New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-12

terms slaves and slavery eyaded any direct recog-
milton Of any such institution; held out premium
to emancipation by counting in the census of repre-
sentative population FIVE slaves as equivalent to
only three freemen; and gave 70 Congress the
power to abolish the foreign ,lsve-trsde at the end
of twenty years, ard to impose, meanwhile, duty
on all persons imported.
". Soon after the organization Of the Govern
ment under this Constitution, earnest efforts were
made 10 impose this duty which was only STAYED
of BY declarations on the part of the represent
atives of the two or three States that still per-
mitted the importation that they would soon
join their sister States in prohibiting it.
Y. A Territorial Government having been organ
lied in l79S for Mississippi (then including all the
United States territory west of Georgia), though
Congress was restrained BY the compact of union
from prohibiting Slavery, yet it did exert its con-
stiutonal power Of legilating for the Territories
By prohibiting the introduction of slaves from
abroad.
VI. Ali ,he States having united, BY the year
17Ss, in prohibiting the impOr: of slaves from
abroad Congress, in 1900, passed an act imposing
fine of 81 900, with forfeiture of the vessel, for
each person imported as slave contrary to the laws
of any of the States.
VII. In 1903 the people of Indiana (incuding
what is now not only that State, but also the pres
ent States of Illinois, Michigan and wisconsin, ap-
Piled TO Congress for suspension as to that Terri
tory Of the article Of compact of the ordinance OF
l7e7, prohibiting Slavery north Of the Ohio. This
- 70 A
John Randolph was chairman which committee
reported that it was "highly dangerous and inexpe-
"dent TO impair provision wisely Instituted to
promote the happiness and prosperity of the
north western country, and to give strength and
"securty TO that extensive frontier;" and they
added their belief that in the salutary operation OF
this sagacious and benevolent restraint the nhabt-
ants of Indiana would in 10 distant day, find ample
remuneration for temporary privaion of labor and
Immigration. This attempt to reestabllsh Slavery
in the Northwestern States was repeated IN loOi,
and sQain in 1907, but on both occasions without
success.
VIII. In 1904 the act organizing the Territory
of Orleans, then recently acquired by the Louisiana
cession. though it did not abolish the Slavery then
existing there among the French colonists, ex-
pressly provided that no slaves should be carried
there, except by citizens of the United States re-
moving into the Territory as actual settlers; nor
were even they to be allowed to introduce any from
foreign countries nor any that had been brought IN
the United States from foreign countries since l79o.
The special intention of this latter provision WAS to
provide against piece Of apostasy on the part OF
South Carolina, in the passage of an act revivng
the saye-trade, after cessation OF it as to that
State for fifteen years, and of six years as to the
whole UniOn-one of the first indications OF that
Pro Slavery reaction which since the annexation OF
Texas as Slavehoding State, has attained to sucn
wonderful strength; and ore OF the first fruits OF
the triumph of the sO-caled Democratic party IN
the State politics of South Carolina Still further
TO counteract This revival of the saye-trade, ne
agitation was Immediately commenced for imposing
| tsx on slaves imported, which was only pre-
vented from being done by the near approach Of the
| period within which Congress might totally pro-
| hbt the saye-trsde.
TX. No sooner had that period arrived than an
| act was passed in 1908, imposing fine and imprsOn
ment, with forfeiture of the vessel, upon all per-
sons concerned in importing into the United States
from any foreign country and selling as slave any
negro, mulatto or person of color, and fines upon
al persons concerned in fitting cut vessel for any
such purpose This act did not pass without very
strenuous opposition. The opponents Of the act did
rot dare appear at that time as the advocates OF the
African sayetrade; but they did not at all relish the
| implications contained in this act against the do
| nestle slave-trade, then just beginning. They
based their opposition to it on a provision con-
tanned in it that no vessel of less than forty tuns
burden should take any slaves on board, except for
transportation on inland bays and rivers. This pro-
vision was attacked BY John Randolph as an inter.
ference with slave property; and upon this occasion
be made free use of those threats Of secession and
dsunion which have since proved such efficient in.
struments of political warfare as against the min.
ged timdty and secret Pro-savery spirit of North.
ern politicians end capitalists.
X. From this time down to the close of the wal
| with EDgIsnd, the restrictions upon our foreign
| commerce aided efectually in the suppression OF
the slave trades but that trade having revived with
the peace, new acts were passed in 1873 1919 and
1890 increasing the stringency Of the laxs-by the
last of which the detention or transportation as a
slave, in any vessel, of sny negro or mulatto mot
"held 10 service under the laws Of some one Of the
States" was declared TO he piracy, punishable
with death.
| XI In the same year was enacted the famous
Missouri restriction, by virtue of which-while Mis-,
souri,, BY way of compromise with the South, and
u thn NH
and what had been the law and usage during its