Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-02-05
NapOleon's Defence Of the New Slave Trade OF
France.

Napoleon's Defence OF the New Slave Trade Of
France.
Translated from the Paris Constitutional Dec. 20.
We stated in late article in reply to the Times,
that the decline of the English cokies should not be
attributed to negro emancipation and that the proes
sional abotonists of England alone guilty of that
decline, brought about, it was, by their Just and
systematic hostility to the planters In order to restore
free labor injured by trial which unsuccessful and
false in prcipe, the Times calls upon us to renew the
experiment on a new plan. We have always thought
that complicated plan was unnecessary-al that is re-
quired to give labor the colonies the same freedom
and latitude secured to it in Europe For instance, the
planters have not been free to procure aborers to con
ne and extend the cultivation of the SOIL This is
of the principal the abotionists have committed
In Europe the supply of aborers has always exceeded
the demand. In the colonies, on the contrary the de-
mand has exceeded the supply The population is in
sufficient and it never can be augmented by European
emigration In the tropics European can venture to
cultivate the SOIL To him it yields but deadly enema
tons while its richest products bestowed repay the la
Dor of the African or Asiatic. The white man may,
without DANGER carry his capital and his industry to the
colonies but his constitution is untitled to endure great
physical fatigue there.
The colonists could have procured aborers from Asia
and Africa that could not be surpassed, if the abo
onists had consented but this they would not do and
and with their usual mode OF reasoning, claimed to act
for the interest of the slave while refusing to this reform
the indispensable elements of success So efectualy
have they opposed Indian and African emigration, that
in the English West India Islands the cultivation of the
soil has been left to the caprice of Creole laborers who
enjoying undsturbed monopoly, naturally abuse it by
charging high for little labor.
1t is the business of Great Britain to bring these ia
natcal abOtlOnlSt to reason But the consequence OF
their false doctrines have affected Our colonies have
suffered from lack of hands well the English colo
MES, and it cannot be any longer endured If neigh
bors choose to submit to the consequences of their abo
tion theories the rest of the world is not obliged to
adopt them its rule of conduct. Their code of phi
lanthropy Is not law for Thus our government,
having recognized emigration at once useful and NOR
AL has authorized traders to engage aboers in Asia and
Africa for the French colonies.
up to the present time Asia has furnished a very
small number of laborers. Will the supply be more
abundant in future? We know not. India is not
French colony.
In that vast territory we possess only few establish
ments, OF a very limited extent Emigration has not
been viewed without jealousy by the Ango-Indans.-
The intolerance of the abotionss has been made of
there to and retard operations AS for China
1t is distant that cannot look to it for emgrans
the expense would be too great Besides the unsettled
condition OF the Chinese empire obstacle that must
not be overlooked.
But Africa continues to be the source whence the col
onies first drew their aboring population 1t is conve
nlent to our American possessions Its inhabitants
gentle robust sociable and inclined to agricultural pur-
suits Then in addition to this they oppressed and
subject to the horrors OF perpetual anarchy in their
| country.
to Africa for labOrers for cOones And plan
ters authorized by government careful of their interests
have turned their attention to that quarter. African
emigration has commenced it is pursued with energy
and we hope it will continue until colonies revive
But is great scandal to the superannuated society
which was accustomed for twenty-five years to behold
the world Bow before its DEGREES in matters of phanhro
Ply. What lay hand on Africa, the holy ark which
has been guarded with such an extreme jealousy, and
defended still more by the prestige which has acquired
Yet the Times thinks the present opportunity fortunate
for Selling 1t again and thanks to its proceedings, Par
lament already resounds with the declaration OF griev
ances the most grevous of which u.s. that they cannot
have laborcrs from Africa except they purchase them
again. 1t is natural result of the social state of that
country, Slavery is the general condition of it's work
ing population AS 1T is not among the merchants, the
mechanics nor the landed proprietors that find emf
grant laborers here in Africa do not seek among
the free who ENJOY certain degree of comfort and
hority for aborers willing expatriate themselves to
work for wages under foreign climate. African emf
grafton would be reduced to the smallest proportion it
were restricted to those only who free; but it be-
comes serious when it falls on those who have been re-
deemed from slavery.
Besides the phanthropists seem unable to endure the
idea Of this emancipation. They say that an emigration
so conducted is better than the slave trade But it
is not enough to say SGT remains to be proved. We
think this species of emigration does not exhibit
one of the characteristics Of the slave trade every
spect 1t is different The slave trade consisted pur
chasing Africans in order to transport them into coun
try where they sold slaves where they forced
to work under fear of the ash and where they, well
their children become the property of master
Emigration on the contrary, carry it on is based
I upon the Immediate reimbursement of the African
and In consequence of this liberation, the black freeman
IS transported into the country free from bondage and
takes his place in the bosom of free society," Thus
from miserable African, emigration makes him free
citizen and an Independent workman. He is likewise
brought within Christian influence. Looked at in this
light in needs neither jurisdiction excuse-it is
work of pety and mercy, as well as of sound policy
But, says the English, when you buy slaves from the
African chiefs you encourage those chiefs to procure
others by means of ncursons and thus perpetuate in
testine wars in that unhappy country. Unfortunately
the harbaranS which reign that continent is exercs
ed independently of all outside pressure. When an AT
rcan chief does not sell his slaves he kills them.
To deprive Africa of contact with civilization under
the ptext OF preserving peace among her tribes is
act like quack who, to cure eruption, kills his pa
tent by the internal concentration of the disease. The
African chietains have motive for making war they
do SO out OF pure instinct of destructveness and by
this alone they prove themselves savages The poor
gro captves destined for human sacrifice the occasion
OF some public festival, the tomb of warrior
would hardly call it philanthropy to leave them to he
fate under preext of humane objection to their pur
chase for emigration.
Bible societies have undertaken to submit Africa to
regime of preaching distribution of edfyng tracts ant
sanity communion. Nothing more desirable Chris
tanlty under whatever banner it may be prOpagated
is always benefit But whatever their object the ef
forts OF these societies have not yet been crowned wit
any distinguished They tell us of tribe her
and there or territory of leagues square, in whic
the words OF the missionary listened to but what
that IN the Immense extent of the African continent ??
Why will they not then leave to assist in the wo
OF civilization by means which, in our ideas are nc
effcacious?