Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-05-19


Ine case. He alluded TO the decision OF th'
Supreme Court in the Dred Scott esse-to tn
X own opinions Of the present Chief Magis
trste az evidence. And be said that be be
lleved If the case should be carried to the So.
/ prsme Court. the decision would be that slave
holder have the Constitutional right 10 pass
| a rough any State In this Union with bis slaves
He thought the progress OF this government
was onward ia the right direction, and not
| backward. He thought there would be dil :
| position on the part OF the North now to yield
Us al our rights. And be was not for disunion
| upon the present Issues with the federal gov
ernm'nt
The true conservative position Of the South
now is to admit everything we have conceded
10 the Constitution, but insist upon every right
that the Constitution guarantees 70 US Lsgis-
istion in regard to ths African slave trade had
been conceded IL the Constitution. The only
restriction upon that power was, that il should
not be exercised BY Congress before lSO5. He
read extracts from Elliott's Debates to show
that the trainers OF the Constitution, MIR. Mad
ison among the number, were clearly OF the
opinion that the Constitution, BY the clause
eoiferring upon Congress power 70 regulate
foreign commerce, gave to Congress power to
pass laws for the pro b bition Of the African
lave trade and further extracts from Eiiiott's
Debates, showing the opinions Of the trainers
Of the Constitution concerning the power OF
Congress TO pass laws prohibiting The African
slave trade He eonteuded that those laws
were constitutional, though be would net say
they were iudicious Various Democratic sd-
ministrations and cabinets had considered those
laws constitutional and had approved them.
As to the expedieney OF adopting the report
Of the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr..
Sprstt,) upon the question Of re-opening the
African slave trade, be thought it was not ex
Pedient al this time to ask Congress 70 repeal
-. - 4 -.
agitation OF the question Of slavery By the
North. He himself bad never bsen been will
ing to argue even the moral aspect Of slavery
in Congress, because it would lead to agitation.
So the proposition before the Convention, II
adopted, would be an invitation to every ia
nstic, to every one opposed to the institutions
OF the Sou b, to ait with view 20 owe
throwing tlose Institutions. He was opposed
to adopting policy here which its most earn
est advocates admit to be entirely impractical
bic.
But suppose it was practicable to reopen
the African slave trade, what would be the re-
suit here in the South? Il would make the
Southern States the great slave market Of the
world, and would introduce here a horde Of
wild barbarlsns, whom the gentleman from
South Carolina, Mr.. Spratt,) in bis own re-
port, chsraeteTizes as devils, who have no
knowledge Of God. He thought II would be
unwise to introduce these wild bsTbarians in
our midst, though they might themselves be
benefited by Being brought In contact with the
highest form Of Christian civilization the world
ever saw. Il would be spreading over the
South a teeming population Of barbaTians il
such nambers as must Inevitably renew here
the scenes Of St. Domingo and Hayt.
He thought there were slaves enough here
nov in proportion to the white population, and
the black race increases naturally far more
rapidly than the white man.
Another objection be had to the re-opening
Of the African slave trade, even If it were prae
ticable, was that it would depreciste the value
Of eettOn. Increase the means Of producing
cotton and increase the supply, and you must
necessarily depreeiate the price Of cotton.
Anything affecting the probable supply Of cot
ton produces q corresponding effect upon its
price IN the markets Of the world. The recent
overflow Of the cotton fields on the plantations
in the valley Of the Mississippi had raised the
price Of cotton in England. The merchant
princes Of Florence had discovered that by lin
ting the supply Of silk they could increase cor
respOndingly tue price that they could even
burn One-half OF their stock and then sell the
half for more than they could have
obtained for the whole. Increase the supply Of
cotton 10 the extent Contemplated by this meas
IRE, and instead Of being king, as it is now
called, cotton would go begging in the markets
Of the world for any price that purchasers /
might see e: to offsr for it.
He had no desire to outrage the moral ssnti- /
ment Of christendOm upon al impTacticabiiity.
While be would not yield up one right Of the
South to the demand OF ehristendom, he sliil
had great respect for the opinions of the
world He would not outrage it, but
would rather seek TO obtain Us support and
approval. And from recent indications in Eng
land and France, be believed great change
was about being wrought In he opinion OF the
civilized world, ia relation to this question Of
slavery. Even IN this country a great change
was going on. Look a. the repeal Of The Ms
souri, restriction, the late decision Of the Sa-
preme Court, and the election Of cur present
Chief Magistrate BY the power Of the South.
Aud vet It was proposed now TO risk all we
have thus gained By defying ehristendon in the
revival Of the African slave trsds.
He was rot for asking any fsYors OF the ger
eral government at any time fer the South Il
had been said that the federal government does
nothing for the South and al for the Nor b,
and the aid given to Northern lines Of steam
ships had been cited as evidence of that asser-
ton. His attention had teen called to para
graph under the telegFaphie bead IN the morn
ing papers 20 the eff ct hat the policy of Il e
was to be CD anged hereafter in that
both sections Of the country were
t be left upon the same footing in that respect.
As for the fears expressed BY gentlemen here
that the North will triumph hereafter over the
South, be could not join with them. Now ih7t
the South was fully aroused, be thought she
would be able to defest the Nor in the future
He thought the aspect Of affairs at present was
hopeful. and with the present prospect he was
not prepared 10 day to sbandon the Union ( =
existiSg causes Of complaint.
He did no. hesitate TO say in conclusion, that
in his Judgment, the election 20 TIE Presidency
of a Black Republican, would result in the de-
struction Of the government. The people OF
the South would hardly wait to see him clothed
with the insignia Of office, or for an overt act,
bu- would regard the end az having come.