The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-30

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sion, it has been filled, in too many instances
by class of men who would not be tolerated
in the domestic Administration, where thei
conduct would be subjected to the daily scru
tiny of the public.
There should be a reform in this department
of the Government, or it should at once be en-
tirely dispensed with, as worse than useless.
SENATOR BROWN ON THE ISSUES.
Senator A. g. Brown, of Mississippi, thu.
sums up the issues to be settled by the Presi
dental struggle in 1860;
"The main issues in the Presidential contest
of 1860 will probably be the following:
"First, and most important to u.s. the ques
ton of Slavery in the Territories, with its con
comitants of popular sovereignty-squatter SOW
ereignty-the rights of the Territorial Legisla
tures-the duties Of Congress to the States-and,
finally, the rights of the States when aggrieved
by the affirmative or negative action of the
Federal Government.
"Second. The acquisition Of Cuba, involving
the question of territorial expansion, and Incl.
dentally our relations with Mexico and Central
America, and bringing practically, for the first
time the Monroe doctrine under the supervis-
ion of the American people.
"Third. The reopening Of the African slave
trade, embracing the morality of Slavery and
the slave traffic in all these various phases,
and awakening the deepest and most searching
inquiries into the political, social, and economi-
cal influences which the success Of the PROPOSE
ton is to have upon the country at large, and
especially upon the Southern States.
Fourth. The collection and disbursement
OF public revenue, carrying with it the whole
question of protection and full and fair invest
igation into all the charges of extravaganza,
prohigacy, and corruption, which the Opposi-
ton may choose to bring against the party now
in power"
Upon the first proposition he arraigns Sena-
tor Douglas, and insists that his hobby of "pop-
ular sovereignty is worse than the Wilmot
Proviso. He says
"Shall Congress, in default of Territorial leg
islation, afford adequate protection to property,
slaves included, in the Territories? That is
the question. To this question Mr.. Douglas
answered no, and he had yet to learn that any
hrst-rate Northern statesman in official position
answered yes. Without an affirmative answer,
the South should never be satisfied. 1t would
not do to talk of nonintervention; Congress had
interviewed and it would intervene again, both
other species of property; and there was no
reason, founded in common sense, common law,
common honesty, or the Constitution, why it
should not intervene to protect slave property.
Who doubted, if a Massachusetts man went to
Kansas with stock of wollen and cotton goods,
and there being no law to protect them, they
should be stolen, that Congress would interpose
and make law And if Western man went
with a drove of mules or horses, and they STAN
peded on the prairies, who questions that Con-
gress would give laws to insure their return to
their owner, if the Territory refused such law :?
And yet, if a Southern planter went with his
slaves, and they were spirited away by the
underground railroad, we were to be told Con-
gress cannot interpose, we have erected
Territorial Legislature for that purpose Out
upon such barefaced imposturel If the South
consents thus to be hoodwinked, she deserves
to be enslaved."
Upon the second issue, Cuba, he has good
deal to say, but comes to the point in the follow
ing brief paragraph;
ave wanted more slave territory, and a kind
Providence seemed to have created Cuba, and
placed it in our very reach, in fulfilment of that
want. The fruit ripened, it tempted a craving
and natural appetite, and yet we hestated to
put forth our hands and pluck it.
Upon the subject of reopening the African
slave trade, the generally transparent Senator
is opaque and oracular. He thinks the exist
ing laws too severe, and insulting to the South
He thought the proposition to repeal them was
premature, and would embarrass our Northern
friends" He thought the South had better
wait until Cuba is secured, and the Territorial
nd h. =.
would be dangerous to open the hood-gates of
African barbarism upon the South. But the
gallant Senator repudiated with Indignation
the supicion that he could have a conscience
against man-stealing disclaimer which was
utterly unnecessary, we should think.
Upon the fourth Issue, he makes feeble at
tempt to apologize for the extravaganza of the
Administration.
The views of the Senator upon the question
of reopening the African slave trade, as we
have said, are obscurely expressed, and were
doubtless intended to please both sides. At
any rate, he gives satisfaction to the friends of
the traffic, as will be seen by the following ar
ticle from the MSsissippian the central organ
of the Democracy in that State. 1t says:
"Those who are enlisted in the great popu-
lar movement against the unconstitutional and
offensive laws relating to the African slave trade
and destroying the monopoly which they are
creating, to the serious detriment of the great
mass of the Southern people, will find much to
approve in the views of Senator Brown as ex-
pressed in his Monticello speech.
"They will find that he is in favor of total
repeal of all existing laws on the subject, and
the substitution of others more in unison with
Southern sentiment, and less offensive to the
Constitution or else such material modifca-
ton as would pluck from them their sting to
Southern honor, and make them conform more
exactly to the Constitution as it is
Thus, he is ready now TO vote for the re-
peal of the fourth section ofthe statute of 1920,
making the trade piracy and furnishing it as
such also the seventh section of the act of
1918, imposing fine of one thousand dollars,
and Imprisonment until it is paid, which is
levied against the offender for every negro pur
chased.
"These laws are strongly condemned by Sen
ator Brown, and are shown to be justly odious
to Southern sentiment, and founded in false
philanthropy.
Besides the repeal of these statutes, we I'M
derstand Senator b. to favor the abrogation of
all treaties by which our Government has bound
itSehj JOiHtiy WIN LhSidnus 10 keep an ocean
police on the coast of Africa, for the detection
and arrest of persons engaged in the trade
When the policy here foreshadowed is car.
ried out, the trade ,oN be practically, and to all
fntents and purposes, reopened. These laws
and treaties, which are SO contrary to the Con-
stitution, and so offensive and unjust to the
South, constitute the only barrier to the free
dom of that most important trade.
Thus far, Senator Brown and the friends of
free trade in negroes as In every other snecias