The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-09-07
A Trojan HOr>e I'm the south-1he Folly OF
Me<tdling with IL.

Jured forgive his opinion whether the slaves
captured in the Putnam are exclusively un-
der tire control of the United Statee, has
come to the conclusion thst they are 50.
This, then, leaves them legally where they
were when they were landed, and under ex.
listing acts of Congress they must be returned
to the place from which they came. When
Lieut.. Mafft ordered his prize to Charleston, it
was no doubt because it was the nearest port TO
which they could be conveniently sent, aud
where they could best be taken care Of The
ciima-o is more suitable for tbese naked ne.
eroes than Que farther north, where change in
such spectacle might lead to consequences
which would have iDterfered with the action of
the national authorities. But may this not
prove TO be Trojan horse, and within 1t may
there not lie concealed some dangerous elc-
ments of mischief!
The Charleston Mercury and even the Rich
mond Enquirer, inclnes to the opiniou-tbe for
mer openly advocates t-that for the sake Of
humanity and religion these slaves should re-
main where they are. looking probably to an
act Of Congress authorizing their retention NJ
apprentices, under the care of humane masters
Indeed, how can these poor wretcbes be return
cd to their own country Who knows
what part of it they were brought from,
to what tribes or nations they belong,
and who will receive ard protect them when
they reach their native shores Ia all human
probability when they do return, they will
again become slaves Of some native chieftain or
King of Dahoney-probably the very one who
captured them in war and by the right of con.
quest sold them into slavery. Will humanity
gain any thing by such procedure as this
So far as this view Of the subject il TO be taken,
it is better that they should never return The
f.rcest abolitionists would object to it.
But if they are to be appreDticed, then it fol-
lows they must come under she laws which re
eplste such status They must be fed, cloth
cd and trained to some useful and Industrial pur
suit and ON arriving at the termination of their
indentures be allowed to receive aud appropri-
ate the profits Of their labor. Are the South
Csroiinisns prepared to accede to this arrange
ment? Let u see what would be the result to
them. The whole auti.slavery feeling Of the
Union would Immediately busy Itself, perhaps
offcicusly, in looking after these apprentices,
ard watching their progress from day 10 day.
If the abolitonists have no legal or constitu-
tiopal right to interfere with the present do
nestle institutions of the South, they would
doubtless seize upon the present opportunity,
aud claim and exercise the right Of discussing
The condition and immuoities of these appren-
tees, and make the most of it. Every act Of
discipline, every denial Of justice, every failure
OF neglect ON the part of the masters would
be heralded to the world, exaggerated
represented a. even worse than slavery.
since In the one case the apprentices
may b. stinted, from motives Of cupidity, in food
and clothing and be thrown off to shift for them
selves as soon as their indentures expire while
the slave IL cared for and protected TO his dying
day. If, on the other hand, however, the plan
should work well, then they would try the other
tack, ard demsnd, as it succeeds in this case,
that IL should ~ applied Unfortunately to all
negroes now held in bondage The South would
lie condemned upon their own showing, By their
own experiment and out of their own mouths,
and II they hesitatsd to make the required
change would be held up to the scorn and GEN.
fure OF the world.
But still farther: These apprentices, when
instructed. hunsnized and educated In the
kind fsiterly and benevolent manner indi
Gated by the Charleston Mercury, would be
come the object OF attention to The domestic
unlibersted dave population Of the South. II
they should b. scattered through the planta.
tious, by way OF security. they would carry with
them the con.asion of apprenticeship aad its
oonscqueBces-inducei inquiry, spread dissa,isfac-
tioa and finally plant tue seeds Of revolt. The
slaves might sooD demand through their distant
friends and the most intelligent Of their own
color to be also admitted to apprenticeship.
And how could 1t be refused? If the principle
works well In one case. IL should In another. AT
all events, the strange fact would be everywhere
commented upon that the South were unwilling
TO carry out their own doctrines Of humanity
and expediency, and would be branded as incon-
sisteni hypocrites and tyrsnts.
This must inevitably lie the consequence Of
any serious attempt to detain the living cargo
Of the Putnam in the manner proposed Nor can
it be properly brought to the North, and
liberated by act Of Congress or the effect Of local
statutes Such o mass Of animal matter would
soon purify in the dens aud holes OF our cities,
. curse to themselves aud the places they infest-
cd. They might be paraded on abolition plat
forms-lcsthsome, disgusting objects to the eye
and the nose-snd Garrison and Beecbcr might
exclaim: are not these men, and our brothers,
But no one would like to believe them. Aud not
penny for their support or education could b.
squeezed out Of their white compatriotr who
when they Spy "nigger in o wood pile" are
constantly looking to see what plunder there j.
to he scratched up at The neighboring barn door
oftto Treasury.