The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-02

natility 10 undeuSh t1Ss sUutdssG ahk ono~D 10 .
eoupsts b.ooa.ds q ths grsas :ostssa ocsa hsa BIO
tinse end how muoa SsssAer n msy 0tsnA we leave to
hvtoty to tell .tEla ,lrlh psIrh - fslaff ilsrs I"
,Thsse y tAAdGsy n ne ecsauisstiuns II both the
the Afosn slAvs tssAs !. pssc IN pdsnt esssSlisAed
and al oppo<tion 10 this claim Of sascA IN bona
~ suspicious would Lord Pslmseseon speaks Of
trading pirates and Lord Aberdeen Of 'prat
But this is ooss lngusgs except - Ar n II has refer
to muncpal Lawn ThssaaSs tsAde sous unjus
tfabe and ought everyvsss 10 y prescribed and igor
ously punished But h Of that olaa Of acts whose
crimnsty depends upon the lsws a dsssat countries
nation combinatioa Of nations may call IL piracy
and apply their own citizens the punishment usually
prescribed for that crime, Bst this change of names
changes nothing ia the nature a things. and piracy is
past = ~, n, $50 -,.y ~. "A
Az the sss Of sAvsry ITSELF it wsxs idle to contend
il b Illegal by the consent Of mankind II has
probably nation, ancient or modern. among whom it
has not been known. By some it hAs been abolished,
and where II yet survives, hope tt condition has
been meliorated This is certainly true Of the United
States general disposition u gaining ground to Inn
prove the situation Of this unfortunate class of society
This IL felt In the southern States Of tho American
federacy well elsewhere end he who should judge
Of the treatment Of the slaves In that region by their
trtment In the West India colonies would do the south
en planter sgrseas injustice TIE best proof of this
assertion n the A0t dlplossd By tho statistical tables
puhAishsd By the American gVvsmmsa that In some of
the slave 6ats tho savss ines~ss sr shan The white
popuaAion; and snoths 1ct noe les a9n6osve III tho
rate Of their natural augmsattoo This - found TO be
between twenty-five and thirty per cent In each decen
NAL period. sA vefy Sspeotable countryman now here
In Whose sAtsosut paaes fall oonhdsnos has just in
formed " he has suamnsd tho subject and nds that
though there than fourteen millions Of free white
persons In the United States and but two millions and
half of slaves the number In the latter class
hundred yAa of age almost double that In the former
We 9layAhOldAr Z We hnvo We
shall b. We deprecate its existence in principle
and pray for III aboloh everywhere, where this be
effected justly and peaceably, and safely for both par
deaa But we would not carry fire. and devastation and
murder. and ruin into peaceful community, to push on
the accomplishment Of the object But after having Wis
tied tho three quarters of tho old continent say before
God end the world, that We have sen far more and
frightfu misery since landed in Europe and
haps pisied keand yd than have among
this class Of people in the United States Whatever may
be said khee Is much Of the patraoha relation between
the southern planter and the slave And to the phys
cal distress which in Europe resulting from the
want of food and from exposure to rigorous winter
without adequate clothing believe it to be as
not to form Just element In the consideration of this
matter. But the subject Of the emancipation of two mil
lions and half of human beings living among another
population of different and color and with different
habits and feelings IL of the gravest questions which
can b submitted 10 society to solve 1t can be safely
left only to those who be seriously affected by 1t
and there 1t 10 left by the constitution of the United
States. It is matter with which the general govern
rnent has concern aG gi8 Il
And 30 with respect TO the slave trade 1t is traffic
which be traced back to the time of Jacob whose
sold Egypt and down, in form other
during the successive ages which have interviewed to the
last century when by treaty arrangement with Spain
England obtained, great commercial favor, the
privilege of supplying tho Spanish colonies with saveso
and to tho present, WHOM after many years of bitter op
poson TIE Englsh Parliament voted tho abolition of
the slaye radef but when some of the greatest names
in England were found in the minority. These states
by their votes not only pronounced the slave trade
to be legal and expedent but moral also, far that
consideration fomedat that time motive Of Legislative
action That it is illegal by the great code of public law
statesman, publicist, wellnformed will
seriously Thanks to the advancing opinions of
the age its atrocty is geneally acknowledged and the
obligation Of Christian States to expate almost overy
where felt and obeyed But II h not permtted in order
to attain great good to commit great evilin order
To break up this traffic. to break down the barriers which
centuries have been rearing, and by which the weak
everywhere projected against the strong the peaceful
against the warlike The law Of nations il but general
opinion illustrated by able jurists and sanctioned by
time and by universal acquiescence Touch it rudey and
the whole fabric win disappear leaving the nations Of
the world In their mutual relations they existed in
the most barbarous ages. q " .1stH'
Most wisely and most mpressiby therefore, did Lord
Stowel say: hah Dtt
NO n.oa has the rsh. thar way M bsrauon
IN nsus good by ms.ns are untawin press
.s s,,s q : H. principle BY breaking through s' principles
Words of deeb wisdom and Of solemn warning ! and
amenahle is that their obligation has scarcely out
lived the able and venerable judge by whom they
pronounced. And above all it is to be depored that
the first public practical disAvowal Of thcss sentiments
should come from country whose Law they were ruled
TO be sasf di8sg ,fg5R tf ngra ss III essqs taai
We have already adverted to the opinion of the Duke
of Wellington in oonnexion with that Of Lord Stowoll
did from memory, but at the moment OF writing
this part of rema<ks we have been enabled TO refer
debate in the Houseof Lords, July TO- 1889, where his
sentiments fully disclosed With that spirit Of frank
the qualities of that eminent man. he predictsd the issue
to which this prctenson must lead. He said a a
rhs c,anse u, question made II lawful 70 dsp sny vessel what
persons Ach authority were
the Consequences intended any power
voyage, had treaties powers
y and the House ought % wen pause before they ados
Again on the 18th Of August the Duke remarked:
wa. wen known that with the Untod States VIC had no oonyon
there indeed cngagcmenb made by diplomatic
nothing tho disposition their pcst
a"a s and there We: ono point
Of vossch belonging The Onion He the
proceed rather In couhc declaration
war" hg iff+safi sss 500 ali
We quote the remarks of Lord Brougham because they
equally Honorable TO himself to truth and to the
American government !: ~ a'A hI.fa- ilAa ~ y
O..
ccmstyie riga ssasshs Tsa u sf3 sJ u hIa n
"nshps t ths unatsA Htates vcry
PERIOD hey wsrs snahlsd b Do BY the federal unlon had
- pssSt ds suhjs6n carry me govern
Unia strong
srnens bad anch direct and powerful means controlling
subjects" = ~. = =
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