New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-25
THE EBONY LINE.
From The Washington Union Of FEB. D
Letter from Geo. n. Sanders 10 Elwood FISH
err. of the Southern Press.
WAsHiNCT0N, Friday, FEB. 4, TO


ers to the western coast of Africa and Europe
Most of what you have said being irrelevant to
the real question involved in the establishment OF
said line, pass over it, and go directly to the sub
iect matter.
You assert, first that the profit is unconstitu-
tonal and, second that there is no trade to justl
" the establishment ofthe line. The rest Of your
assertions refute themselves in the mind Of every
intelligent reader.
Take the Ebony line apart from negro emigra-
tiop, there is no constitutional objection TO it that
is not applicable to all nrd every steam line now
il operation. How, then, does the privilege OF
touching Africa, any more than Of going to Eu
rope and Asia, make it unconstitutional You
admit the constitutional power of Congress to es-
tablsh lines Of steamers between New York and
Europe, and between New. York and California
and Oregon-the success Of these enterprises de-
pending entirely upon the immigration from Eu'
rope and the emigration to California.
Now, if it is constitutional to promote the i'm
migration of free whites from Europe, how can it
be unconstitutional for Congress to give precisely
the same aid in the emigration Of free blacks to
Africa? Indeed the constitutional argument is
entirely on the side OF the Z bony line, as the bill
which establishes it makes it a substitute for the
African squadron, which we are under treaty
obligations to maintain By this substitution,
moreover, the Government will actually save an
immense sum.
Congress, you say, has no power to cOlonize.
But CONGRESS is not asked 10 c0onize. The States
of Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, NewJer.
sey, Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, by their
executive officers, their legislatures, and in sew
-. LAofa ff,ra
also-the cities Of Washington, Georgetown aud
Brooklyn by their chief magistrates and common
councils-have petitiOned Congress, with a So
lcitude not to be misunderstood for the establish
ment of line upon the same principles as those
already so happily in operation,) for che accom-
mediation of a certain portion Of their population.
Whatever may be your own private judgment
on the subject we will pay those States and cities
the decent compliment to believe that their rep
resentatives in legislative bodies, and in Conven-
tions Just formed to revise and improve their
State Constitutions, know something OF the needs
and views of their constituents. They hare asked
it, however, and emphatlcaly Il 1t is denied
them as unconstitutional, then the legislation in
favor Of other steam lines, for the advantage Of
other classes, is also unconstitutional, and IS,
moreover, sectional and unjust. But more the
Constitutions and laws Of nearly all the Southern
States and the recent stringent enactments OF
Ohio, Indiana. Illinois and California, evidently
contemplated the possibility Of the Federal Gov
eminent closing the door upon the voluntary emil
grafton OF these unfortunate people.
You have perseveringly and successfully invok-
ed the power Of Congress to aid in the establish
ment OF all those lines of ocean steamers which
are now rendering such efiectual service to the
country Your chief and favorite argument for
one OF these lines was the extensive facilities 1t
would afford in the colonization of California aud
yet there was then less trade with CalitOrniathan
We now enjoy with Africa. The African enter
prise will be second only in commercial Importance
to that Of California.
One of your frequent assertions Is, that the
colOred race must deteriofate out OF Slavery
What, then, do you propose, in penning up the
free blacks here to tester on the body polite ls
it at some future day 10 force them back into that
slavery which you say Is their only natural con-
dtion Of improvement! or is it to keep up an
agitation which can end only in dissolution Of
the Union
The superintendence Of the Colonization So.
ciety is called in only because they are known 70
be the true friends OF the free blacks The con-
tractors are prohibited from asking over ten dol
lars per head, ratioAs included, and from recev-
ing a greater number of emigrants than. ia the
judgment of the Cooniz alton Society, can be COM
fortsbly provided for in Liberia-the funds for
this purpose being provided BY State and private
contributions.
This re strcton in price has been the basis Of
all the attacks upon the coDstItutionslty OF the
groja The contractors would Of course be the
gamers by having this restriction removed They
could then charge whatthey please, as other lines
do.
The heathfulness OF the climate on the coast
improves every year; but no way so safe for the
colonists can be devised as the quick transporta.
ton Of large companies, whose numbers aud ap
pontments will enable them TO 60 directly TO the
elevated districts, bat short distance from the
coast, where the climate is known to be good.
There can be no question but that the Ebony
line with the aid Of the American Colonization
Society will go full of passengers and frsights 70
Liberia. At Sierra Leone it will connect with
the English lines 10 the Cape OF Good Hope and
Australia and ct Gibraltar again, with the Eng
lab lines to and from the various ports in the
Mediterranean TO Alexandra and Constantine
pie thus extending our mail facilities through
the various English lines, beside making those
lines available for our commerce. Add 70 this the
stimulus these steamers will give to trade, with
out interfering with any OF the ordinary CONNER
cial points for the interior trade Of Africa, bat
sso touching at the important islands along that
coast, and at Gibraltar, Cadiz, Lisbon, aud
London.
Even now, with ali the past and present dill
Cultes attendant upon colonization, Liberia IS an
established nation, and her sovereignty admitted
and acknowledged by some Of the great powers
of Europe. Your last article not only refers 70
the advancing strength OF Liberia, but humanely
apprehends tbe undue exercise Of their power
over the native races. At the same time you IN
cor sstenty point 70 St. Domingo as 4 fair ex-
ample Of the colored race in state OF independ-
ence. The st. Domingo negroes, it is true, were
wears ago made free But how By a sudden
and terrible cenvulson Of society while ia state
of actual barbarism-made physically and legally
free, while thrown into that worst Of all slavery,
the slavery Of demoniac and brutal passion
Drunk W 18th blood and fury, these Savages, eman.
cipated by revolutionary abolition, entered upon
their duties as sovereign citizens But as the in
dependence of the Liberiens was attained under
different crcumstsnces, and bestowed on a differ
emf PEOPLE, so has their progress been Of differ
ent character. From the first, peaceful industri.
Gus and energetic. the humble colony has ripened
into A respectable nation-yes, an American IL.
ton, if YOU will, with Virginia President at its
head. We sgree with you in one thing-that
- 1 IL