Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-06-08


The venerable Father Of the House, devotes
an. article in the last Ashtabula Sentinel to the
War in vinjication OF the Slave
Trade, which he views as a grave matter, des-
tined to affect the honor of our Government
After stating the facts touching our treaty OF
Ghent. entered into with Grea. Britain in 1914,
by which we stand pledged to use ~Our best
endeavors to entirely abolish the traffic j.
slaves" and to the AshburtOn treaty o. 10,
by which We stipulated to furnish !. n.,,.l e..
of so guns to be staiiOne] upon ,be Af-;o,n
coast for the purpose Of preventing the traffic in
slaves; with truthful reference TO the had
faith of the United States in carrying out those
treaties as manifested by maintaining bar
barous ''trafhe in slaves" on our Southern coast,
and the fitting out in our ports, under the eye
of our Government, Of more slave ships than
from all other ports of the Christian world, Mr..
G. says:
While we have thus violated our solemn
treaty, Great Britain has entirely abolished
this traffic "A slares" among her West India
Islands, has even abolished the institution OF
slavery therein. and exerted her power and in
fluenee for its entire abolition upon the African
coast.
Now it appears to US that no Just, no hon
orable owner or captain Of ship engaged in
lawful commerce could object to having his
trHs character kaOlrn- No jlst nalion, no Just
statesman or government ever did OF ever viii
object to having their suspected ships visited
for the purpose of ascerlaining their real char
acter.
But attempts are now being made to change
the views Of the christian world. in regard %
slavery; to make it respected. For this pur-
pose the public mind in regard to the slave
trade must be modified and changed While
the civilized world regard the slave trade as
PTasy, they must look upon slavery with equal
adherence.
In order therefore to cause slavery and the
slave trade to be respected, Mr.. Buchanan, on
learning that British ships had visited our YES
sels in the Gull, precisely as they had previous
ly, becomes enraged, calls Cabinet Council,
orders our own vessels Of war to the Gull, with
every appearance Of hostile intentions.
The Senate learns the fact, and becomes ex-
cited; resolutions ar presented looking to war.
Denunciations, threats, and language Of intimi-
dation are used in the Senate Chamber against
Christian nation for its honest efforts to sup
press piracy, and coup e etaf for the capture
Of the whole British navy appears determined
on by that grave and learned body
We cannot speak for others, but to our mind
the whole thing appears undignifed We
would say to that body Of grave statesmen, that
far above your reach and thoughts, eternal JUS
tiee sits eRtkrOned with omnipotent powers
You cannot repeal her laws. But you may
conform 10 them.
We sincerely hope that England will carry
out her treaty stiP1lations; that she will pursue
tie course which she long since adopted on this
subject. If a war result from this cause, the
civilized world will condemn us. Our own
judgments and consciences will condemn US.
Every honest, Christian statesman will feel that
our country is disgaced. We envy not the
statesman who now lends bis influence in car
rying on this farce; for we can characterize 1t
in no other appropriate language. Our Sena-
tors will find it so 1t is quite likely Mr.. Bu-
chansn really thinks of war. But neither SEN
ator Toombs nor any other respectable southern
statesman eniertains the most remote idea Of
hostilities. They know that a war with Eng
land in defence OF the slave trade would prove
fatal TO their cherished ina,itution. The placing
of twenty or thirty thousand black troops from
the west lnQia 1slanQs IN OeOr4ld OF Soulu
Carolina, with proclamation of freedom to all
their brethren who .hould Join siasuss sgagld
eaas1tEFte an enfert nnnenE WI
,1rf-s sv,rrf1 - .-f--
Neither hoass- .sSs Buzt fame awaits the man
who at this day stands forth in favor Of nation
al injustice, or dishonora5le war. The maxim,
"our country, right or wrong" is atheistie in
character. The Christian rule is to " keep our
country allrays IA the righ." If wrong, let our
government be set right ard we suggest that
Il had been TAR more in accordance with the feel
ings Of our people, with the doctrines Of Chris
tianity, with the spirit OF the age, had our ships
of war been sent TO cooperate with those of
Great Britain and to {" use their best endeav-
ors entiTsly to abolish the traffic slavss." than
to be engaged as they are now in maintaining
that piracy and we would respectfully suggest
that it were more statesmanlike, more dignifed,
more in accordance with the spirit of Christian
ity and the present age for the Senate of the
United States to be so engaged in maintaining
our treaties, than in violating them in obeying
the dictates of humanity, and maintaining JUS
tice, than tits to be engaged in attempts to in
volve our nation in a war with England, be-
cause she is honestly and earnestly engaged in
carrying out her treaty obligations, and per-
forming her Christian duty. G.