The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-09-09
THE "ECHO's" CARG0-wHAT SHALL BE
DONE WITH IT?

The people of Charleston, South Carolina,
| and of other Southern towns, are exercised to
an intense degree respecting the cargo of slaves
brought into that port by the captured SLAYER,
| the Echo. Some of the ultra friends of Sls-
very have already advocated the enslavement
of these wretched creatures, but the respectable
journals, even of Charleston, counsel obedience
| to the United States laws aud the law of Gcd,
| which reads, Thou shalt not steal. The Charles.
| ton Courier remarks:
"Our community is much excited on the
question, what shall be done with these Afri.
cans? AS the law is explicit in relation to
their disposal, it is to be hoped that every re-
spect will be paid to its acquisitions, and that
| all false sentimentality will be laid aside. Any
effort to rescue or kidnap them would not only
fail, as the most complete armed watch and
guard will be maintained by the Federal au.
| thorities and troops here, bat such effort would
subject the parties attempting it to treatment
| as reasonable mob.
"Under the act of Congress, the President
| must remove these Africans to some point in
Africa, probably Liberia, where under charge
of an agent they will be taken care of at the ex-
pense of the United States until they can provide
| for themselves and determine on where they will
| 60. In the mean time, their support will be at
Government cost, under the charge of its cffi
Gals, and they will PROFESSIONALLY be sent, as
promptly possible, vessel Uf war ~
| Africa"
| This is very well, but the language which
follows is singular indication of the public
sentiment in South Carolina;
cit is evident that the Government officials
here have no discretion, but have simply
to perform their duty under the above act
Proper respect should be paid alike to their ac
tion and motives. Nor should Christian hu.
manity be shocked by the inevitable return of
| these Africans to their own country, as every
care will be taken of them. They cannot be
permitted to be enslaved, nor would it be either
polite or proper that they should be turned
loose in the United States as freemen. They
are savages, whose condition on their return TO
Africa will be materially ameliorated.
"The crew of the Echo will be tried for
piracy under the act of 1920. Although this
| 10 despicable law, 1t is laao; and it is to be
hoped that South Carolinans will have the
moral courage and law.abiding sense to do
their duty under it. Let us rely on Executive
| clemency to abate its harsh and terrible exac-
| tons.
"lf the Echo had first come into the hands
of the State authorities the crew, ship, and ne
groes, would have been disposed of under the
State act of 1895, which is very severe. But
now, although the vessel and Africans are with.
| in the waters of the State, they came here
under Federal capture and authority, and must
| remain 80, subject to Federal disposal under
| Federal laws, and cannot be brought under
| State jurisdiction. No conflict Of jurisdictions
can properly occur"
| The Government officials who step in and
prevent the good people of Charleston from
stealing these negroes need special plea from
the newspapers to give them the respect of said
people
The Courier feels very sorry that the slavers
are to be tried as pirates-the law is despica-
BILE ore, it says-but it trusts to the kindly in.
stincts of President Buchanan to mitigate it's
terrible exactions-a confidence not misplaced.
We dare say. A President who has been 80
generous and kind TO rutfians in Kansas, will
surely be lenient to pirates in the glorious
cause of advancing the interests of Slavery.
| The Courier doubles may assure the Charles.
ton people hat the pirates of the Echo will be
pardoned. and possibly appointed to Office by
| the Administration.
H6| An American has become involved in
the De Pene affair in France.
GA correspondent of German paper, wri.
| ting from Baden under date of August 4tb,
says that Mr.. NJ, 20 wealthy American at
present sojourning in Baden, has been, like M.
De Pene, called to account by French sub.
lieutenants. It having transpired that Mr.. N.
was the author of an article in an American
journal rejecting sever ely upon the character
of the French sub-lieutenants several of the
aggrieved party Immediately sought him out,
aud demanded satisfaction for the insult. I
"The American promptly accepted the chal.
lenge, and at noon to-day the parties repaired
to the adjacent frontier, where the American
and one OF the lieutenants were to settle the
difficulty according to the rules of the code.
| After the FIRST FIRE, in which neither party was
wounded, the Americans second, an Austrian
ex-oficsr, intimated to his principal that, as he
was in TACT the aggressor, and had satisfied the
demand of honor, he should now make the
amende honorable. With this request the
American complied, and thus the matter termi.
mated, without bloodshed."
The French Government seems desirous OF
hushing up the De Pene tragedy, and little ia
said OF it in the French journals Louis Ma.
poleon is shrewd enough to know that it is no,
wise to remind the French people too often Of
their subsection to the military power.
There is an effort making in California for
fusion of the Broderick or Douglas Democrats
with the Republicans. 1t is said there is no,
much probability that it will be done, but, if i,
is, the Administration ticket will DO defeated
this month.