The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-10-21
THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

We had supposed that Southern poll, icians,
after some agitation and discussion, had seen
the felly, if not the intamy, of the ate npt to
revive the African slave trade. But it seems
that we were mistaken. The Virginia papers
of recent date show that the discussion i, in full
blast, and that the diabolical piracy finds favor
with what are termed the " religious re views"
of the South.
The editors Of the Richmond South and of
the Enquirer, when the subject was bro,,ched a
year or two ago, seemed to favor the flea, at
least 30 far as to open their columns to It's dis.
cussion. AT later day, they agreed ia repu.
dating it as an impractcable and iniur Gus ul.
traism, calculated to divide the South ar repel
| their Northern allies. The editor of thu, South
went so far as to make an elaborate speech
against the slave trade before the Southern
| Commercial Convention, which met al Mont.
gomery during the past summer. His speech
was widely published and commented Co, for
the ability with which the attempt to revive the
trade was held up to public reprobation and
| tor some months the editor seemed to sustain
these views in his editorial columns. But re-.
Gently, we regret to see symptoms of a relapse
in both the South and Enquirer. Thee again
| admit into their columns articles favor able to
the slave trade, and the Enquirer directly takes
sides with the agitators. The editor, al .or emu.
merating several recent indications of -r,terest
in the subject, says:
| Even the religious reviews are not EXEMPT
| from discussing the question. In the s ptthe-n
Presbyterian Rerieio for October we fin 4 a crit.
| ical notice of the Rev. John B. Adger's article
on the slave trade, in which the religion world
are informed that there are no doubt 4 great
many negroes in Africa, but we know also,
upon the best authority, that there area great
many negroes not slaves. We hold tt1t IL is
right to 6uy the former, and the Scriptures Jus
tJy our opinion. But we hold, as the Scrip.
lures also explicitly warrant, that it is equally
wrong 70 steal the latter, in order to make
slaves of them
$50, turn where we may, we find the advo
Gates of the slave trade, numerous. talented
and determined. Upon the stump in Virginia
Mr.. John Scott, of Fsuquier, has already fired
a signal gun, and, We learn, will very soon re-
peat his hre. MIR. Scott and some of his neigh
oors nave lately began growing tobacco, and
md Fauquier admirably suited to the growth
OF lhe tceed, but that the negroes to work thu
crop are far too scarce, and every year is ma
king them more so and hence the Africa,
slave trade finds advocates up under the yer,
, border OF Pennsylvania. In fact, that ia tn
very place for African negroes. Ignorance O
! geography would be a great assistance to tn
! Fugitive Slave Law"
The Enquirer concludes with the followin
significant endorsement of the agitation:
"Wy are glad to see this question thus ag
tated !; the odium cast upon Slavery by existin
Federal laws should never have been submitte
/ TO by the Southern people, and the sooner it
removed the better"
Among other indications that the idea Of r.
!. viving the slave trade is not abandoned, we ma
|, mention that the famous Mr.. Spratt, of Charlie
8 toa, who has acquired notoriety as an apost
It of the new faith, has been elected to the lie
8 islature of South Carolina from that city. b.
Q the richest development Of the times is the e.