The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-05-29
Gbt frlitiana 9rn,otrat.
THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.


following report upou the subject, which he
read to the convention
Mr.. Prcsideat and Gentlemen Of tie SoWhcrn
and Southeastern Commercial Conreation :
At the last meeting of this convention,
which was held at Knoxville, in the State Of
Tennessee, there were several communications
submitted with view TO elicit an expression
of feeling upon the subject Of the foreign slave
trade, which was then attracting some att en-
tion and that body, unwilling to ignore the
question, and unwilling also to act in haste
upon a matter of so much Importance, appon-
ted a committee TO take that subject into con:
sideration. They were charged TO inquire in
to the condition Of the natives Of Africa to
examine into the wants OF the south in respect
to population and labor, and report upon the
same ut this convention and that committee
having had these several subjects under consid-
GRAFTON, during the recess, now beg leave to Of
fer their report
In advance of any investigation as to the
probable effects of the foreign slave trade up,
on the fortunes either of Africa or the South
crn States Of this Republic, there is the qlcs.
ton, whether in any event, it may be right TO
bring the negro by compulsion to a life Of la
bor But that question we take TO be deter
mined by domestic slavery.
1t is obvious that two distinct and autago-
nistic forms of society have met for contest
upon the arena Of this Union. The one as
sumes that all men arc equal and that equality
is right, and forming upon that theory is stra-
ming its members to the horizontal plain OF u
democracy. The other assumes that I'LL men
are not equal that equality is not right, there
fore, and forming upon this theory, is taking to
itself the rounded form of social aristocracy.
If this were Il question to be detevmncd by
opinion there would be the room for extended
argument as to which may be the better. The
one embodies the popular ideal of the age
and, while entitled therefore to presumptons
in its favor, is established in the common mind,
by the conclusive logic of adoption The 9th
cr departs from the IDEAL and, while sentenced
therefore by popular Judgment must prove its
claims to recognition. But it has high grounds
on which to stand in claiming to be the cmbo-
diment of living social truth
!. Two races have concurreG in union here, and
these races are unequal That they are une.
quail, in character and capacity, is 700 plain,
perhaps to need an argument While the
ruling race has been capable Of progress
while it has continually advanced in law and
arts, aud is able to sustain structure of civ
ilization, not only over itself but over the 9TH
er race connected with it--that other race has
not been capable Of progress II has never
been able to rear structure Of civilization in
its native land it has not been able to sustain
the structure prepared for il in the West In
dies it has not been able to stand up TO the
structure sustained over it in the Northern
States, and neither in their native land. or in
foreign land in a savage or u civilized con
.dtion, has it ever yet been able to illuminate
one living truth with the rays Of genius
Yet, while so unequal there is no apparent
reason why these races may not come together
They are upon the surface Of the same earth
they both possess powers Of expansion aud
the God that made Them must have foresecn,
and must have intended, therefore that their 4
circles of expansion should interSect and.
unless it can be inferred that the stronger
was Intended to cXterminatc the weaker as il /
has crushed out the Indian on this continent.
and as man eXpels the untamed beasts, ii 4
would seem that some form of union was in.
tended between them.
II intended that Il union should occur, il .
must have been intended, also that it should
occur IN the relations Of inequality, for it is
law OF the same great architect that, if nnc-
qaai IN TACT, they must be unequal In relations;
that bodies OF unequal grayty must rest upon
unequal evels-that oil and water poured into
the same vessel must settle in plains Of nnc-
qual elevation, and so, therefore, il would /
seem that in this form of social constitution
there is not only no wrong, but that here, us
elsewhere, if nature be true to herself superb
or power must find its Office in superior posi-.
ton.
Nor, though democracy be the ideal Of the
age is there the reason for believing that hu.
man society was intended to consist, forever, {
OF an unarticuated mass Of pure demoeraey.- 4
1t Is to be remembered that no such mass has ID
ever yet commenced the march of social move. h
ment. Whenever states have come to GREAT. h
ness they have exhibited the condition of unc- {
quail classes. There were Citizens and Slaves -,
in Greece, Patricians and Plebeians in Rome +
Peers and Villains in England, Mobiles and t
Peasants in Central Europe, and generally 4
there has been social power and pro.
gress there has been articuation-a ruling i,
aud subject class, if not ruling and subject q
race--an artificial if not natural dualism.-- y
And SO also is it to be noticed that no state I
has ever yet survived the loss of such political 9