The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-03-11

The Slave Trade.

The editor of the Ohio State journal
explains his views in respect to the right
of prope rty in man, which we, in some
respects, unintcntionally misrcpresented:
"The point we made was that property
Is not creature of government that to
acquire, possess and trade in it, is an in
alienablc right Of man, existing before
preme Court held in the Dred Scott case,
the only power government has over pro
pcrty is the power connected with the
duty Of protecting it; and that if the
principle which the Court held in the
same case is conceded, that property in
man confers the same rights on the owner
as any other property, traffic in it on the
ocean could not be constitutionally pro
hibited"
Tho question is, whether property in
man is-as is holden by the Court--of the
same general character, in respect to its
title, as property in other things. If it
is, the power, on the part of Congress to
prohibit the slave trade on the ocean,
can not-according to the views of the
Journal-bc con.titutionally exercised
Such being the case, it is question Of
great interest whether or not property
in man" confers the same rights on the
owner as any other property-that is to
say: what is the foundation of the pro
prietary title in human beings, and in
what respect does it differ from that in
other articles of ownership As yet, we
do not remember that this has been the
subject of analytical examination by any
writer qualified to treat it with the force
and freedom which its Importance de-
serves. At this point the maxim of the
Declaration of Independence - that all
men are created equal is usually
brought in to settle the dispute; upon the
idea that whatever may be the actual
rights Of the parties, we, the people Of
the United States, are bound by our dec
larations to sustain the doctrine - thai
many profess to believe, but nobody prac
tees upon-the doctrine of uniyersa
freedom and equality. Upon this poinN
we hope to hear more from our eotem
porary. '''a 700.
In the mean time, however, all Christen
dom seems determined to get into the
| slave trade, in some form or other, as fas
as possible. The two great leading ma
tions Of Europe have divided the Ens
between themselves as proper fields fol
that which is really their slave-tradins
and slave-working cupidity. France colo
nizes from the eastern coast of Africa
Great Britain from Asia; but the eani
grants are slaves. ''It is unjust" says 6
recent En- :lish writer, 'to attack the
French for their emigration scheme, on
| the African coast, if we are ourselves cn.
gagged in similar adventures in China. u
From the cody trade the following is Il
late account, by Il Missionary:
~ have nothing of special interest to
add, if | except what ] may state about
the cody trade, viz: that it is becoming
more and more assNmilated to slavery
The natives are not only decOyed away
under false pretenses, but are even kid
mapped and sold, as on the coast of Africa
A man was put to DEATH, week or two
ago, by cruciiixion, for decoying persons
away as coolies, and at present there ar
proclamations on the walls, both from tn,
magistrates and from the people, offerin!
rewards for the apprehension of all VIII,
are engaged in a similar way. 1t is mel
ancholy to see English vessels engaged il
such traffic, The Scotia sc rew-stoame
is here for coolies now, for although YES
sells carrying the British flag are obliged
to put into Hong Kong, and be examined
in regard to the willingness to go f'thos,
on board, there is reason to believe tina
when the unwilling arc dismissed ljy tn
English authorities, they are often, If no
always, held fast by the native brokers
and embarked in vessels carrying differ
ent flag and subject to no such inspection
Here, at Double Island, the case is un
| ldoubtedly So" ! .