Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-08-14

lours was bound by the treaty Of Client to use he
best endoavors to entirely abolish tho traffic Z
'laves" Nor could he see any good reason wh
England should Disgrace herself by an open an,
obvious disregard Of her solemn compact even
the Government of the United States requested
England had faithfully carried 1t out by entirol
abolishng it among the people Of her West lndi
Islands. She had gone further, and abolished
Slavery in all her domiDions, and was then usihj
her best endeavors 10 suppress it on the coast o
Africa. She now refuses to stain her honor b.
encouraging American piracy. The slaves haC
been sol uutariiy ilturlt within the jurisdiction
of her laws by direction of their owners and wer,
free. Nor could her statesmen discover any gooc
reason why the people Of England should pay spec
ulators in human flesh for their less Of human
cattle.
! The genius Of Ne. Calhoun alcne appeared equa
to this emergency. lie stood acknowledged al
that time the IN Jst able and conspicuous OF South
ern statesman lie saw that the law OF nations in
regard to the local jurisdiction of each GovernTlent
must be modified, entirely changed, before any
plausible argument could be advanced in favor OF
this claim. lie therefore introduced resolutions
into the Sen ate declaring that when snip or YES
sci enters the port Of a friendly Power, through
stress OF weather unavoidable accident, she ca
ries with her the laws Of the State from which she
sailed and the persons on beard in all their rela
tions are controlled by the laws of such State
In another resolution he declared that the slaves
on board the Enterprise, while lying in Port Ham
ilton, continued to be legal slaves. The movement
was bold one
was at this time n member of this body and
well recolleet the astonishment expressed by mem
bers Of the House at these propositions.
Mr.. ebster was regarded as the ablest states
man Of the free States. lie was u Nhig, and be"
eyed to have some aspiration for the Presidency.
All eyes were turned to him the hopes o:
the free States appeared to rest on him,
more than any other man, We felt that
an SV fH hIuhh lilp N a
contest about to come off.
The resolutions were presented on the 4th of
March 1910, and came up for consideration iow
days subsequently, when Mr.. Porter of Michigan,
young member Of that body. spoke against them.
they were then formally referred to the Com.
mit;ee Foreign Relations, who reported them
back with some verbal amendments but sub.
stantnily as introduced and with due formalty
ana selemnity they came up for final action on
the 10Th Of April Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Calhoun
and perhaps or two other Senators from the
slave States spoke in favor of them declaring
their readiness to sustain the institution at any
sacrifice, but no voice was raised for humanity
for justice, for the honor Of our nation. Mr., Web
ster, was silent, and the resolution unanimous
THE names Of Mr.. Webster and other Northern
Wing Senators do not appear on the roll of votes
given ON that occas sion.
1t is not for me to characterize that act. The
pen of the historian yet remains paralyzed in re-
gard to it. My own political pathway has been
ruggedi storms have ragged around me and many
years have come and gone, but all the emotions OF
my mind on that accession will not soon be forgot
ten ! saw or thought | saw. clearly as | now
realize the effect and tendency Of that act it was
intended 10 stop the wheels of progress, of civi'
walton and restore the heathenish doctrine. that
Africans have rights which white are
bound to resp pect." The advoca'es of the slave
trade then ielt that the Senate fully commit
ed to the support of the american piracy" 1t
cpu ust TN the m ten In ken n
wards the position which the Executive and his
supporters now occupy.
When Mr. Tyler became President, he called Mr.
Webster into the Cabinet, aud that distinguished
statesman was soon constrained to WELD his mora
and political powers either for or against the slave
trade.
On the 9th October, 1911 the brig Croole sail
ed from Hampton Roads, with cargo of one hun
dred and thirty. five slaves on board bound for
New Orleans. 1t will be borne in mind that
when out from shore ut the distance of marine
league, the laws of Virginia ceased to hold juris
diction over the ship or the persons on board and
they became subject to the exclusive jurisdiction
and laws Of the United States; and need not say
that these laws had made no provisions for hold
ing men in slavery upon the high seas or in our
territories outside the District of Columbia. The
moment the ship passed from the jurisdiction of
Virginia, these people 10y force Of law became cloth
ed with the attributes Of freedom.
The slaves on board the Creole we're conscious
of this, from intuitive convictions. Their own
immortal natares spurned the doctrine asserted in
the Senate, and, under the guidance and prompt.
ings of that innate love of liberty which throbs in
every human heart, they asserted The rights be
slowed upon them by the Greater. But these
slave dealers attempted forcibly to maintain the
doctrine avowed in tue Senate. Here again, that II
od,givch reason, which every man possesses
tau 1ht these people, reared in ignorance in slave
holding stupidity, that the slave dealer vas pi'
rate, had incurred the just penalty attached to tha.
crime and they at once inflicted upon the miscre.
ant the punishment due to his iniquity.
leave it for casussts to d termine wheth-
er he was guilty than those who en-.
couraged him in his aciursed vOcaton.--I
These quondam slaves, nov freeman, taking poss-
ossion VI the ship, extended mercy to the other
slave dealers on board and directed their course
to Nassau. in the island Of New Providence, and
went on shore, seeking their own happiness.
| well recOect the scene which occurred in the
Senate when the news of this transaction reached
this city, The members CT that body were even more
excited than they have been recently They then
threatened to send our ships of war; and sink those
British islands they only talk Of sinking the
British navy. It might provo instructive to gentle
men Of the present age to read the high sounding
threats and epthets used at that day.
Mr.. Webster was now Secretary Of State un-
der slavehOldipg President. associated with a
Cabinet. lie was therefore cunsrain.
refused such action, he would be constrained to
resign his Office. lie preferred the former course
and the in nteect of that great man, who had been !
he pride Of the free States, was now exerte6 TO
carry ont the doctrines for which few months
previously he had declined voting. II great
victory for the Slave Power. Christianity then
lost one of its ablcs champions. Furgetfa Of that
eternal justice which sits enthrOned above all
earthly power. he sent Instructions to our Minis
ter at London to demand Of the British Govern
ment compensation for the loss which the slave
dealers had sustained In these instructions he
assumed the whole iheory Of Mr.. Calhoun, and
even characterized tho persons who had most ri ,ht'
,ously gained their liberty as muIineers and mnr'
lerers! Pardon me il speak frankly. My lips
we're then sealed under the gag rules of this body
was not permitted 30 utter the emotion of my
oul in regard to this slave trade consulted with
ny venerable friend Mr.. Adams. He felt the out 5
ages as keenly as mortal could reazet i pro- !
,osed that he should present to the House res0lu-
ions declaring the law Of nations aud of theConsti