Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-12
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.

No~~S~~~~
BY RITCHIE &c DUNNAVANT.
FRIDAY, MARCH II, 1858.
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THE SLAVE TRADE AND THE CoOLIE
TRADE.
Whether, as some of the press assert few slaves
have recently been transported from Africa to Lousi
aua and Mississippi 10 question of little Importance,
except to those persons who may have thereby rem
dsred themselves liable to conviction for felony. No
thing is more improbable at this day than reopen.
ing of the slave trade between Africa and the United
States under the sanction Of law; and even an at
tempted illegal traffic would meet with 30 little en-
couragement from the Southern people, and must ne.
cessariy be so promptly suppressed by State and fed
era authorities, that slave traders and spectators
would soon find the dangers and Losses more than
commensurate with the receipts acoruing from such
an enterprise
The Constitution of the United States clearly ex-
tends to Congress the power of sbolishing foreign
slave trade; this power has been exercised for htty
years. and the restriction thus imposed has been con-
armed by numerous treaties with foreign powers,
many of which are still in force and offer an insepe-
rable obstacle 10 an immediate; re-opening of the
trade even by Congressional authority. And apart
from this difficulty, man believes that any po-
ltca combination can occur In our generation or the
next, which will induce Congressional majority to
aid or abst the ablishu,ent Of the traffic.
Thefew political jobbers who now advocate such
policy, are employing it-not for its own sake-but
as another means Of assault on the integrity OF the
Union Southern men are told that the resources of
Southern territory remain undeveloped and Southern
energies are cramped by reason OF an insufficient
supply of labor. We are heartily tired OF this spe.
cies of political cant which falsely proclams the
weakness of the South. The South is not weak. No
political community of the same population COM
msnds 60 many and so great elements of agricultu-
rsl commercial and political strength. Our soil teens
with the abundance and variety OF its products-at-
sordng food enough for all our own population
enough to spare, much to waste, and stil more to
supply the wants of nsghbors in and out Of this
Union. And apart from breadstufs and other pro-
visions for food have agricultural exports which
furnish the staff of life and Of commercial emnence
to the great nations of the EARTH We bold in check
the empire Of Great Britain itself by cotton string.
Virgins -four affords large, as it does the choicest,
portion of the supply which reaches the South Ame-
rican market Virginia tobacco finds its way to eve.
nv corner of the globe. Our population comprises
class of men, who now, as hitherto, have yielded
pre emnence to no other class in the control of fede
r.. politics. Without discourtesy toa sister State,
and without inordnste State pride we make bold to
assert that at this day. the Empire state ofNew York
does not exercise moral and intellectual influence
commensurate with that employed by Virginia in the
regulation of our general political aars. Strong in
peace we are strong in war. The Southern people
are strong enough to defend their own rights, when.
ever attacked. We are not afflicted with the.trepi-
dations and spprehensons of weakness. We strong
to defend our honor; we are strong to bear and to
forbear with our sister States. We are not driven
to desperation. There is no existing necessity for
violation of the Constitution on our part or for
disruption of the Union. We are strong enough TO
respect the Constitution and preserve the Union
And We 6nd the Union itself tower of strength.
We have no need to import new strength from Afri.
ca. And ii is more than questionable whether such
an experiment is proposed would not impair, ra.
ther than increase our real strength The question
s now 80 remote that there is necessity for arth
metca calculations to the reduced price Of slave
labor and the consequent reduced price of our pro-
ducts, and the increased amount of consumption by
an enlarged slave population. II will be enough to dive
into these considerations of political economy with all
their balancings and ultimate effects, when we are
called upon to discuss the matter In view of pract.
cal application. This as we have said, is contn
genoy too remote to be- considered at present. And,
in any event, important considerations to
be weighed in this connection. Are Southern men
prepared for revolution In their social instiutons
II ha nd Inn.
mediate effect of re opening of the slave trade
Our present slave population is not mere senseess
cbsttel In our possession They are children Of the
same soil with ourselves. They are bound to us by
ties Of affection and inheritance. We accustom-
ed to each other. The master and the slave from
childhood up to manhood, from manhood to the
grave are engaged in the kindly interchange of ser
vice and protection. The relation emnently contri.
butes to the happiness Of the slave and the dignity of
the masters. All this must be interrupted and seri-
ously impaired by the establishment Of the African
slave trade. Masters will be obliged to enter by
wholesale sad retail Into traffic preceded by violent
kidnapping In Africa and even the less Objectionable
features of which are by means considered
stituting the most humanizng and elevatng of COM
mercal pursuits. Our native slaves must be con
t6mtn6teQ ana QemOrduZtu COHtdct dllu
| association with race of savages. The Christian
izinp influences which now surround them, must be
| met with oountervang influence exercised by all
| the heather immoraies attending the influx Of a
horde of African barbarians The master, no longer
the dgnified administrator of mild psternal govern.
ent over inherited slaves, must invent sterner rule
for the subjection and domination of captive race
made prisoners In war. We are not prepared to de.
oide that any mere physical advantages, themselves
| of questionable contamination, can be sufficient to
atone for such revolution in our social relations
As for the Cooe trade, by which it is proposed to
institute system of forced apprenticeship and ulti
mate liberation OF Africans or East Indians, such
system would necessarily be attended with all the oh
jeotons which would apply to the slave trade.
1t would also be more expensive, less profitable
would create the anomaly and inconvenience Of
two distinct species of enforced ssrvitude existing
in the same community, and would ultimately embar-
rass us with an emsncipsted population more trouble
some and more numerous than the present free me-
gro population which gives rise to 30 many and
80 various complaints.
Evidently the idea Of the Coos trade is the last
sort of mere theoretical absurdity.
--sAS
A VALUABLE INSTITUTION.
We have before us Handsomely printed Cata.
logue of the Holins Institute at Botetourt Springs
in the county of Roanoke. The Board of Trustees is