Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-01-21
HR ET8FR7DGFs RESOLUTION AGAIN.

NIB. ETHERIDGEs RESOLUTION. AGAIN.
The objections we have already given to the in
PRODUCTION Of Mr.. ETHERmaEs resolution relative to
the African slave trade, are unanswerable, as at
tested by the Banners silence, and are sufficient to
sustain ms in our position. But We object, not only
to the il.timed introduction Of any resolution on
the subieot-as unnecessary agitation of that
question: and calculated to convey false impres-
sion as to the sentiment of the South-but, also
to the peculiar pIrassology with which it is worded
As correctly stated by the Banner, the resolu-
ton asserts the two following propositions:
l. "That this House of Representative regards
all suggestions and propositions Of every kind by
whomsoeveT made Tor a renewal Of the African
slave trade, IS shocking to the moral sentiments Of
the enlightened portion Of mankind"
2. " That any action on the part OF Congress
conniving at or legalzing that horrid and inhumsn
traffic, would Justly subject the Government and
citizens of the United States to the reprOsches
and execrstiOu of ell civilized and Christian pee
pie throughout the world.
The Bonner, after quoting the above, proceeds
to say:
Isit Cthe Union AND AMERIoAE) prepared to
maintain that renewal Of the African Slave Trade
would rot " be shocking to the moral sentiments
of the enlightened portion of mankind2 Is it
prepared 10 maintain that any action on the part
Of Congress, conniving at, or egsizing that obi
Gus traffic would not justly subject the Govern
ment and the citizens Of the United States to the
repFOsches and eXeCTation of all civilized and
Christian people throughout the world ?" II the
UNION AND AMERICAN is prepared to join issue
with Mr. Etherdge upon the truth OF the PROPOSE
tons asserted in his resolution, snd if 1t thinks
can damage Mr. (. by showing that those pTopo.
iGons are oHtrUe, we will lend It the use OF our
columns for that purpose,
1t was ingenious in the Bonner to thus endeavOr
to shift the issue. 1t was not necessary for US,
(as shown 10 a former articIe) to assume the neg
alive of these inteTrogsGOns in order to find am
pie ground of complaint against the introduction
Of such q resolution into Congress; but IS we do
believe the contrary of Mr.. Esheridge's redundant
propositions, we will not hesitate to say 50,
withthe reasons for so believing.
There is no general feeling in the South for re-
opening the African slave trade. B1tit Is not at
tributable to any sicky senlimeatsIisu in relation
to the alledged injustice Of the act Of Transplant
ing the heather from the coast of Africa and PIa-
cirg him in bondage in this. The wants and the
interests Of the country DO net require it. but, on
the contrary, forbid it. We have negroes sufi-
Gent to answer the wise, humane and benefcent
design which Providence seems to have marked
out in their enslavemsnt here. But that does not
make the abstract principle Of buying slaves upon
the coast Of Africa "shockingt to the moral senti-
ments Of the enlightened portion Of mankind"
and if the condition and requirements of thu coun
try aUsre such that demand existed for larger
number Of the African race than we now have to
fill the purposes that brought them into our midst
any action on the part Of Congress l5galizing the
buying of slaves in Africa and tralsplsutiug them
to this country, would not be''inhumau" or, "just
u subject the government and citizens Of the Uni
ted States to the reproaches and ezecrstjon of all
civilized and christian people throughout the
world" The abstract morality Of the slave trade
is identical with the morality Of slavery. There
would be no more immortality, if the laws permit
ted it, in the act of buying slave from bis des-
potic master in Africa, than from his humane mas
ter IN Tennessee.
But the morally Of the question Is one thing, and
the yropriety smother. The original purchase Of
the African in his native country, and transports-
ton to this, was not per Sc, immoral," nor in
human" nor was it shocking to the enlightened
portion of mankind, though some may have
thought it So The original trainers Of the Con-
stitution did not think So or certainly they were
very bad men; for, seeing the Propriety Of its con
tinuance for some time, they expressly prohibited
its Introduction for a certain number Of years,
that the demands Of the country might be met. If
the same requirements existed now that existed
then, the re-opening of the slave trade would
meet the demands both Of humanity and sound
policy. To say that the sla7e-trade is "inhuman"
and shocking to the moral sentiments Of the
enlightened portion Of mankind ald tlat legal.
iziDg the traffic "would justly subject the Gov
eminent and citizens Of the United States to the
reprOGcies and eEerations Of ell civil z-d christian
people throughout the world is to say very hard
things against the trainers of the constitution, who
did legsizs it. and even intsrdiclsd its prohibition
up to time when we should have enough of
them.
Unjust be remembered that il is not the abuses
Of the slave trade that Mr.. E.heriiges resolutions
describes as "h5rrid and inhuman," 5lt the trade
itself That there have been manysb1s-s IS gem
orally conceded, bot that has nothing to do with
the question put by Mr.. Etleridge and our neigh
Dor Oftbe Brnusr. The great error, and frequent
" willful with the ab5ltoaists, has been in con
founding the abuses Of the institution with the
institution tse aud instead Of plu0iug The branch,
they have sought TO uproot the tree.
We are Of those who believe that slavery IS NOR
ally, socially and politically right consistent with
the precepts of the Bible, and the most orthodox
republican principles in government and if the
Banner desires to take the opposite of this ques-
ton, which is consistent with its position, we are
ready to discuss the issue with it believing it
can be done probably to our readers. Regarding
slavery, therefore, as originally right we bat nat
urally deny the assumption OF Mr. Etheridge sTi
the Banner, that the mere buying Of negroes on
the coast Of Africa, and removing them to this
country would be "horrid sud irhumon,' ",hocS-
ing to moral sentiment" and Justly subject us to
the reprosches and eXecraGon Of all civilized and
Christian people throughout the world Ga the
contrary, it has been Just and 5enefcant ns,iJu-
ion elevating to the black man and beneficial to
the white. Instead Of beng degraded by it, the
African has been improved instead Of being re-
stricted in his freedom, a Ter better freedom has
Teen conferred upon him. The lowest in the
scale Of human creation, he was a slsve rom us-
80 .,5 has o-Gav NOR. of the attributes Of