extent, us before stated,
about one-third of the whole slave coast of
Western Africa.
believing, as we do, that the African slave
trade is not to be suppressed by an armed inter-
vention, and that experience has proved that
colonization of the slave coast of Africa pre-
sents the only feasible scheme for the suppress
sion of the traffic, we most earnestly beseech
you to take into immediate consideration the
propr;ety of establishing Il line of Government
steamers or sailing packets, for the purpose Of
conveying, free OF expense, such free colored
persons as may wish to avail themselves Of such
means to emigrnte to Liberia, or to any part of
the western co lst of Africa that may be peace.
fully colonized by them or that an annual ap-
preparation be made by Government in money,
in aid OF the cause of African colonization, TO
the same amount that is now expended in sup
porting the squadron of armed cruisers, and the
outlay of which has, up to the present day,
tended greatly to nggravate, rather than to sup
press, the most crying evil that has ever existed
on earth"
Mr. HALE. | hold in my hand petition,
numerously signed have run my eye over
the list of signers and find that there are about
three hundred of them. They purport to be in
habitahts of Montgomery county, in the State
! of Pennsylvania. do not know that there are
any ex-Governors ex-members of Congress, or
present hteroti among the signers. | am told,
however, by an honorable senator from Penn
syvania, to whom have submitted the petition.
that the petitioners are among the most respect
,,f OF ~ l.l...
one of them is a relative of man who was a
candidate for Governor I.aughter.l These
petitioners pray that you will immediately re-
peal an act of Congress-and they apply no ad-
jectives to the act they do not denounce il as
unjust or infamous-approved on the 18th of
September 1850, for the recapturc of fugitives
from slavery
should have been content to have presented
this petition, and to have let il quietly gone to
that sleep to which every such petition from the
commencement Of the Government to the pre-
sent time, has gone, without any remarks or any
comments from myself, had not the honorable
senator from Pennsylvania a few days since set
the example by expressing bis opinion upon the
course that Congress ought to pursue upon such
a measure. And, strengthened in the impress
sions which | received from such an example by
the distinguished precedent which has Just been
set us by the honorable senator from Kentucky,
| hope shall be pardoned if ], at the present
time, seize this opportunity to make one or two
remarks relative to this great matter. begin
by following the example of my friend from
In expressing my opinion of what
Congress ought 10 do. ! believe that Congress
ought at once to repeal or essentially modify
that law. ! believe the law is reproach to the |
civilization OF the age, aud perfect parody on
the Constitution. Phese are my opinions.
Mr. FOOTE. ! call the senator to order.
He has nc right to use the language which has
just escaped bis lips In regard to recent act of
Legislation. do not raise the
point of order ont of any personal disrespect
TO the honorable senator, but because think the |
language he has used is supplementary.
Mr.. HALE. wish TO make suggestion as
to the point of order. have not the rule be-
fore me, but understand it TO be that when
member means to move the repeal of an act,
40 has right to characterize the act as he
chooses, but not reflect upon the motives of
hose who passed it, ] was characterizing the
"a .,,l ,,ot &C, 10 Al