Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-05-10
Boston correspondence of The Tribune
THE cody TRADE.

I see you and some other New York papers are
making yourselves disagreeable about the Cody
trade. Now, you know how much your New
York merchants can stand, and, of cpurse, play
your cards accordingly. But l give you warning
that. if you have any Boston mercantile advertis-
ing worth keeping, you must mind your eye, or
you'll lose it. We are not going to stand baying
our First Merchants-godly mel, members Of
evangelical churches, officers of the Bible Socie-
ties, contributors to Foreign Missions-I say, we
won't stand having such men as these picked at
for being concerned in q simple carrying trade,
particularly MS it increases so much the means of
their usefulness. Some Of our newspapers under
took to deal with ihis matter, not knowing what
they were about; but they were soon enlightened,
and had to hold their tongues, if not to take the
back track. The Posi-, FOR example, thought at
FIRST that the fanaticism Of the Aboliiionists and
Black Republicans could be rebuked by showing
up this traffic and taunting them with Indifference
to the suterings of any men but niggerS-even if
they were treated as bad or worse. But when it
discovered that the men who were carrying it on
on Change, National patriots to the core, sup
porters Of the compromises. friends of Mr.. Web
ster, if not Of Mr.. Pierce. it naturally and justly
ceased from any molestation of it.
In fact. look at this trade as you will, the parties
concerned in it should not be regarded as obnox-
ious to censurc. I am inclined myself to regard
it as a branch of Foreign Missions, worthy of the
encouragement of all who have the spiritual wei
fare of the Heather at heart. For it is clear that
as long MS the Coolies stayed at home they had no
chance Of salvation at all; whereas, by being con.
veyed to Cuba or South America, they were
brought within reach Of Christian privileges. 1t
is true that Christianity, as there dispensed at
present, is tainted with Popery; but the certainty
that those b~enighted regions will soon, by the pro-
cess of annexation, be opened to other influences,
makes this objection trivial and temporary. Then,
it may be objected that a large proportion of these
subjects for Missionary labor die on The voyage,
or commit suicide. or are worked to death in a
short time, and other triyialities of that kind
But these cavillers should remember that had not
the career of these unhappy pagans been thus
humanely cut short. they would have gone on at
home from bad to worse, and their last end would
have been much worse than it is now. / do not
think that any pious merchant should be discour-
aged by such considerations as that from entering
into this business.
But, suppose you are right in looking upon this
traffic as an improperly, still the men engaged in
it are not to be blamed, because they did not know
what they were about. You should allow for the
ingenious innocence of Yankee traders as to the
particulars Of any business by which they are
coming money. But even supposing they sinned
igporantly. VIZ are assured that they have repented
and will do so no more. Repentance is all you
have q right to ask for, especially when there can