The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-12-13

rcs AFRICAN slave Trade.

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rne Afrscam slave Trade.
/. v.rv interesting debate on this subject hrs
r.csstly occarred In the Georgia Legislature
mere . : ciaass In the preamble Of the conf1,'
zion Of that State, which DEGREES that "tnss' Sc
b, 40 future importation of slaves into sn,s sa
f,om Africa or any other foreign place. s.s'
ssrst day Of October next" This pa 20 .S
originally adopted In conformity WV" Wv s
:" $1,000 Of the limitation Of lsos In a.
49,, .a,..,.ution. 1t appears, however, that
~. -, AGITATION Of the revival Of the African
~ h.. ,eyeloped party In almost every iegi~
49,. % The .cotton statcs' in favor OF its re-
-..n,,on. The debate was ELECTED hysa molten |
~ ssn..or FELTON, to expungc that obnoxious hs
,.r,aies from the State constitution.
Mr AtkIuson, one Of the leading supporters Ct
.he hil. oontended that the right to purchase ard
Z, hold slaves are - inseparable as tha siamese
twins. He endeavored to show that the African
s,.ve trade Is common Law right, and said that
.th;a question came before the people OF Great
Britain In the year 1877. A French vessel called
La Louis. engaged In the African slave trade, was
cap,uret by Brirish cruiser-France at this time
mot having entered into treaty stipulations abo!'
ishiug that trade. The vessel was taken into
British port, condemned by the Vice Admiralty
Court a lawful prize, being engaged in an un-
lawful traffic forbidden by the universal Law of
nations. An appeal was had to the higher Court
of Admiralty. This conrt reversed tAe Judgment
OF the court below. and held that the African slave
trade was not unlawful" The judgment OF the
court was read by Lord Stoweil. Mr.. Atkinson
proceeded 10 say that while We acknowledge tie
evil Of slavery by prohibiting it from our shores,
we cannot expect the North to call 1t any thing
bat sin, The fire Of fanatcism is coming down
upon u.s. to resist it successfully We must put On
the panoply of law, and arm ourselves at every
point This we cannot do while We acknowledge
the means by which acquired it ought to be
prohibited"
Mr.. Slaughter, who followed on the same side,
commended, fret, that this interdict in the State
consultation was an 'idle imperative declaration"
the State having no jurisdiction over the subject
and, secondly, that "Washiugton and jefferson,
those great and good men, had very enlarged. bus
very incorrect views, in regard to the rights and
equality Of mankind" that since their day great
reaction had been brought about in the Southern
mind upon the subjsct Of slavery, and tina. Jamai-
o. and Liberia prove that the enslavement OF the
African 10 right though the system was Gems
menced frem avaricions motives. Mr.. Billups ear
nestly supported MIR. Slaughter, confendins thas
the thr eats OF Seward against the Supreme court,
on account Of the bred Scott decision, should be
met By q bold front from the men OF the South,
and that they should ''hurl back upon the North
the miserable Islander Of infsriority."
MIR. Cochraae believed that, as far as policy isl
concerned, It would be right to reopen the slave
trade. If four to six millions of slaves almost
u
Der. saw ten millions, conld not be deleterious.-
He urged the favorite argument Of his party that
II the prices were reduced, the poor men would be
benefited, their sympathies would be enlisted in
the cause, and it is this portion of orr population
who will eventually have to protect our nstitu-
tons he also urged that there is a vast amount
of land in Southwestern Georgia which cannot Dc
reclaimed for want of labor.
On the other side, Msssrs. spalding, Thomas,
Tucker and others, presented some strong and
logical considerations against the rs'opening Of
the slave trade. Mr.. Thomas went into history
of the Georgia constitutional provision, showing
that it was no condemnation ofsavery, as alleged,
but measure agreed upon as a sound policy for
the State. 1t was designed to check an influx Of
Africans beyond the wants Of the people, and tor
no other purpose. Slavery Is only valuable when
it pays, and when slavery ceases to be profitable
IL must cease to exist. The re-opening of the
trade in his opinion, instead Of strengthening the
institution of slavery, tended inevitably to its
weakening and fnai overthrow The same con-
siderations that induced our fathers to frame the
prohibitory clause 10 the constitution should
equally influence at this day, if not to greater
degree, as the Institution has extended and now
involves millions when it formerly involved only
thousands. Slave labor now pays the owner, but
would 1t pay with double the number of the pres
emit slave population We have always, said Mr..
Thomas, made about as much cotton as we needed;
the demand has rarely exceeded the supply. but
suppose this production to have been twice the
amount it is probable that the price Of this cons
modify would have been much lower. An increase
In slaves would necessarily increase productions,
aud Mr.. Thomas aruged that the value of slaves il
in proportion to the number, slaves. OF course,
when you increase the number of you decrease the
value, and thus weaken the institution.
Mr., Tucker said it had been question il Georgia
for twenty years whether ehe would allow the ims
portation of slaves from the other States of the
Union and she had twics punished the act Of their
introduction with q heavy penalty. How strong,
then, becomes the objection to the importation OF
savages from Virginia. Another speaker, MIR.
Paine in reply to the argument that the increase
OF the DuulpeT WOuiu uttnsA tHS PooA ~ VIZ Aurh~
tuition, said he believed that poor men were as
loyal and as true the rich, and carried their
love In their hearts, not their pockets.
The bill was lost by only one vote-the division
being 40 to AZ. The motion was subsequently, re-.
considered, and, by general consent, the bill WAS
laid upon the table with the understanding that
to lie there the remainder OF the present session In
this connection, it may be mentioned that in the
Senate of South Carolina, resolutions have been In.
trodused and referred, declaring all the laws of
Congress for the suppress on of the African slave
trade rs piracy, null and void and resolutions
have been introduced into the IIonse "instructiug
the reprssen tatives of South Carolina in Congress
to ell their efforts to secure the repeal of all
measures of the general government restrictive OF
the slave trade, the Same being ia derogatiou of
the rights of the South" At the same time it APP
pears a South Carolina grand jury, at Columbia,
have thrown out the bills against the indicted par
ties of the African slayer Echo. At Washington.
the Southern Citizen advocates with great energy
the revival Of the slave trade These facts indicate
q rapid growth of the slave trade agitation. There
10 not the slightest prospect. however, for the re.
peal OF the existing laws of Congress respecting
the African traffic. The scheme can never com.
mand the assent of majority even of the slave
holding portion of the country.
DR.. Burrows Lecture.
We desire to call especial attention to the fact
that Rev. DR.. Burrows, of the ablest and most
eloquent dvines Of Virginia, will deliver lecture
tomorrow night at the Third Baptist church,
Grace street. His subject 10 "Thomas Carlyle on
John Hoaeard" and the object Of the lecture is to
aid the contemplated addition TO the Richmond
College Of suitable halls for its literary societies.
We understand that series Of lectures for this OBJ
5ect will be delivered by distinguished literary
gentlemen, among whom the societies hope to OBJ.