Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-30
! =. roreien Slave TIade.
The impression has been gradually gainin

ThP immersion has been gradually gaming
currency that che laws OF Congress prohibit
ing the African Slave Trade, were the off
spring of sectional feeling and enacted by
the votes OF M mbers from free States almost
exclusively. We suspect ibis impression has
been thrown out by those who assume fact,
aid have not taken tue trouble to verify 1t.
by all investigation of the record. The truth
is, the laws in question were supported IKE
by Northern and Southern men. = Se Oh
their warmest and most unhinching auvo-
cate, were amongst the latter. In that day
in the language of NATHANIEL MACON there
was s.but one. opinion ON the subject,
(which was effectually 10 prohibit the i'm
.-portation of slaves into the United States
..This sentiment pervaded the breast of every
"member of the community" North and
South public opinion demanded the prohibit
ton OF traffic, regarded as inhuman, and
which no one could deny was attended by
the greatest cruelties and barbarties This
being the true state Of thecase. the advocates
OF the repeal OF the laws, must resort 10
some other plea TO support their cause-they
must place the question before the American
people upon its intrinsic merits. If the pub
lie sentiment of the present day, unlike that
of 1907, regards the prohibition of the for
eign slave trade as wrong in principle, and
as such to be condemned, surely those who
desire the repeal Of the prohibition have but
to appeal fairly and honestly to that senti
menL TO accomplish their wishes. But they
know public sentiment has not changed, and
consequently they do not regard it us polite
to place The que, ton of repeal, in its proper
light, before the country. Why should the
laws be repealed! Because they prohibit us
from doing that which we think ought TO be
done; to wit: to import additional supplies
OF slaves from Africa. This is really what
the repealers mean; but they do not say
so. They say the prohibition laws are u
stigma upon the South, and therefore should
be wiped from the statute book. BY agitat-
ing this idea, they hope eventually to inhame
the popular mind of the South, and 10 build
up party having for its object Ostensibly
repeal, but really a disruption Of the gov
eminent. No sane man can expect any
other result than defeat, and consequently he
would not originate and press measure
with this assurance staring him full in the
face. A sane man, desiring a dissolution OF
the Union, might well use this as one of the
means to effect that mischievous end. and he
would be most likely to cover up his purpose
under some patriotic pretense. Aud this we
take to be the true character of the move
ment in favor of the repeal of the laws pro-
hibiting the foreign slave trade. Like the
demand for the enactment of laws by Con-
gress to protect slavery in the territories, it
has been gotten up to make mischief The
great sectional issues, with the Kansas contro-
versy, are about to die out. An era of peace
aud quiet is about to dawn. The cOnserva-
tive elements of the country hail its approach
with satisfaction. They see in it an oppOr-
tunity for doing something to advance the
highest interests of the country. The agitat-
ors, the fanatics, dread il as the signal for
,eIr overthrow. Hence, they seek 10 intro
due new issues OF character as dangerous
as any which have preceded them, and have
dashed our political seas into storms that i'm
periled the ark of our safety, the Union and
the Constitution. 1t is the duty of all who
l0!e our institutions and wish to perpet-
uate them, to interpose and check these new
attempts against them. The enemy is un-
firing aud secpless. We should he equally
so, and lose no opportunity 10 thwart him.
This much we owe to the country which gave
US birth and has sheltered and protected us.