The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-10

is constant source Of injury and 10 the Anne
rcsn people. II is the only spot in the civilized world
where the African slave trade tolerated, and we are
bound Ivy treaty with Great Britain to maintain naval
force the coast of Africa much expense both Of life
treasure solely for the purpose Of arrestng savers
bound to that island The late serious difficulties between
the United states and Great Britain respecting tue right OF
search now so happily terminated, could never haze
arisen If Cuba bad not afforded market for slaves AS
ouR this market shall remain open there can he no
hope Tor the civilization OF benghted Africa Whlie the
demand Tor slaves continues in Cuba, wars will be waged
mong the petty and harharous chiefs IN Africa for the
purpose Of seng subjects to supply this trade In such
condition OF affairs Il is impossible that the light OF civil
zaon and religion penetrate these dark ab0des
He then urges upon Congress the policy of &c
curing Cuba'"by honorable negotiation" and
.ays "ifdis were accomplished the last reic Of the
african Sqpt trade ,could instantly disappear" lie
thus presents the extinction OF ''thc last relic of
this African traffic as leading inducement TO
Congress to purchase the island, AMI strengthens
this appeal with the declaration that "as long as
this market (the Cuban slave marke0 shall re-
main open, there can be no hope for the civili1a-
ton Of benighted Africa
Such are the views OF the President Of the
United States, delivered to Congress, in behalf Of
the absolute extipguishmsnt Of this pratical
business And now let us take look at the
other side Of the que stion.
We publish to-day the report Of recent
debate in the upper house of the Georgia
Legislature on this African trade. There il a
clause in the prcaml lie of the State constitution.
adopted many years ago, which DEGREES that
there shall be no future importation of slaves
into this State from Africa or any other foreign
place. after the first day of October next.
This provision was originally adopted in con-
forrnity with the suppression of the African
slave trade 10y Congress, and in pursuance of
the Limitation Of 1908 in the federal constitu-
ton 1t appears, however, that the general
agitation Of the revival of the African traffic by
the Southern ire-eaters Of these days has devel-
oped party in almost every Legislature of the
cotton States in favor of the resumption of
this direct trade with the King of Dahomey.
Hence the motion of Mr.. FELTON, in the Georgia
Senate. TO eXpunge the aforesaid obnoxious in
terdict from the State constitution; and hence
the interesting and suggestive debate and pro-
ceedings Which followed.
Mr.. Atkinson zealously supported the motion
Of repeal. 1.-The fire of fanatcism, he said lis
coming down upon us. To resist II successfully
We mus. put on the panoply Of law, and arm
ourselves at every point. This we cannot do
while we acknowledge the means by which we
acquired ii slavery ought to be prohibited" In
other words, in order to make logical defence
of slavery all the way through. Mr.. Atkinson
pleads the necessity Of the complete recognition
Of the legality, morality, philanthropy and ex-
pedicncy Of the direct trade in niggcrs between
Georgia and the coast Of Africa.
Next, on the same side. we find Mr.. Slaugh-
ter who commended first that this intsrdict ia the
State constitution was an " idle, imperative de-
CHARLTON" The State having no jurisdiction
over he subject; and secondly, that Washing
ton and Jefferson. those great and good men had
very enlarged. but very incorrect views, in re-
gard to the right. and equality Of mankind"
that since their day a great reaction had been
brought about in the Southern mind upon the
prove that the enslayement of the African is
right, though the system was commenced from
avaricious motives. Mr.. Billups earnestly sup
ported Mr.. Slaughter, contcnding that the threats
of Seward against the Supreme Court, on ac-
count Of the Drcd Scott decision, should be met
by bold front from the men Of the South. aud
that they should "hurl back upon the North the
miserable SANDER Of inioriority.'
But the most pointed argument in defence
Of the African traffic was that Of Mr.
Cochrane. who pleaded that il from
four to six millions Of Southern slaves
almost control the commerce of the world
the South would not lie the loser If the number
were increased to ten millions. but that. on the
Other hand. this Increase would deyelope nor
Wild lands and benefit the poor white man. by
bringing negro labor within his reach, under the
greatly reduced prices Of the raw material, which
would be brought about by the African traffic.
u opposition, however. to the repeal Of the
anti.slavc trade clause Of the state constitution
IN question. the arguments put in, as will I've seen
from the report Of The discussion were decidedly
more logical and forcible than those in favor of
the rc-opening Of African importations. In the
simple tact that the African traffic, IL rc-cstab-
lished. would rapidly and ruinously reduce the
existing cash value of slave property, there is we
presume, q conclusive argument upon the sub
iect with every STAKEHOLDER Of any extent, from
Virginia to Texas.
IN the face of this paramount drawback, how
ever the test vote in support Of the bill of Mr..
FELTON,, equivalent to a proposition in favor Of
the African slave trade, was very remarkable.
The bill was lost by only one vote-the division
being 46 to a.. Subsequently the motion was
reconsdered, and, by general consent the bill
wa laid upon the table, with the understanding
that Il IL to lie there the remainder of the present
session. So far so good; bat this vote Of i6 to
a. betrays somewhat surprisingly the rapid
growth Of this slave trade agitation in the South
during the last eight On ten months If we are
not mistaken IL was in May last that the
scheme was not only very dccisively, but some
what cOntomutuouely rcpudiate1 nv that notable