Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-11-10

my observation"
EXTRACT
FROM HAWKES. HISTORY, VOL. I'd.
As to the agricultural Iabors-who we're they!
First there were negro slaves. 1t has unhappily
seemed meet to the self clarifying humanity of mod
ern t'mes both in England and in some portions o:
the United States to lift the hands and eyes to
heaven in holy horror, and descant with a somewhat
clamorous indignation, transmitted BY selfrighteous-
ness into imaginary Christian zeal, upon the god.
illness which prompted it. upon the one hand, to free
itself from all connection with slavery; and the
atrocious and damnabe guilt, the other hand, of
all those who having in Gods providence been in
trusted with the protection and comfort OF the poor
southern slave, have not yet been able to see that
immediate and universal emancipation would either
discharge them from their solemn responsibilities to
God or fulfil the duty which they owe both to their
country and their slaves Now We mean not, here
at least to discuss in the abstract the correctness of
the one or the other view Of the subject; but in
telling our story, as truth requires Of to say our
forefathers had negro slaves we would fan tell the
uhole truth, and therefore feel obliged to offer
picture of past times and speak of things they
were. Our depression shall be brief We are not
sure that our picture will reflect much credit the
humanity of our English forefathers; and it may,
perhaps, even ruffie the pous complacency of some
of our northern countrymen, who may possibly be
led to suspect, that after ALL their own ancestors
were not less wicked than those whom they now
denounce as irrevocah'y damned; while they
themselves "partakers of other mems sins" by
living, without compunction, on the profits Of their
forefathers' iniquity.
Who first brought these negro slaves to North
America? We answer, without hesitation, English
men, under the countenance of the English govern
ment. A late British writer has, with great zeal,
denied that England "toreed the Americans to be-
come shareholders" while, at the same time, he
has admitted that Great Britain I" facilitated her
colonial offspring to become Shareholders" EN-
couraged her merchants in tempting them to acquire
slaves; and "excelIed all her competitors in slave.
stealing" This is all true; but there is also more
truth that Engands apologist has left untold. The
English people embarked in the African slave-trade
in 1862, and in that year carried a cargo to His
PAMELA The success Of the speculation soon en-.
listed others in the business; and private assocs
tons, embracing some Of the most opulent and dis
tnguished men of the kingdom, we're speedily FORM
ed. Very soon the object was considered of nation.
al Importance, as connected with the commercial
pursuits and prosperity of the country. In the
reign of James l. Q6l90 a royal charter made
j"lntstock company in London, with the exclusive
privilege of taking negroes from Africa and carly
ing them into slavery. Private adventurers inter
fered so much with this trade, that the charter
at last abandoned. Charles ]. granted another
charter, which from the cause (private cupid
ity and interference) shared the fate of the former
When Charles II. came to the throne (l66D, Daven-
ant informs us that "a representation being soon
made to him that the British plantations in America
were, BY degrees, advancing TO such condition as
necessarily required greater yearly supply Of SER
wants and laborers than could we'll be spared from
England, without the danger of depopulating his
majesty's native domnions, his majesty did upon
account Of supplying these plantations ,cith negroes
publicly invite all his subjects to the subscription of
q new joint stock, for recovering and carrying on
the trade to Africa II The subjects came in crowds
Mt fho r;nt;np l;cfc
show the names of numbers of the first people in
England. From this time the trade to Africa was
considered and treated as of national concern par.
lament from time to tme nterfered to sustain and
improve it, SO that in 1892, less than six-and-
twenty acts might be counted on the English statute
book, directly sanctioning and encouraging the AZ
rican slave trade.
This trade was deemed SO important by England,
that 1t involved her in q war with the Dutch she
sought monopoly of the traffic; she had two thirds
of the whole slavetrade of the world; she stipula.
ted for its enjoyment. in her treaties with foreign
powers she kept constantly employed in it from
one hundred and fifty to two hundred ships; she
built forts in Africa to maintain it; she voted par
iiainentary grants of money to uphold it; and if we
include the whole period Of time in which she car
ried on the business, under legal sanction, she
took away more thar six millions of negroes from
Africa and caused, in two centuries the destruc.
ton OF number of these poor creatures quite equal
to two thirds of the whole of the present black
uation of the United States! It is not therefore,
perfectly accurate in Mr.. Graham to assert as he
does, that prior to the regin Of Queen Anne, "the
siave-;rade waa not comprehended within the scope
and operation Of the commercial policy of the Brit
ish government" Queen Anne came 20 the throne
in 1902; and we have seen, that, for q century be.
fore that time the trade had been treated as very
important feature Of Engand's Commercial pol
ICY somee4tiy SO to cause 0Gr UiM Holland.
AS to his declaration that the mother country did
not force" slaves on the American colonies it in.
wolves little more than dispute a. to the nneanino
OF the word he has used. No penal laws. indeed.
were made Furnishing the plantations for not recev.
ing slaves imported from Africa but in 1862, coun.
tenance was given to their importation upon nc.
count Of supplying the plantations with negroes
at q time when their commercial relations with the
mother country, under the English laws of trade
left them but . choice between the alternatives Of
an increase of the laboring population or of hope
less poverty and virtual ssrfdom. English men and
English ships under English laws, first brought the
Africans to America as bondmen, and to such ar
extent, that negro slavery, before the commences
ment OF the eighteenth century, existed in every
one Of the old thirteen States except Georges, which
was not planted until 1888; and, without intending
any degree to extenuate the guilt Of any Of thu
ted to say, that it wss England who brought til,
Temptation to the door Of her colonies that Eng
land did it. not TO serve them bnt to enrich herself
and that it was Eng'and's commercial regulations
touching the plantations, that made the America,
coonists the mere ready, in the neesasies Of thei
position, to yield to the temptation -
Bot England did more cruel wrong in this msa
ter than that merely q tempting the Anslo-Ameri
cans to buy. She placed before them perniciou
example. add thereby provoked them to imitation
rnsni Graham Of Edinburgh. See his History of III
moir% o'a'es voi i Bostos edition. p. Xviii of II,
TIL sven'nfs Works, vol '. Reflections on the Aca
49, sgc.zse,z Z.