Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-02-09
UVET CUII U-,
Here the hammer fell.I

Mr.. SEWARD 7 am opposed to the amend
meat as am opposed to the whole section and
| propose to give dry reasona for it. bokupo
the law for the suppression of the slave trade as
niachievnus and wrong. While do mot pre-
telll Ia commit ,nys' in reference to the policy
Of the slave t-,lr II: affecting tile States whose
interests wraid be touched by it, nm opposed
to the whole law, because think it wrong, and
a violation of the constitution.
The act suppressing the slave trade actually sub.
jccs the Property OF citizens to forfeiture forever
If gentlemen look at the constitution, they will
find that there is no crime known t. it, except
treason, for which mans property can be to:-
fcitcd and then only for his lite. And yet we
arc appropriating money here to carry out a law
which orleils the property Of citizens forever,
an deprivcs them and their children oft there.
by wishing the sins of the father lift he a sin
|. OIL the children.
The constitution of the. United States never
regarded the slave trade rs piracy. \ limitation
was put in the constitution, up to lS0S, against
iutertcnce with the slave trade, and Congress ac.
tually made the ade legal by permtti ga capl.
| talun tax Of ten dollars per head 20 he assessed
on the importation of ncgtoes into this country.
Besides that, Congress has ade that crime,
punishment by death, which was legali%ed by
this very capitation clause.
Now let us reverse this. Suppose we were 10
call on Congress to pass law authorizing the IRE.
sident of the Untcd States to employ thousand
marshals and to pay them SjDO, 900 I" 20 and ar.
rest people ho Interfere with slaves in the South
u4 H., i ,lL MI ~ ,te-Nnr!l; what s,!:' ,nf -
howl won!i be got up here for thus tax NC money
out of the treasury Your Navyi is police on the
sea to Interfere with people, and to arrest them
in the absence of any affidavit, by which alone
under the constitution, YOU can arrest party iur
crime in this country.
Is it not true that a man cannot be arrested on
land unless there be some specific charge made
against hin, under oath? And yet, when you get
to The high seas, your Navy is to be used as po.
lice to interfere with the business of citizens, and
to arrest them Tor a crime which is said to be
piracy. say that that does strike at the institu'
| ton of slavery ut the South. l want to have
that law repealed. / want 10 leaye this matter to
be settled by the States as domestic question.
doubt whether, so far rs my State (Georgia) is
concerned she would be benefited By the foreign
slave trade, because think she has Mt present q
sufficient supply of abor
But there are nhcr States thnt ,Eny differ from
us in tia, respect; iiir nsianc br Hta'e ct Tex
NJ and wanl NIL lha stn'es ty have the risl:!
without lEc intrr|rrrvre Of rynrra.., 10 ca!rf n'
the slave trade, II tIw.t " sil. II tie SLAVE lral'
any more riracy~-.i. it any more piracy 10 inkc
1. ncgto On the coast Of Africa and bring him IL
4 Southern State than it is to thkc Kim awas
fr.n Il Southern State and -rn him off to the
North? Why no! pat both Oh an equality?
Here the hammer fell.
The question was taken on Mr. Bonham'
amendment and it was rejected.