The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-18

| dent from that used by Jackson relative 10 an
other European nation, whose power Is ,as
more formidable than that of Spain. But tins
Is not surprising-not at all; for progress
| the Democratic progress OF the iast twenty
| years. of which We hear 70 much-has played
strange prsnks with American parties and pol
| itics, and wrought marvellous changes in the
| opinions and character of American Presidents
and judges
But, sir, if it il really desirable, as doubt
not il il. to improve the tone and temper" of
the Spanish Government and the Spanish peo-
pie towards the American Republic, / can sug-
gest q remedy, easy of application, that will &C
compish all the most earnest friend of peace
could wish and that, too, without drawing
upon the almost empty vaults Of the Federal
Treasury.
Sir, let N convince our transatlantic neigh
Dor that We are not . nation of pirates. Let
Us prove to her that we respect and will OBJ
serve and enforce the laws of nations. Let rs
give her to understand that the sacred rights
of property shall not be violated that neither
the strong arm of the Government, nor the
bloody hand of the ilibuster, shall wrest from
her, or attempt to wrest from her, the beautiful
and fertile islands over which she rules in this
western hemisphere. Let us repudiate the
false doctrine, which has found too many sup
porters in high places, that those islands are
ours of right, are necessary to our safety, and
must be secured, at whatever cost of blood or
treasure.
Why, sir, 90 bold and reckless, 30 lawless and
rampant, has this flibustering spirit become,
that it casts off all restraint, overleaps all bar
riers, and here, in these council halls of the
Republic, openly declares in favor of national
grand larceny" Said the gentleman from
New York, Mr.. HAsKrS,l the other day
81 beg the gen,lepen Of the South not believe that
in The Least tinetured with any eckly sen.menali,y
the subjscs of 6ibusterism national fibuster
but against individual 6busterism which retards
the contamination Of my desire with regard 10 Central
American and other rtores which ought have
believe that the time has come when the application of
the doctrines promulgated by the Ostend manifesto is
necessary for the protection and preservation of
Pacific possessions ana the continuance of COM
mercia rights in that quarter"
%" for tho nation sewing upon Cuba, and for that
purpose, suspending the neutrality law. am national
hiibusier and will 60 with the gentleman from South
right subject They believe that they
have come by this feeling naturally from their mother
and the North great many Purtans nd Round
heads We Northern Democrats believe that the Gov
this business of Walker was committing peay larceny
We Northern Democran rather an favor Of national
grand larceny"
There, sir, is what suppose we may properly
term the last revised creed of the national libus
tiers. That is 6libusterism gone to seed That
is modern, progressive Pro-Slavery Democracy
run mad That is piracy reduced to SYSTEM
robbery made respectable; the old tyrannic prin
ciple, that might makes right" republicanized
Democratic family to study, and for the older
ones to swear byl 1t is the same dogma that
has been in the mouths of tyrants from the
earliest history of our race till the present mo-
ment the same that has kept nine-tenths of
mankind in slavery; that has filled the world
with chains and wretchedpess and woe, and
spread darkness more fearful than that of mid
night over the greater part of mans earthly
heritage!
Sir, if we would put the Government and peo-
pie of Spain in better 81 tone and temper" TO-
wards this Republic, we can very readily do it
by repudiating all such unfounded dogmas, and
by showing, both by our words and our acts,
that we still have regard for the rights of ma
tons and for international law. Said the
Father of his Country, in his Farewell Address:
Observe good faith aad justice towards all nations
rah'y enjon this conduct and be that good policy
does not equally spoinn'"
How worthy these words of their distinguish.
ed authorl Well will it be for ne, and for those
that are to come after u.s. if we give heed to
this sage advice, and by every proper means
seek to cultivate peace and harmony with all
feeling of amity and good will that 30 long ex.
listed between the two nations will be at once
restored. The tone and temper" of the Span
ish nation towards this Republic will be chang.
ed, and all our minor difficulties can be readily
and amicably adjusted.
But now, sir, let rs come to the real merits
of the Amistad case. The President AYERS his
belief that this indemnity is Justly due under
the treaty with Spain of the 9th October,
1885," The ninth article of the treaty is the
one mainly relied on by the advocates of this
indemnity, as it was by the pretended owners |
of the Amistad negroes at the time the cause
was tried in the United States courts. That
article provides:
ever which shall be the hands of pirates
or robbers the high shall be brought into some
OF The officers OF that por, ordero be care of and
restored entire 10 the proprietor soon due and
,nclsn, proof shall be made concerning the properly
Mr.. Justice Story we'll said, in delivering the
opinion of the court:
To bring the within the article il is essential to
FIRST that these negroes, under all the circum
stances fall within the description of in the
sense of the treaty Secondly that there has been res
OF them on the high out of the hands of the pirate
serted proprieors the proprieors and have es
asished their title by competent proof"
First, then, do these negroes fall within the
description of merchandise in the sense of the
treaty? 1t appeared in evidence before the
court, that they were natives of Africa, and
were kidnapped there, and were unlawfully
transported to Cuba, in violation of the laws
and treaties OF Spain, and the most solemn
edicts and declarations of that Government
Spain, BY treaty with Great Britain, had abol.
lshed the slave trade as early as 1920; and
nad directed that every negro introduced into
her colonies, IN violation of the treaty, should
De declared free in the first port at which he
should arrive. Again, in 1885, another treaty
was made between Great Britain and Spain. for
the avowsd purpose of rendering the means
taken for abolshing the iuhuman traffic in
slaves more effective" In the last treaty It is
SAID; . The slave trade is again declared, on
tne part OF Spain, to be, henceforward, totauy
ana 1nd.ty abolished, in all parts of the world0
ana stu later, BY royal ordinance, on the I'd
OF November, 1888, the authorities of Cuho
we're stimulated to renewed efforts to snnnress
the "inhuman traffic"
Such, in brief, were the laws and trea.;as nc
Spain, when, in 1883, these negroes were stolen
oy pirates-pirates by the laws of our own
country, and worse than pirates by the laws of
God-and unlavfully carried to the island of
Cooa. a few Days lssess while being convened
oy the Amistad to another part of the island.
they rose on their oppressors achieved their indie
pendence, and some two months afterward were
captured by United States vessel on the Long
leland coast. They had never been reduced to
Slavery. They were fr se BY the laws of Sna;n
free by the laws of nations: and free. "a tbev
ever had been, by the eternal, impartial, and
exchanging laws of Heaven. They were. as
they ever had been, in that condition in which
a very respectable and venerable public doc
ument declares that "ssll men ara craat.d ~ The,