Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-03-01
THE pREsIpENrANp TIlE sLAVE TRApE

THE PRESIDENTIAL TIiE SLAVE TRADE
Mr.. Giddings, as usual, has manfully COM
menced tho Slavery agitation in Congress
He made recently an excellent speech ON the
Presidents Message. The speech is published
in the Globe, and is highly instructive, as well
as entertaining. We have room only for the
following extract, relative to President
Pierce's favorable disposition towards the for
eign as well as the domestic slave trade.
Speaking of the proposition to revive and le'
gaizs that trade. Mr.. Giddings says -
"The proposition is most reasonable, 1t the
Presidents doctrine be correct. 1t we sus-
tain Slavery, it follows that we must sustain
the traffic in slaves. Ii Slavery be right, the
slave trade cannot be wrong, and IT we pro-
tect one we must protect the other. 1t is idle
to pronounce him who sells slaves pirate.
and hang him, and then turn round and uph old
and encourage him who buys and fogs them
We cannot sustain the Presidents policy with
out restoring the African slave trade. And
the movement in the other end of the Capitol
for that purpose was an effort to carry out the
Presidents doctrine. 1t was very impor-
tant movement; one that has excited wonder
and establishment throuhout the Christian
world. Captain Smith, now awaiting in the
prison of New York, the time. on which he is
to expiate upon the gallows the crime of slave
dealing, has done no more than the President
and his friends now propos Q authorizing every
American citizen to do with impunity. If
the Presidents doctrine he correct and just,
this man ought not to suffer. If the Presl-
dents ideas be oorrec., the law pronouncing
the slave traaepiragj is unjust and cruel. If
the President DO morally innocent, Captain
Smith cannot be rlorally guilty. Nor do |
blame the President SO much as some do for
this attempt tqsrstore the African commerce.
1t is no worse inleed, is is not so aggravated
in some respects as the commerce in slaves
now carried pBHpon our Southern coast, and
in this district, tbr the sole purpose of encour-
aging and sustaining Slavery. Here, in this
District, as well as OH the coast, we authorize
the sale and transportation of civilized and
Christianized men and women. We authorize
the sale and transfer of Baptists and Metho.
dsts, Epscopalians and Catholics, and even
preachers Of the gospel are made merchandise
" c authorize the sale and purchase ofthe Saw.
Tor of mankind in the persons of his followers
This traffic in Christians is sustained by the
President and his friends he insists that vi
are bound to uphold it, Indeed we have, un
der former Presidents, silently lent our ma
tiona influence to encourage it, to obtain in
demnity from Great Britain for slave dealers
who were far more deserving the halter thar
Capt. Smith. We legslate to encourage ont
and to hang the other.
But my object in referring to these attempts
to restore the Foreign Slave Trade was to ex
hibit the Presidents silence in regard to it
He makes no allusion whatever to the subject
and | shall await with interest any movement
of his friends ia the other House, and in thi
body. Will they, too, recedes am curious
to see whether they will follow the President
silent example, In short, | am anxious tc
learn the precise effect which the late elections
had on the advocates of Slavery in the two
Houses of Congress.
Sir, one other Administration attempted t.
prostitute the influence and powers of the ma
tion to protect the coast-wise slave trade. L
was the Wing Administration of John Tyler
speak not of past parties to injurc the feel
ings of any one, and it would be no more thar
justice to say that Mr.. Tyler was abandoned
and repudiated by the Wing party. Yet l
as Wing voted for him, (God forgive me-
When the victims on the slave ship Creole, il
1S41, asserting that God had endowed them
too, with the inaienable right to liberty, tool
possession of the ship, landed on a British
Island, and by the magic influence of British
laws, were transformed into free men and FREE
women, the Save-dealers, who richly deserved
the halter, retgrned and called on Presiden
Tyler to assist hen In obtaining compensation
for their loss. Mr.. Tyler honest soul that h
was) really thought as Mr.. Pierce does. and
many members Of this body do, that SLAYER,
and Freedom we're based on the same mora
and political principles; and he, too, like Mr.
Pierce, ATTEMPTED to carry the doctrine int
practice but the people denounced such inf
deity to God, to our Constitution, and man
kind and the press spoke out in thunder tone
and Mr.. Tyler, STAKEHOLDER, had the grace
to recede and leave the claims Of the slave
holders without pressing them father, and tt
abandon the doctrine since proclaimed by Mr.
Pierce at his Inauguration.
1t has been said with great propriety, tina
the principle distinction attained by the pres
ent Administration, consisted in the fact tina
it had, by way Of contrast, added dignity ID
TINT IF Mr. Tyler. 1t is certainly true tina
the present Executive has assumed doctrine
which Mr.. Tyler discarded. | shall wait tt
see whether Mr.. Pierce will have the grace tt
repudiate them, as his worthy predecessor did
or will he, in the midst Of this political storm
initiate the sailor who, when the ship was 60
! ing to pieces under directions Of the captain
for every one to seize upon something OIL
which to foat ashore, laid hold of the ancho
and went down with it.