Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-05-19
as aFTsaey-SsllingR

would endsavor to show that this question of
re- opening the slave trade was dividing our
people and distTscting our couusels.
Our first great want was a union among our
selves. The first report advocates the re-
opening Of the slave trade on certain grounds.
It asserts that slavery is right Of and in Itself
that It is in accordance with the laws Of
/ God. In this proposition be most heartily
| agreed Il was becoming more universally be-
/ lieved that the order to Gods people, recorded
I In Genesis, was to take as slaves the heather
round about them. The second proposition Of
| the report is, that this slave trade should be
re opened in order to condace to the material
prosperity Of the South. The substitute de-
clares the law prohibiting this trade should be
/ repealed, because hey are not 10 accordance
With the spirit Of the constitution, and that By
submitting 70 them the South rs degraded. He
here made the issue. II the Law be proved to
be constitutional, let no argument Of interest
I OF profit sway our judgments and lead US 10 put
Z ourselves IN opposition 70 that CoIstiiu,icn.
/ He wss for standing 70 that Constitution as it
I she would not, as Southern MAJ, be viii
I ling to surrender one right guaranteed By It.
By the Constitution, as reported 10 the original
| Convention, the slave trade was not 70 be pro-
I hibited. That same Constitution had a clause
I 70 the effect that no navigation act should be
4 passed without the assent Of tWo-thirds of each
House. Here arose conflict in the COnycn-
tIon South Carolina declared thai she would
not give up the slave trade. But the feeling IN
| the Convention was that the Union should not
be broken up on this question. A bargain was
struck, the result Of which was that 10 prohi-
bition OF the trade should take place until 1908.
I This was ! mutual bargain.
Mr. Walker asked IL the oksck was not to
Be mutusl-whetber The migrat on WIS not TO
be checked as well as the rmPOrtatiOs Of per
sons
The gentleman fron Alabama insists on The
teTms Of the constitution. He was willing to
stand by the terms Of the constitution. Mr.
Pinckney, Of South Carolina, reported a clause
IN the original constitution declaring that the
slave trade should not Be prohibited. That
same Pinckney made patriotic concession in
this regard, and supported the constitution as
amended, restricting the passage Of any pro-
hibitory laE regarding this trade to the year
lsOS. This compromiss was made upon pc
cuniary consideration. The gentleman from
Alabama admitted that this law was in ac-
cordance with the letter bat not the spirit Of
the constitution. He contended that the spirit
Of the constitution was, that the North, wnom
all knew at that time had the majority in Con-
gress, might propose the abolition Of the slave
trade after 1908. II Das proposed, and the
South aided TO pass Law declaring the slave
trade a misdemesnor. Madison recommended
the passage Of this law, and Jsff-rson gave it
] the cement OF DIS AID hOllQ MADISON nave
1 recommended the passage of a law which was
I in opposition to the sPirif Of the constitution
I He knew that there was an inclination 20 listen
! to the flights Of genius, and The splendor Of
I oratory, and the bursts sf passion coming from
l a Southern heart in aid OF a Southern cause
but be wanted (while the winds Of passion
aided in propelling the vessel Of Southern
Rights) reason, right, and Justice to sit proud
iy at the helm. The great Calhoun did never
. l. ~. 49, l. d
did not look upon It as degradation, a marx
of Cain, as it had been pronounced BY the gen
tlemsn who presented the substitute.
This restriction was solemnly agreed upon
Il was patent on the face of the deed Tn
gentleman afirms that it is part aud parcel o
Northern aggressive measures, and therefor,
ought to be abolished He contendsd to thl
contraTy-it emsnatea from Southern hive
If this convention thought with the speaker, i
should pause before l. precipitated a resul
which it might afterwards regret.
The gentleman from Alabama did not ask thl
vote on the original report, with which his owl
was in conflict. He, the speaker, would Civ
up everything but liberty and honor, all con
siderstiOns, interest, or gain, for the benefit O
bis country.
The minority has, under the constitution, th'
power to compelrespect to principle Whirh tn
70 jority nav wish 10 abrogate. He wishe
to plant every southern movement on a sens
Of Justice and of right. He wished the gentle
man from Alabama 70 mod fy his action IN thi
matter, on this account. Will the Convention
Determine to reopen this trade, aud pass b
the questions Of Kansas. the slave liberty bi
and other gTievances2 He referred to the re
mark Of Mr.. Y, that the South sits at th
lowest place at the table Of government pat
ronsge. This was foreseen; and therefore, ou
forsfathers took their guarantees in State soy
ereignties, and God grant that they may Away
sit where temptations cannot reach them, an
federal patronage cannot cause them to forge
the duty they owe to their people. We Wer
dissatisfied, because our representatives ha
given in their adhesion to the Ksnsas-e0mprc
mise bill. Look who they were; Dsvii
Toombs, and such men as have been trusted b
the south 10 every peril. Should be forget, q
Virginian, that Mason and Hunter were
concert with these men 10 passing that bill?
He hoped that.no considerations on this ma
ter would lead us 70 forget the principle il
yolVed In the discussion Of this subject. "
should be united on all questions al home,
order 70 be able 10 meet the Zoe who is rallyiu
bis forces on our Northern border. Is thi
: question, one in which we can, as a who
south, 60 up ss solid phalanK and ask d
passage? II not, be hoped that no one woul
: say tLst be was willing on account Of II TO d
vide the South. The ques ion Of capital al
ments before, and be hoped it would not
brought In here. Another consideration
would beg to present 10 the notice of The Coz
veution. How many States would 90 for ID
2 re-opening Of the slave trade Neither Nj
sol n nor Virginia would DO it and there al
other States which would not. In Alabama
bad not vet been ascertained A resolution
Mr.. Orr, Of South Carolina, bad been presen
ed, and adopted in Congress, declaring this r
, opening unWise and inexpedient. Nearly evel
Southern member voted for that resolutiO
Were we willing 10 combat such an opposite
. as this would present US? Were we willing
say that the mighty dead and the consciO
> living we're wrong in scQuiescing in the la
prohibiting this rs-Opening, and that they We
o 50 ignorant as not to feel this "brand
Cain ?'
The sneaker here eombattsd the idea th
Virginia was a breeder Of slaves. For q
last TWENTY-FIVE years she had expended 81
600 600 in works of intetnal improvement
Already from 1880 to 1856, re-assessment
lands took place, and disclosed the fact th
. they had increased one hundred and one m
lions Of dollars In i've years.
p The CONSEQUENCES Of this was, that it was
profitable to let slave labor stay 10 Virginia
: 10 20 out Of il. The profits on tobacco raisi
4 was another inducement to keep this labor
2 home. This staple psys ss well as cotton DO
anYWnere- The negro importation from "
:; ginia, therefore, has almost ceased, VIII
: ! slaves are shipped from Charleston to Vi
ginia market in order that they N ght bring
= higher price. It had been said that Virgin
Is refuge OF Abolitionists. Bring the AbO
ionist 70 the negro and the negro sbsorbs hi
here is no danger OF sbolitiouizing Virgini
He presented this question: Our institutio
are new aud were begun in opposition TO {
Ideas OF TIE mass Of nations. The institute