Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-18
The Presidents Disposal Captured Excitement
- Africans.
Africans,

The Presidents Disposal Of Captured
s Africans.
We have announced the fact that the
President had concluded contract with
the American Colonization Society for the
subsistence and instruction of the Africans
recently captured in the SLAYER now at
Charleston, Tor the period Of one year after
their landing on the African coast. We
understand that this disposal Of the Afri-
cans has been made with reference to pure
considerations Of economy; it having been
asce1tained on full enquiry that the cost Of
executing the directions Of the law would
be less under the arrangement with the
Colonization Society than under any that
could have been made with private Individ-
uals the character and reputation Of the
Colonization Society afording, in addition
to superior cheapness, guarantee of a
faithful execution of the contract, which
would not have existed under an arrange
ment with private individuals personally
unknown to government.
AS various discussions have been lately
rife in the Union on the propriety or expe-
diency of returning these captives again to
their native coasts, snd the subject has been
treated as if the President possessed under
the laws an option whether to send them
back to Africa or retain them ON this con-
tinent, it is proper that we should here
quote the law under which his proceedings
have been taken, from which it will be seen,
he was allowed no such option as that we
have alluded tos
In the case of Africans captured on the
passage from continent to continent, the
provisions Of the laws Of Congress as fol-
lows; .l. eN
1.-THE Commander Of the capturing YES
sci is directed to deliver every such negro,
mulatto, OF person Of color, to the marshal
of the district into which they are brought,
if into port Of the United States * X x \
transmitting to the President Of the United
States, as soon as may be after such deiive-
~, a description Of such negroes, mulattoes,
or persons Of color, that he may give direc-
tons for the disposal of them" + = : -
BE 1t further enacted, That the Presi-
dent of the United States be, and he is
hereby, authorized to make such regula-
tions and arrangements as he may deem
expedient for the safe keeping, support,
and removal beyond the limits IF the United
States of all such negroes, mulattoes, or
persons Of color, as may be 50 delivered and
brought within their. Jurisdiction; and to
appoint a proper person or persons, resi-
ding upon the coast Of Africa, as agent OF
agents for receiving the negroes mulattoes,
or persons Of color deliverea from on board
vessels seized in their prosecution of the
slave trade by commanders Of the United
States armed vessels /"
The law, it will be seen, makes it imper-
alive upon the President to transport the
captives beyond the limits Of the United
States; and also makes it imperitive upon
him to appoint an agent or agents on the
coast Of Africa for safe-keeping and sup
port of the captives; thus designating the
destination to which he shall send them
half the proceeds of the captured SLAYER 60
ing into the treasury of the United States
in liquidation pro tanto Of the cost of these
measures.
Thus the law left no discretion to the
President upon the question whether the
happiness and welfare Of the captives would
be best promoted by retaining them in a
land Of civilization and religious advanta-
ges, or returned to their original barbarism
and darkness on the coast which the aboli-
tionists would have us to believe realm of
bliss and moral purity compared with the
plantations Of the South
1t is not for us to comment upon the pol
icy Of a law which consigns these captives
again, after but few years respite, to the
miserable existence which they had escaped
on their native shores; or to raise the ques-
ton whether their own welfare would Hot
have been far better consulted by retaining
them here-either consigning them to a
congenial and natural bondage on our
Southern plantations, or turnidg them over
to the oAicious philanthopist of New Eng
land abolitionism The law directs the
captives to be sent back to Africa. Ida est
scrtpta ler; and while it continues thus to
be written, such discussion would be or
ly vain speculation - Wash Union.