Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-11-21
The Plot 0pens-The Slave Trade
to be Authorized--Cuba to 30 an
nexed. t

though we confidently believed
and repeatedly stated that the annex.
alton of Cuba and the re-opening Of
the slave trade would be leading meas.
ures Of Buchanan's administration,
we did not believe that they would be
urged so soon Already the Charles.
ton Standard is advocating it. and the
Cincinnati Enquirer is winking at the
one and advocating the other. The
following is from the Enquirer Of Sat.
urday the 18th inst:
The Slave Trade.
An article appeared several days
ago in the Charleston Standard. il
which reference was made to the re-
opening of the slave-trade. as an i'm
portant measure for the increase o
the power and the full development o.
the Southern States Of this continent
This article supplied inexhaustablt
texts for all the Black Republican
journals in the Union to harp upon
as one Of the links Of proof to connect
the Democratic party with a grand
scheme for the extension Of slave ter.
ritory.
This is characteristic logic. A sim
gle journal of small pretensions. pub
lished in State which holds itsel
aloof from the political parties Of the
country-where both the politicians
and journals are VIGOROUSLY eccentric
aud peculiar in all their political ideas
has the power to impose on great
party, which extends through thirty.
one States and half y dozen Terrific
ries Of the Union. the responsibility
for so serious and important a diverg'
ence from the long settled policy and
ethics Of the civilized world. as this
proposition TO reopen the slave trade
would involve. ~
This charge Of a purpose to revive
the slave.traGe Is the widest and mosl
preposterous of fabrications. Even i
such an idea had obtained any preva-
lence in the South, there is no honest
or sane man who imagines or believe.
that il would find any countenance OF
support az the North. (2.) Even In
the South. the slightest knowledge oil
the condition, the policy and feelings
Of the people Of that section ought &c
dispel oil such ideas and apprehcn-
sions. The great predominating pow
or and interest In those States Is thai
Of the slaye-hvlders. The chief cap
ital Of those States consists Is slaves
and that capital controls the senti
ments and policy Of the States. g.,
To suppose thatthe shareholders would
sanction q reopening Of the slave
trade. is quite as reasonable as e
suspect n man who owns all the flour
in Cincinnati. and thereby commands
the market. Of desiring to see tha'
supply doubted. and the price proper
tionately reduced. The value Of Oh,
slaves would, Of course. decline will
the increase Of the number.
The writer's who try to impose this
silly humbug on the unsuspecting ant
uniformed. are either too ignorant OF
too dishonest to state that the South
ern States have always insisted witt
great pertinacity on the rigid enforce
ment Of the laws and treaties agains
the slave-trade, as q measure protec
tive of their interests. (4) Their,
has been only partial suppression o
the trade In Cuba. II will continue
as long rs the Spaniards hold the Is
land, more or less active, according 4
the honesty Of the officials.
The only complete and eifectua
suppression Of this traffic will be &C
complished when tho United Statel
acquires possession and control OF th,
island. Those who desire, therefore
TO arrest so dreadful an evil. and re
move from our hemisphere the dis
grace and shame Of It's continuance
ought to lend their countenance ant
support to the scheme for acquiring
the island. Such measure would
not add to the number Of slaves. blu
would save thousands and millions o
poor negroes from being torn from AZ
RIGA, subjected to the horrors of th'
middle passage, and consigned to e:er
nal bondage. CO.,
On this startling doctrine Of the Nor
;hcrn mouthpiecc Of Democracy, editc,
by a Louislanaian, we wish to make
few remarks:
i--"Eccentric and peculiar" as ar,
the "political ideas" OF South Carolinl
politics, we have seen president cleo
ted to endorse and carry out the grea
idea Of one Of South Cardinals mos
"excentrie and peculiar" politicians -
John G. Calhoon was the father Of mod
ern "squatter sovereignty"--of the doc
trine that slavery is national and may g
wherever the constitution goes. TIL
doctrine was hooted at until In 1853
when Douglas brought It forward, an'
the entire party endorsed 1t, electing
president on II. Even the presiden
elect, In ls<s--only six years ago
most emphatically denied the doctrine
but so easy is the descent to Avernu'
that even he has renowned his own life
long faith and become convert &
South Carolina "eccentrlcities. TIL
proposition to reopen the slave trade,
not so great ga divergence from tn
long settled policy aud ethics" Of thil
country as the repeal OF the Missouri
Compromise would have been regarde
four years ogo. This was regarded o
the most improbable scheme ever pro
posed, yet South Carolina triumphet
and the Northern Democracy assentee
We confidently expect to hear the slav
trade defended as indispensable to the dc
velopment Of free government, i
less than two years.
2. No one would have suppose
four years ago that the opening Of fire.
territory TO slavery as in Kansas, woul
find any continuance and support in tb