Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-06-04
AER,c,S

MIR. Cobb, tbs able Secretary OF the Treasury I" w
Collector OF the Customs at Charleston pTo'iionhe "s
granting a clearance to a ship from Charleston "''r
the coast of Africa, for the purpose OF TAXING %"
board African emigrsuts. in accordance with the Ct'
ted States passenger lava, and returning with the
same to a port in the United S'steS. Inc c"hitne"'7
Of the Charleston News 80 completely cover '"e
ground that We insert them at length. Inc News
says:
This has excited cur most unq'iained surprise, "a
though Messrs. LATTE IL Go. are vel known anu =
spectacle citizens, and We cannot attfiOute 10 lhsn'
any other motive in the matter than to test, probably
for others, certain supposed doubtful qnes'lons on tue
importation Of negroes from AfrIcs. they are III Il
few days TO express their purposes ann views ~ TO
sponse Ia the Secretary's Argument on Tue subject:
We not ONLY regard IN. Secretary letter conclusive
on every phase and point Of the question involved
and that it was the only prnper ana statesinailke re-
sp6nse 10 the application which lie Administration
could give, but looking a, The case 's "i as j"c. an
effort To snter upon the importation OF WIZ III" Ts''
age Africans, never mind in what character or 70.
whet purpose, into this country, We deprech'e ana
condemn it at large. aud d~sno,vlre II Us unworthy OF
those gentlemen and dr. espec:th to tllIs community.
If the voyage was really intended upon, " Clearance
being givento the vessel, there WA some purpose IN IT,.
Was it that there ia 20 much travel Or voluntary eml'
grafton from Africa TO this country, that the parties
sought a profit in the transportation OF the saoie pas
sengers This cannot be pretended; or II go neither
the pretence nor the business would be reputable.
Was it TO Introduce Africans a. permanently Tree
residents OF the United stater. whether at the North
or South? II go. the obiec: was still worse. what!
attempt TO minele in this country A'ricans ana bar
bsriane, on u legal and civil level. with white Anglo
Saxon tresmeu in Il civilized Republic! The very
thought makes every American rrcoil. Surely tils
was not contemplated.
Was it, 90 limited by the "Mercury," and 10 AVOID
the charge of evading the laws of the United States
in relation 10 the Introduction of slaves and and color
ed apprentices to labor, TO Introduce African e"'
gr0Hts'' into the North, To be residents there! III 20,
il does and should come under The apprehension Just
Indicated. Although it may be true that there Is TO
law, federal or local, which IN trims prohibits such
passenger transportation ~ immigration to this coun
try, is theirs a Southern man or any American cltlzen
who would like to ace our Northern States and 3d.
cio'y Africanized! But yet would not both violate
the spirit of The lars, federal and Southern, in rela
ton 10 Africans, shock the whole system OF the Com.
mon Law, and strike at tie root OF whits clvIllZationi
And has the Executive of the United States no
discretion TO refuse 10 gre By q clearance To u
vessel either countenance to go broad and tagrant
a Disregard of the character Of their institutions. or
their guarantee to the legal or political itness oil SUCH
| 4 voyage! Where is the law which renders the
granting of a clearance. under such an'agonizing rea
sons, compulsory If thers is, and this be the OBJ.
Iect, then let Messrs. Lsftte u Co, before the Bar OF
! American opinion, apply 10 the Federal Court here
for a !Nandamns to tie Collector at this port TO give
the clearance asked. II there ~ not, then the Secre'
tary is not properly amenabie 10 the remark OF our
contemporary, that his instruction of refusal us based
on assumptions that no administrative officer has a
right TO make, and ig q usnrpatlon not warranted by
law" If further legislation en- eitller eide ls wanted,
the negative course is hs only proPe. one. In Inc
name of all that becomes n great people, !et he
South, If she desires 70 have and il determined To
have new African immigrants and Iaborers, (which
we utterly deny let her not resort TO such miserable
attempts aud contrivances to secure her design, but
in the face of the whole Republic and the world, take
4 manly and commensurate action in the premises
and on the basis OF her own re.declared and separa
ted sovereignty.
But was this object of the voyage To bring the
African emiprapts 10 the United Suites TO BIZ made
siqres or apprentices 10 iab0r? Such muit have
been the secret motive-the real ultimate desirR -
Viii Messra. Latte n Co. deny II! Yet the Secre'
tary's letter clearly shows that the laws of Congress,
both in letter and spirit, prohibit an importation for
These purposes to any part OF the United States. Does
il become Southern citizens to undertake or counte:
nance clandestine violations of the laws OF the lana
These laws Gre not alone federal enac'ments, they are
also the lava Of South Carolina by her own legisla-
ton. Her act of 1885 provide that, lit shall not
be lawful for any free negro Or pe:aoa OF color to
migrate into this State, or be brought or intr2d.ccd
into it's limits, under any pretext whatever, by land or
by mater" The enactment Il general a. 10 all the
African uuens,a:ed race from any part OF the world.
Does it become Ca.0liniens, and the comfy OF the
State with the others, to violate :he splrit OF tins law
and 10 attempt to introduce auch interdi-tsd persons
into other States; or to bring them through ether
States into this! Was il intended i'll violation OF the
State Law TO bring the vessel back TO CharleRton!
Would Messrs. LATTE g. Co or their correspon-
dents, have attempted the sRSi"Jea!"at OF the African
emigranis before arrival, and lu'gectrh tl.E.seiVes 10
tho penalties Of the law against the sure rdf', /"
capture ana treatment ~ pirates, and to The ior'ritiirrs
and punishment Of tie lew of South Carolina ! we
would not do them the wr"n.; 81 the slpp"sItlon:-
Yet what else can We suppose, e.r-i't 'hEt 'h-y lh'
tended q claIde-tine lending, eIr-lareilen' nhd .a';
Of the e~nigrsnts! I. in some pert at the South; Tor an
apprenticeship in her i!mit1 would be- absurd. But
ie, Us presume al apprenticeship ~ iinve been intend
rd-would i: no; have been clir2b'G 81 y ii'!'tioh az
law, the intention therefore reprrh-ns BE, anC Tie ia
siness itself, in every view, disr"pulabie ! And when
aud where, aud how has the South ever expressed t.
desire for or approval Ut African Apprenticeship IN
her limits, or the residence OF African savages in her
midst Her system is one Of hIneli0rsted African
sAarery, involving nativity, obedIencc, order hmd 81
fections, under the supervision OF domestic authority,
the graduation of sGcis! regulations, alld ile c"itr"l o'
established lava. Law, humanity. arclety, our 40
mestic peace, civilization, and political .ntesrlty and
dignity, plead rumpettongu. AGAINST s'i0'' s"trF'
prises rs the one proposed.
LETTER ON AFRICAN EMIGRATION.
TREA.CRY DEPARTMENT, May -, ISIS.
Sir: II appears from w. letter al nth April,
1853, that application has been it.ch- 20 YOU by
Messrs. +. La6tte T. Go merchants. of charle7t"n,
South Carolina, "to clear the American ship Richard
Golden, w. +. Elack, master. burlhsn 49, 81 - tons,
for the Coast Of Africa, for the purpose Ci taking on
board African emigrants, III accordance with The
United States passenger laws, cid r-tarnin. with the
same 10 h port in the United States
You ask the opinion of the Department upon the
~propriety of your granting OF refusing the "pptr'
cation.
The question IL an important ole, aud 1 have de.
layed an answer to your letter until | could 1iy- Tie
subject q proper examination.
The form in which this application ia presented,
involves the question in some embarrassment. The
object Of the applicants must be cIther To import
Airicars, TO be disposed Of H. slaves, or Ia be 5oJnG
to labor or service, or else Ia bring them into the
country like other eIaigrsnts, 10 be- entitled on their
arrival 10 all tbs riah:s AID privilege at freeinsn.
In either Of The two first named contingencies, tn"
object would be so clearly and manitestly against
the laws OF the United States, 81 To lenve no room iof
doubt or hesitation. | deem it proper. however, To
call your attention TO the provisions Of thcse laws, rs
they Indicate very clearly the general policy OF the
Government on the subject Of African i'np"rtatlon.
Prior 10 the Let January, 1913, the time fixed by IN.
Constitution when Congress would be authorized to
prohibit such importa,ion, the acts Of ID March, 1894
II ,347), and 10Th May, 1900 I2.7Jl, were passed.
These laws indicate the strong oppoaltion f-lt NJ That
time TO the African slave trade. The subsequent hct
of I'd March, 1877 e. 426), and 2Dth April, lSlS(3 l5Ol,
Ia we'll h the acts of Sd March, 1919 Is 331), and l3;h
May, 1890 Is 6O0J, show not only the promptners with
which the power was exercised by Congress OF pro-
hibiting this trade 10 the United States. but they nlso
bear evidence of the stern purpose OF enforcing their
provisions by sever. penalties and large expenditure.
The legislation of the sIaveholdingS States prior to lsOS'
exhibits the fact that The first steps taken for Its sup
preston we're inaugurated by them.
There is no subject upon which the statute books
of our country afford more conclusive evidence than
the general opposition everywhere felt to the contlnu'
ance Of the African slave trade.
BY reference to the acts of 1874 and lS0O against lie
slave trade generally, it will be seen thar their opera
ton was confined To skarcs 90 n0miue. The tlrst set.
ton Of the net of 1874 provides. THAT no citizen or
citizens Of the United States, or foreigner, or any Other
perrnn coming into or residing within the came, rlal'
for hiIrsell or any other person whatever, either as
master, tactcr or owner, build, til. equip, load, or OH
place of the United States. nor shall cause any ship or
u...-I .-.u:L f=... 49,. uritLiI lie sAInu