The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-11-25

the British Parliament, was coming the
hearts and lives OF its subjects into rupees
While Cline and Hastings were trampling
down right, and property, and mercy, and
filling the land with horror, the mere de-
scription of which, by Burke, caused the
women of England to swoon in the gallaries
of the CommOns-in the midst of these
nearer and more tangible evils, of sudden,
Africa and the African slave trade, became
the grand objects of sympathy. The crusade
began with fasehood For Wilbarforce
and Clarkson, though resolutely bent on
emancipation in the colonies, expressly
avowed their whole aim to be the suppress
sion of the slave trade. One moment OF
sober thought would have taught that a trade
so enormously profitable, so easily conduct
ed, and so difficult to abolish, required not
the hand of extreme legislation, which, BY
increasing the risk to the trader, would make
him only the more reckless and cruel, but
those moderate measures, which would at
once legallz9 his interests, yet protect their
prosecution from brutality. But fanatacism,
acting, as it ever does, with ideas alike Wis
ionary and destructive, declared the African
SLAYER an outlaw and pirate, cast him from
the pale Of humanity, and made him des
perate man. He was compelled henceforth
to conduct the trade with all the secrecy and
remorslessnesS OF every pursuit where failure
and detection involve the consequences of
crime. Is it surprising that the hostile laws
on this point were, from the first, sheer
mockery? That the slave trade has gone on
in spite of fleets and fanatics, and is this
lay not only aggravated in its seventies,
out undiminished in its cargoes? The facts
are with us. When at its height, and before
it was declared piracy, the number trans
ported did not exceed 50, 600 annually And
now it is far beyond that. Mr. Hume stated
in late speech in Parliament, that 10000
had been imported into Cuba alone during
the last six months. The testimony from all
quarters is that the trade is still unchecked
The report made last winter in the Senate
upon the proposition to withdraw the Afri-
can squadron, gives most humiliating ac-
count of its failure to effect any diminution.
Mr.. Wise in his recent letter says:
"The philosophy Of Theirs was true. The
Icontraband increases the horrors of the trade,
and don't in the least diminish the number
Of the victims. That number amounted to
10000 per annum, at least, when left Rio
in l847, from the coast of BRAZIL
Such are the fruits of government inter
ference, dictated by morbid sentimentality.
Are they not enough to make the world
pause Is it not time to look at this matter
as involving questions which, stretching be-
yond the narrow visions of dreamers, de-
mand for their solution calm inquiry and
sober discussion? Does not the slave trade,
in supplying TO many aourishing States the
labor needful for their development, in
abnndantly furnishing to the world the most
useful products of human labor, in bringing
the savage within the pale of civilization
and Christianity, and, lastly, by Still pro-
crossing in its work, in defiance of all at
tempts at its suppression, by all these titles,
rightfully claim for itself an origin higher
than mere avarice, and recognition at the
hands of government other than is accorded
to the buccaneer and pirate? We desire to
see this question taken out of the hands of
empty-headed fanatics, who have all along
usurped its control; and, when this is done,
we confidently expect to see the slave trade
classed among those mysteries, which, how
ever repulsive to fdstidious eyes, are yet, in
the hands of God the instruments of mans
progress. = Charleston Mercury. .3 a.
The year 1854 begins and ends on Sunday,
thus having So Sundays. January, April,
July, October and December have 5Sundays