The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-06-24

- ofVfGS1t0, 70 NC aOc0 anu recovered DJ aCkOu
Of debt In any court In the United States-ons-
half thereof to the usc Of the United States. the
other half to any person or persons prosecuting
for the penalty; and in any action instituted
for the penalty aforesaid, the person or persons
sued may be held to special bail Provided, al
ways, That nothing in this act shalt be constru-
ed toprshibit the admission Of Indians"
1t will be seen that Congress, by this act,
undertook to cooperate with those States
which, by State legislation has interposed
~ prevent the importation Of negroes into
this country. At that time the constitution
al prohibition to which have before refer.
red restrained Congress from the absolute
power Of prohibiting such importation. The
States, however, not being under such res
traint, had in several instances adopted meas
ures Of their own ; and the act Of 1853 shows
the promptness Of the General Government
in exercising whatever power it possesses in
iurtheranee Of the object. The language of
this act is important 10 another view. 1t
will be observed that its object is to prevent
the importation into the United States of
"any negro, rnulatto, or other person of col.
or, not being a native, citizen or register
ed seaman Of the United States, or seamen
natives Of countries beyond the Cape of
Good Hope" Ii is rot confined to slaves or
negroes bound 10 labor but contemplate the
exclusion in the broadest terms, Of all such
persons, without regard to the character in
which they may be brought. 1t excludes
free persons as well as slaves and persons
bound to labor or service. The only limit.
alton in the act il, that it is confined to such
persons as are prevented by the laws Of any
Of the states from 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 slavchold
ing states has always been opposed to the
increase Of its free negro population and it
IL proper here to remark that at the present
time the policy is more earnestly sustained
in those States than at any previous period
OF their history.
After tn is reference TO the laws on the
subject it is hardly necessary TO repeat that
if the application Of Messrs. Latitte and Co.
contemplate the introduction Of negroes in
to the United States from Africa, either in
the character OF slaves or az apprentices
bound to service or labor, il il clearly in
violation of both the letter and spirit OF the
law, and cannot be granted.
The form of the application made by
Messrs. Llattte d Co., would seem to con.
template the introduction into the United
States OF negroes from Africa, entitled, on
their arrival to all the rights and privileges
of freemen. The proposition, on its face, is
30 absurd that it is hardly worthy Of serious
realization Messrs. Iaftte & Co. ask us to
believe that their vessel, fitted out in the
port OF Charleston, 5. C., is going upon a
voyage 10 Africa to bring to some port in
the United states cargo Of free negroes.
The port to which the vessel expects 10 re-
turn is not ndi, ate1. II cannot be the one
from which il sails nor any other port in
the State OF South Carolina, IA the intro.
ducton Of free negroes into that State is
wisely prohibited by stringent laws and
heavy penalties II cannot be the port of
! any other slaveholding state, a. similar laws
Ia each OF those states alike forbid it, The
reason Tor such laws is So manifest that do
not feel called upon either to produce the
evidence OF their existence or to Justify the
policy which ed TO their adoption. 1t is
sufficient to know that the public mird Of
that section OF the JniOn is not more cor
daily agreed upon any one subject than up
on the proprety and necessity OF prohibit.
ing, as TAR as possible, an increase Of the
free negro population and hence the laws
to which refer. prohibiting their impor,
tation from any place. Can it be that
Messrs. LATTE 4 Co. propose to return, with
their cargo OF free negroes, TO port in some
of the non slaveholdIng states am not
aware OF single state where these new.
corners would receive tolerant, much less
cordial welcome, Wills, by stringent
laws and constitutional provisions, some Of
them have provided for their unconditional
exclusion.
Looking beyond the legislation which ha.
been had on the subject by the General
Government, and both the sayeholding and
the non-slayeholding States, may be per
mitted TO refer, IN this connection to the
various, repeated, aud earnest efforts which
have been made, in every section OF the
Union, 10 provide for the removal from our
midst of this most unfortunate class. How
ever variant the motives which have induced
thcse efforts with ditfepnt persons. in differ
ent sections of the country, they all exhibit
an earnest desire 10 diminish rather than in.
crease the free negro population This pub
lie opinioo thus manifested in every form is
familiar 10 every one and i, would be doing
great injustice 10 the intelligence Of Messrs.
LATTE 4 Co. TO suppose that they alone
were ignorant Of il. Wherr. then. do they
propose 10 land their cargo OF ;tee negroes
Wba, Is the motive which induces the enter.
prl>ey There are no Africans seeking a
passage To this cuuniTy, aud, il there were
they have 10 means Ut remuneraiing Messrs.
LATTE 4 co, ior bringing them. The mo
tive cannot be mere philanthropy, Tor il
would confer no heactit upon these negroes
to bring them 10 our shores. where II per-
mittNi TO land at all 1t would only be 10 a.
cupy oar pcs,-aoGs,s. hospitals and pF'S0Gs.
To believe unicr the circumstances, that
there u iona afs purpos- on the part Of
M,SSrs Iatttr 4 Ga Ia hiring A,riIan prnf-