The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-06-23
TERMS $500

lattO, or other person Of color, not being ha.
tive citizen, o. registered seamen Of the United
States or seamen natives Of countries beyond
the Cape Of Good Hope, into any port o. place
OF the United States, which port or place shall
be situated in any state which BY law has pro-
hibited, or shall prohibit, the admission or i'm
portation ofsuch negro, mtatto; or other pef-
son ofcolor, and il any captain or master afore-
! sad, or any other person shall import or bring;
or cause to be imported or brought; into any Of
the ports places Aforesaid, ally Of the persons
whose admission or importation Is prohibited as
aforesaid, he shall forfeit and pay the sum OF
$1,000 for each and every negro mulatto, or
other person Ofcolor aforesaid, brought or Inn
ported as aforesaid, to be sued for and recovered
by action of debt, in any Court of the United
States-one halfthereof.o the use of the United
States, the other halfto any person or persons
prosecuting for the penalty; and in any action
instituted for the recovery of the penalty afore-
said, the person or persons sued may be held I'd
special bail; Provided altoays, THAT nothing in
this act shall be construed to prohibit the ad.
mission Of Indians"
1t will be seen that Congress by this act uf.
dertook to cooperate with those states which
by state legislation, had interposed to prevent
the importation of negroes into the country
At that time the constitutional prohibitioh ID
which have before referred, rest rained Cong
ress from the exercise ofthe absolute bower OF
prohibiting such importation. The States. how
ever, being under no such restraint; had in sew
eral instances adapted measures 0i their own:
and the act of 1903 shows the promptness of the
General Government in exercising whatever
power 1t possessed in furtherance of the object
The language of this act is importaht In another
view. 1t will be observed that its obiect is 10
| nrpy mi thn tatso S,,A1 H. III.
of "any negro, mulatto, or other person ofcolor.
not beng native, citizen, or registered SEA-
men OF the United States, or seamen natives of
countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope" It
is not confined to slaves or negroes bound to
labor, but contemplates the exclusion, in the
broadest terms, of all such persons without re-
gard to the character in which they may be-
brought. 1t excludes free persons as we'll as
slaves and persons bodnd I'd labor or Service
The only limitation iii the act is, that It is con-
| fined to such PERSONS as are prevented by the
laws of any ofthe States frotn being imported
into such States.
At that time there existed laws Of some Of
the states not only prohibiting the introduction
of negro slaves, but also free negroes. Indeed.
the policy OF the slaveholding states has always
been opposed to the increase of its free negro
popuation;and it is proper here to reriark, that
at the present time that policy is more earnest.
ly sustained in those states than at any previous
period of their history. After this rgiefence to
the laws on the subject, it is hardly NECESSARY
to repeat thatif the application Of Messrs Lafit-
te & Co con'emplates the Introduction of neI
groes into the United States from Africa, either
in the character of slaves or as apprentices
bound to service or labor, it is clearly III viola
ton Of both the letter and spirit of the laa; aid
cannot be granted.
The form of the duplication made bv Messrs.
Lafitte Co., would seem to contemplate the
introduction into the United States Of nerruss
from Africa, entitled on their arrival, to ali tho
rights and privileges of freemen The propo-
siton uponi its face is SO absurd that it is hard.
y worthy Of serious refutation Messrs. I,afit-
te & Co., ask us to believe that their Vessels:
fitted out in the port of Charleston, S. G., is
going upon voyage to Africa, to bring to some
port in the United States cargo of free negroes.
The port to which the vessel expects to retiirn
is not indicated. 1t cannot be the one from
which it sails, nor any other port in the State
Of South Carolina, as the introduction of fres
negroes into that state is wisely prohibited by
stringent laws and heavy penalties. It cannot
be the port ofany other saveholdlng state, ~
similar laws in each of those states alike forbid
it. The reason for such laws is SO manifest
that do not feel called upon either to produce
the evidence of their ezsterte, or to justify the
policy which lead to their adoption. 1t is suff.
cient to know that the public mind Of that Sec
tion of the Union is not more cordially agreed
upon any one subject than upon the propriety
and necessity of prohibiting, as faf as possible.
an increase of the free negrb population; atd
hence the laws to which / refer, prohibiting
their importation from any place. :
Can it be that Messrs Lafitte h Co., rrtnosa
to return, with their cargo Of free iiegfbes, to
port in some of the non slaveholding states? L
am not aware OF single state where these new
corners would receive d tolerant, much less \
cordial welcome; whilst, by stringent laws and
constitutional provisions, some of them hays
provided fof their unconditional exclusions
Looking beyond the legislation which has
been had on the subject by the geferal govern :
ment and both the slayeholding and the fiofi-
slaveholding states may be permitted to re-
fer, in this connection, to the various REPEATED
and earnest efforts which have beeii hiade id
every section the Union, to provide for the
removal from our midst of this most unfortunate
class However variant the motives which
have induced these efforts with different per
sons, in different sections of the Country. they
all exhibit an earnest desire to diminish rather
than increase the free negro population. This
public opinion, thus manifest in every form, Is
familiar to every one, and Il would be doing
great injustice to the intelligence Of Messrs.
Lafitte q Co.; to suppose that thay alone wers
ignorant oft. Where, then, do they propose 10
land their cargo of free negroes? What is this
motive which induces the enterprise2 It cannot
be the profits ofthc voyage. There are no All.
rican emigrants seeking passage I'd this coiiu.
try; and il they were, they have no means az
remuneratihg Messrs. Lafitte & Co., for bring
ing them. The motive cannot be mefe philan.
thropy, for it would confer No benefit upon thess
negroes to bring them to our shores. where. If
permitted to land at all, it would only be to
occupy our pest houses, hospitals and prisons.
10 believe under these circumstances, that
there is bona file purpose on the part of Mesrs.
Laftte y Co., TO bring African eiriigrhnts to
this country to enjoy the rights and privileges Of
ireemeh, would require an amount Of credulity
that would justly subject the person so belies-
ing TO the charge Of mental inibecility. The
conviction is irresistible that the object of the
proposed enterprise is to bring these aAfrican
emigrants" into the country with this yiew eth
er ofmaking slaves Of theih, or Uf holdiie them
to service or labor Tfso, it is an attempt d
evade the laws Of the county on the subject of
African importation, to which | have called
YOUR attention.
Ordinarily, II would be an iiiisae rule bbr
public officer to act upon the suspicion Of psrs
pose on the part ofanothef toivolate thS laws
Of the countrys but ia this cass it Il it SO clear.
ly beyond tho reach Of doubt that think tlat
you not only can, but thai youars In duty bound
20 act upon the presumption thar II Ii The inter-
tionot Messrs. Laf1tte & Cos, I'd evade The laws
'of the United States, and You should according
" refuse their vessel the clearance asked ior.--
u am, very respectfully. i. N