Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-12-11
0bR Aatt- 5lauerp Buale.
AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE-DFBATE IN
.s. THE LEGISLATURES OF GEORGIA.


The Savannah Republican of the 23d instant fur
hishes the subjoined sketch OF debate which took
place in the Sahate of the State of Georgia on the
18th instant the bill TO strike ot so much of the
eleventh section of the fourth article of the constitu
tion which declares that "Tbere shall be no fur.
ther importation Of slaves into this State from Af
fica, or any foreign place. after the first day of Oc.
tober next" (l79S.)
: Mr.. ATKINSON said he rose not to discuss at
length the merits of this question, but to give, in
. general way, the reasons that had induced him
10 offer the bill, together with his own opinion of
the issue il was designed to meet. The bill before
the Senate was she most important measure that
had ever engaged the attention Of Southern Leg.
islaturo. It involved a great principle and fifty
millions of property. great issue was pending
in this country gnd before the bar of the world
Nbe Southern states maintain that the institution
of slavery exists among them by the sanction of
natural right and of the common law, as we'll as
OF statutory enact ents that the African race was
desigRed by Heaven as property, and that the own.
ees of slaves were justified in their title by the law
q God aud by the we'll established principles of
thss code which existed in the mother country sn.
lJ transplanted to their shores the common law
Of England. There was another party which held
that slavery was unnatural and wrong, opposed to
the Divine will and to the common law, and de-
penGent for its existence upon statutory enactment
alone that without the latter il was impossible
for it to exist any where. This latter proposition
was boldly announced by Mr.. Banks, of Massachu.
sstts, in his contest for the Speakership in Con.
gress he was elected on it by its endorsers, and
1t is now upheld as the doctrine of the North on
this question. This was the great issue which we
were called upon to face, and which this bill pro,
poses to meet so far as Georgia is party to the
contest lie would meet it promptly and boldly,
This question destined to be the dividing point
with the future political parties of the country,
and the Senate now called on to cay, by their
votes, whether they would stand by our rights and
institutions, or take sides with the Black Repub.
cans in their sentiments on this subject.
q Mr.. SPAULDING asked if the gentleman from
Camden meant to say that the opponents of his bill
were voting to sustain the Black Republicans
b Mr.. ATKINSON did not intend to say any such
thing; but he insisted that this very question was
destined to be the subject of future political divis
ions, and that the great Southern party would De
to plant themselves upon the principles
Of the bill before the Senate. The constitution as
il STOOD pus arguments into the mouths of the Alb.
and he would wipe out the stain.
Mr.. DAWSON had listened attentively to the
speech of the Senator from Camden, but had heard
no solid. practical reason for the introduction of
the bill to strike out that portion of the constitu
tion that sought to abolish the African slave trade
in Georgia after the lst of October, 1889. lie
could see no reasons for the introduction of the
bill, but many reasons why the bill should not
have been introduced. There was most clearly
division Of sentiment among Southern men upon |
the question of reopening the African slave trade
Why prscipitate upon the country an impractica.
blity Why raise an excitement among the peo- |
psi If the bill failed the Northern fanatic would
,ay that Georgia was opposed to the slave trade
f passed, the slave trade would not be re,opencd
because of the implied prohibition in the Constitu.
ion Of the United States and the express law of
1907, passed by Congress in conformity thereto
The sentiment of the civilized world was opposed
20 the reopening of the slave trade, nor was there
he slightest hope that Congress would undo the
prohibition and license the traffic. He was op.
posed to the revival Of the trade upon considera
ions of political economy and State policy He
lad no objections TO it on the score of humanity.
lie believed that the condition of the African was
improved by slavery. If he were looking alone
or the good of the African savage, he would vote
or the bill and reopen the trade, which, after all
yas the ultimate object of this movement, and as
uch he would discuss it, The real question, as
10 understood it, was. is it the interest of the Com
of Georgia to pass the bill under discus
ion 2 He thought not lie believed the true in.
crest Of the State, morally, socially and POLITICAL
y, reaf6rmed the views and motives of the franz
RS of our constitution, who incorporated in 1898
he provision sought to be stricken from it, I
The Senator from Camden had intimated that I
here were but two partes-Democratic and Re. l
had assumed to classify those who {
ook position in this debate. The men who op. I
osed the BILL and would resist the opening of the
lave trade, were as tr1e to the South and her in
titutons as they who advocated the one and would
feet the other. He would ask the Senator if the I
revision which he seeks to strike from the Con. t
ti.uton had not been the organic law of Georgia i
rom 1898 until now if it had not been placed r
ot been acquiesced in by the Shareholders of Geor
10 for nearly seventy years b
The Senator from Camden has said that the is. il
10 was whether slavery existed by the common .
w or by Legislative enactment. Mr.. Dawson n
ould endorse the first proposition. He was ready u
demonstrate that slavery existed in Great Brit. h
in ut the time the colonies revoted that it ex, q
tied in the colonies, continued to exist af.
" the separation, and was recognized by the S
Constitution and in the decisions of the Supreme d
ourt. There were three hundred thousand slaves d
, the United States in 1898 now we have over o
We million. sufficient for all necessary purposes. j
lave labor was barely remunerative now. When n
,ers lee large crop Of cotton. prices 20 down y
hen the crop is small prices 60 up, showing that
here is no need Of additional labor in it's produc-
on, The ratio Of the increase Of the slaves was g
resser than ths. Of the whites, and the present h