The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-05
Revival OF the African Slave Trade-Shall
the King OF Dahoney be Brought into Conn
petition with Governor Wise!

II
the King OF Dahoney be Brought into Conn
petition with Governor Wise.
| This Presidential election has turned pretty
much on the price Of niggers; and now that it is
over, the question stares Us broadly in the face,
shall The African slave be revived the King
Of Dahomey, in the supply of niggers to the cot
ton States of the South, be brought into compe-
tition with Governor WiseE
Some of the ultra Southern democratic organs,
in view Of the extension of tie area Of slavery
and cotton and the necessity for more niggers,
are boldly preaching the propriety and expedien-
| cy Of the revival OF the African slave trade.
Some of them are urging it in view of Mr.. Blu
chenan's election and the admission Of Kansas,
Cuba, Nicaragua, &c., as slave States; while the
| intense secession organs OF the South Carolina
blood and thunder school, recommend this trans
Atlantic traffic in niggers as really indispensable
to the success of an Independent Southern con-
federacy.
There are however, various objections and a
good many difficulties to be considered in the
discussion Of this proposition for the revival Of
this direct trade with the King of Dahomey in the
| cash article Of niggers In the first place, this
traffic stands condemned by the public opinion
OF the civilized world, by International treaty
stipulations between this country and the great
Powers Of Europe, and by the laws OF the United
States as piracy. That is the word-piracy
Under this broad and sweeping condemnation,
We have, for many years, in conjunction with
England, kept aconsiderable naval force employed
along the African coast in the suppression of this
| piratcal traffic with Cuba and Brazil. Recently
Brazil has abandoned it, aud it is now limited to
Cuba; but even there it is carried on in violation
| Of the treaties and laws of Spain, and all the
| hazards of a buccaneering business
To restore the trade in niggers, therefore, be-
| tween the coasts Of Africa and the United States
we should have. first, to go backwards hundred
years or two, and repeal the public opinion OF
the world denouncing this inhuman traffic as
piracy. Secondly, We should have to repeal the
existing laws Of the United States declaring it
piracy, and providing pains and penalties for it
as piracy. In the third place, we should have to
canoe! our existing treaties on the subject with
the naval Powers Of Europe, and secure their
consent to the restoration Of the traffic, or run
the hazards Of the inevitable war into which the
experiment would plunge US. We have not the
slightest doubt in the world that the attempt TO
revive the traffic in niggers between our South
ern States and the coasts Of Africa would result
| in war with England and France, as surely as
viii the attempt to ''wrest' the island OF Cuba
from Spain, If we have the power
Such are some Of the difficulties to be sur
mounted before the insane project Of a revival of
the African slave trade can be consummated. Mr.
Slidell, the right hand man Of Mr.. Buchanan in
Louisiana, has, we believe, thrown out sort OF
feeler in the United States Senate on the sub
ject but we dare say that upon direct PROPOSE
zion to mix up our foreign commerce with the
piratical trade in the niggers Of the Gold Coast
Mr.. Slidell himself would say nay. We 90 fur
Their, and declare it as our fixed belief that
neither Franklin Pierce, nor Atchison nor
stringfellow nor Bully Brooks would consent
to couple his name with the infamy of bin SO
infamous as bill to revive the African slave
trade.
There are also certain domestic objections
against the revival OF this traffic, which must not
be overlooked. Make the purchase Of niggcrs
from the King Of Dahomey and their sale in the
United States a legitimate business and what be-
comes Of Old Virginia and her home markets for
her surplus niggers! For good, healthy, full
grown hc-nigger she can now command twelve or
fifteen hundred dollars. Governor Wise expects
that, with the election OF Mr. Buchanan this good
cash price viii soon BE- increased to three, fou~
and i've thousand dollars for a single Niger, IN
view Of the extension Of the area Of slavery But
reopen the Niger trade with Africa direct, and
the King OF Dahomey will 80 far undersell the
Governor Of Virginia tina. the niggcrs Of the L.
ter will at once become drug iu the markc,.
The King Of Dahomey could deliver o cargo 81
niggers in Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah or New
Orleans at hundred dollars head, and make
money by the operation. The consequence, in q
short time, would BE- such CLINT OF niggers in oil
the Southern States as to reduce the SHAREHOLDERS
Of Virginia to bankruptcy, and drive the masses
Of the Southern working white population to thu
North ea nqssc from the overwhelming pressure Of
nggcr slave labor 10 the South at ten cents day
The insanity Of this proposition, then, Of our
| ire-cating Southern sccessionists to revive the
African slave trade, is manifest at glance IL IL
OF piece with the threat Of Bully Brooks. to rob
| the Trcasury-the women's tights conventions for
! giving the privilege Of boards and whiskers 10
the fair sex; or the Fourieri,e pbalanxes FOR
making labor attractive 10 lazy loafers. Revive
| the African slave trade The idea i as prcpos-
ferrous as that other secession idea that disco
luton Of the Union would result in millennium
| TO the South. or that the election Of Buchanan
| will be equivalent to a good Fat Office to every
patriot that has gone about the country Matching
lies against Fremont. Revive the African slave
trade To do IL, We shall require an amendment
Of the Constitution Of the United States; and we
arc sure that upon that subject and upon all
other subjects, the great bulk Of the people, North
and South, are content to abide by the constitu-
ton as il l. But we are told that niggers are too