Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-10-07
The Slave Trade.

| The Richmond Enquirer, of the 23d ult,
in the coarse of an article on this subject,
| saws:
| Representing. as we endeavor to do, the
sentiment of Virginia in regard to the African
| slave trade, we have repeatedly expressed our
| opposition to opening said trade. But we
| have No hesitancy in saying that we desire to
| see the laws of Congress much modified upon
this subject. We desire to see every stigma
upOn slavery or the trade in slaves removed
| from Federal legislation. If the trade in AZ
rican slaves is piracy then it will be difficult
to maintain that the trade in Virginia slaves
| is not kindred crime. If to buy negroes in
Africa, for sale in Cuba, deserves death, the
world will Judge that kindred punishment
should be visited upon the purchaser of ne
groes i'm Richmond. to sell in Mississippi.
I'VE would also desire a modification in the
laws of Congress that compel the President
to send back to Africa, negroes brought to an
American port under the circumstances OF
those in the Echo. We are opposed to con-
signing again to that worse than Egyptian
bondage any unwilling African who may
have been so fortunate as TO be removed there
from We desire to see the whole world
brought under the influence of Christian civ
iliZation. and are opposed to any law of Con-
gress consigning again to canibalism and bar
barism those that may have been rescued.
sThough unwilling to see the African slave
trade with this country opened, because OF
effects we anticipate on our own interests, yet
we do desire to see the stigma of piracy re-
moved from the trade, and provision made
for sale in this country of all Africans that
NAV be caught by Federal officers on board of
traders We deem such sale an act of human
ity to the negroes, and such sales occurring so
seldom would have no deleterious effect upon
our own interests
Ia IL, H., ~
the Africans, we would not hesitate to advo-
cate the lcgalzation of The trade, because
every negro removed from Africa, and sub
jected to American slavery, is benefited be-
yond human calculations. We substitute the
light of Christian knowledge for the darkness
of superstitious barbarism. The worship of
the living God would supplant the sins of
| idolatry; and. under the Outstanding and
humaniZing Influences of American slavery,
I their relation to their God and their neigh
Dor would be opened to their ignorant
| minds.
These would not he the only blessings that
would attend the Equalization of the slave
| trade; under the provisions of a wise code,
| the horrors of the middle passage would dis
| appear, and competition would render com
| Portable and safe the voyages, that now. under
| the preventive legislation of the world, are
| attended with such immense loss of life. But
we are not permitted to consult alone the in
terest of the Africans, discussion must de-
velop the effects which that trade would have
upon American interest. Reason must test
its p-opriety, aud demonstrate the results OF
such opening upon the production of the
country. as well upon the government and
management OF the negroes now here, and
those that would be brought in.
1--WE would. therefore, very much like to
hear calm expression of opinion from the
press upon the notifications of the law we
have indicated. Shall the law longer remain,
declaring the trade to be piracy and shall
unwilling Africans be again transported to
Africal"