The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-07-01
An Important State Paper.

An inportent letter Of Hon. Howell Cobb,
the able Secretary Of the Treasury, has been
published, and attracts general attention, as
it will necessarily do, coming from 80 dis.
tinguished Southern Statesman.
1t appears that firm in Charlestown, S.
c., Messrs. Latitte & Co., applied to the
collector of that port for clearance of an
American ship for the coast of Africa, for
the purpose of taking on board African emf.
grants, in accordance, they said, with the
United States States passenger laws, and
with the design Of bringing those negroes to
this country; and the Collector asked in
s,ructions from headquarters, on the subject
of granting this request.
In reply to this request the Secretary
states that the object of the applicants must
be either to import Africans to be disposed
Of as slaves, or to be bound to service, or TO
bring them, as other emigrants, to be entitl-
ed to the rights Of freemen. The two first
examined, and the conclusion arrived at tn t
the introduction Of negroes, either as slaves
or apprentices, is clearly in violation Of both
the spirit and the letter Of the law; and the
clearance cannot be granted. Here the
eader will fad positive instructions against
any and all forms Of the African slave trade.
Anybody who desires to know how the ad.
ministretion think and act on the question
of the restoration of this trade will find the
informa,io in full; it opposes all attempts
TO revive it, in whatever shape they presen,
themselves. 1t meets every phase of this
question, and is conclusive on every point.
We have only room for the following
paragraphs from this excellent letter:
"The motive cannot be philanthropy, fol
i it would confer no benefit upon these negroe
9 10 bring them TO our shores, where, if per
e mitted TO land at all, would only be to oc
If cupy our pest houses. hospitals and prisons
To believe under the circumstances, tha
10 there is bona .fde purpose, on the part O
r Messrs Laftte u Co., to bring African emf
II grants to this country to enjoy the rights ant
privileges Of freemen, would require al
a dmOuut vi CIeuulILy thdt WOulu Justly SuDleC
= the persons to the charge of mental imbeci
i lity. The conviction is irresistible, that tn,
e object OF the proposed enterprise is to brin!
e these "Arican emigrants" into the country
with the view OF making slaves of them ol
Of holding them to service or labor. If SO
3 it is an attempt to evade the laws of thu
j. country on the subject of African impoTta
), tions, to which have called your attention
h Ordinarily, it would Le an unsafe rule 10
public officer to act upon the suspicion o
: purpose on the part OF another to violat,
e the laws OF the country; but in this case it il
i. put SO clearly beyond the reach of doubt
that think that you not only can, but tina
you are in duty bound to act upon the pre-
y sumption that it is the intention of Messrs
l. Latilte & Co., to evade the laws OF the United
t States, aud you should accordingly refuse
=. their vessel the clearance asked tor.
O am very respectfully,
: HOWELL COBB,
Secretary Of the Treasury.
}, WIN. F. CoLcocK, Esq,
t Collector OF Customs, Charleston, s. C.