The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-12-11
rhe RevivaI Of the slave Trade


Fhe Revival Of the Slave Trade.
The leading as we'll as the lesser Repub-
lican organs Of the North, are attempting to
frlghten their readers into the belief that il
is the purpose of the Democratic party to
revive the slave trade. As evidence Of this,
they publish extracts from the Charlestown
Mercury, and ono or two cher journals Of
the most rabid, pro-slavory cast, we'll know
ing all the while, that these journals do NOT
represent the actual sentiments either of the
Southern or Northern Democracy upon the
question.
Tho slave trade can never be revived in
this country. The universal sentiment of
the people in oil the States is against it.
Nine. tenths of 1.-The people Of the South would
oppose it, and all the people ofthe North
Such movement was never, and is not
now contemplated by the Democratic party.
There is nothing 10 the Democrats plat
form, nothing in past or present Democratic
policy, nothing in the opinions Of the Presi-
dent and Vice President elect, which favors
the establishment or revival of the slave
trade Those Republican journals which
assert it, assert a falsehood, and those Re.
publican readers who believe it, believe a
lie. ..H ..Hs.r .
Inasmuch as the Republicans are attempt.
ing to create the impression that the South
is desirous of opening the African slave
trade, we publish below extracts from lnau-
ontial Southern journals to vindcute it
from the imputa,on, The Richmond En-
quirer says: .....
"Since Governor Adams fails to demon
strate necessity for the revival If the slave
trade, we may, discuss the measure as mat
: ter of policy. And here we encounter the
0 obvious and inoontestibIe fact that the revi-
val Of the African slave trade, as legal
commerce, is political impossibilty. Our
own laws condemn the traffic, and there is
no chance o! their repeal. The laws of the
] cKilzed world denounCe the severest penal
| ties ofpirucy again >, il, and they, in any
! event. are beyond the range Of our control
Is there anything in the tone Of public opin
ion, in this or any other country, which war
;, rants the idea that we may procure the re
. establishment Of tho slave trade rs q legiti
4 mate branch of commerce! Is The thing pos
sib!e7 Certainly this inquiry touches thu
most essential point Of the controversy, ant
yet Governor Adams entirely ignores it.
Il alt being apparent lrcm the mere statemen
f.. OF the proposition that the revival OF th
slave trade is a moral impossibility, there i
,, no need of any further discussion Of the sub
d iect. The States of the South are not ye
Q prepared to defy the public opinion and t.
3, provoke the positive hostility Of the foremost
powers Of Christendom; and as the attemP
to re.opon the traffic in African negroc
Il would inevitably draw THE pehrlty upon us
Ir we may rest upon the conclusion that tn
IS policy is impractcabe and will never b.
subjected to the test ofexpcriment."
e The proposition is even secuted on tn
b very spo, of its origin. The SOath Caroltni
|. an, published at Columbia, takes exceptio
1T to it, and personal friend Of the Governor
y who has generally approved Of his admin;
a. lTatloEj tHuS tAPieeecS MO uiSSChI Sh'ohS
a, the Charleston Courier:
el "'It is not only impracticabla, but undes
h. rabe in every point Of view. fIumanit!
"a and the interes,s OF rhe South alike forb
=, il. 1t would array against Us the ecntmel
'' Of the civ viIized world; it would revive. c
ic at least extend. the horrors OF the middl
id ages, involve Africa in intsstine wars TO lu
:. nish subjects for the proposed traffic, an
= convert her into field OF blood; and it woul
render slave property so cheap as to b
1t worthless, and perhaps SO worthless as to
'e doar al any price. Our slaves multiply in
i. rOtio quite rapid enough for the good of tn
,s Sou.h--sn importation Of three hundred AT
-, seventy five thousand, Ohio entire imports
u" ton into the Union rs Colonies and q
OF States, from the commencement of the slnv
It, trade to its abolition, in 1909 has multtl
nj dinously increased into fonr millions; an
we need not the aid Of xew imPortatinns
'S swell the already 'populous number Of ST.,
yery-of fresh horde ssvagcs and hentl
d. en- to burbariza and urchristianjze our no
10 civilized, gentle and religious peasantry.
have neither time nor space to pursue til
% theme, and mus, conclude with the EXPIRE
lp sion of perfect confidence that the unwis
n, project will scarcely enlist decent SUI
II. port"