Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-12-29

and among them fome contsininH She greatest
number OF slaves. This gave 10 Congress The
immediate power TO act IN regar 20 all such
States, because they themselves bad removed
the constitutional barrier Congress accord
iugly passed an act on 2Sth Of February, 1908
10 prevent the importation Of certain persons
into certain States, where, by the laws thereof,
their admission is prohibited" Ia this man
uer the Importation Of African slaves into the
United States was, 10 a great extent prohibit.
Cd some wears IN advance of 1908. I'd
AS tie year lS0s approached, Congress do.
termined not 10 suffer this trade 70 exist even
for single day after they had the power 10
abolish it On the % March, 1907, they pas
sod an act TO take effect "from and after the LIST
day OF January, 1908, p, ,ohibiting the impori-
alton of African slaves into the United States
This was followed by subsequent acts of sim.
liar charactcr, TO which | need not specially re-
fer Such were the principles and such the
practice Of our ancestors more than fifty years
ago IN regard To the African slave trad.
IL did hot occur to the revered patriots who
had been delegates 10 the convention, and Rf
forwards became members Of Congress, that in
passing these laws they had violated the con
stitution which they had framed with so much
care aud deberation, They supposed that to
| prohibit Congress, ia express terms, from eX~
day, necessarily involved the right TO exercise
this power after that day had arrived.
II this were not the case, the trainers Of the
Constitution had expended much labor in vain.
Had they imagined that Congress would poss-
ess no power TO prohibit the trade either before
or after 1903, they would not have taken so
much care to protect the States against the eX-
eroise OF this power before that period. Nay,
more, they would not have attached such vast
importance to this provision as to have exclu
ded it from the possibility of future repeal OF
amendment to which other portions OF the
Constitution we're exposed. 1t would, then
have been wholly unnecessary to engrait on
the fifth article of the constitution, prescribing
the mode of its own future amendment, the
proviso, THAT no amendment which may be
made prior to the year 1903 shall in no manner
affect" the provision in the constitution secu
ring to the States the right to admit the im
portation Of African slaves previous to that pc
| riod
According to the adverse construction the
clause ITSELF on which 60 much care and dis
cussion had been employed by the members o
the convention, was an absolute nullity from
| the beginning, and all that has since been done
under it a mere usurpatiOn.
| IL was well and wise to confer this power upoI
Congress because had IL been left TO the states u
| efficient exercise would have been impossible. In
that event any one state could have effectuall!
continued the trade not only for itself but for al
| the other slave states, though never so much a
| gainst their will. And whS2 Because African
| slaves when once brought within the limits Of an
| one state, in accordance with its laws, cannO
practically be excluded from any other state wheri
| slavery exists. And even IL tho states had sepa
rately passed laws prohibiting the importation o.
slaves. these laws would have failed Of effect fol
want Of naval force to capture the slayers and tC
| guard the coasts. Such force no state can EN-
/ ploy in time OF peace without the consent OF Con
gress.
These acts of Congress, it is believed, have Will
very rare and Insignificant exceptions. accomplish
| ed their purpose. For period Of more than hall
| q entury there has been no perceptiblo addition
to the number of our domestic slaves. During thi,
period their advancement in civilization has tal
surpassed that Of any other portion of the African
race. The light and blessings Of Christianity haY,
| been extended to them, and both their moral anC
| physical condition has been greatly improved,
| Re-open the trade, and il would be difiicult tC
| determine whether the effect would be more dele
teTiOus to the interests of the master, thOs,
of the natiYe-bOrn slave. VI the evils to the mas
| ter, the one most to be dreaded would be the in
PRODUCTION Of wild, heather and Ignorant barbari
ans among the sober, orderly aud quiet slaves
whose ancestors have been on the soil for seyera
generations. This might tend to barbarize de
moralize and eXasperate the whole mass, and pro
duce the most deplOrable consequences
The effect upon the existing slave, would, j
possible, be still more deplorabe. At present, h.
| is treated with kindness ana humanity. lie i
! well fed, well clothed, and not over worked. Iii
condition is incomparably better than that of tn
Coolies which modern nations of high civilization
have employed as a substitute for African slaves
Both the philanthropy and self-interest Of tn
master have combined 70 produce this humane re
suit. But let this trade be re-Opened and wha
will be the eifectl Tho same, 70 q consderabl
extent, as on a neighboring island the only spo
on earth where the African slave trade is Openl
tolerated, and this in defiance of solemn treatie
with power abundaatly able at any moment I
enforce their execution, There the master, inten
upon the present gain, eXtOrts from the slave n
slave as much labor as his physical powers are ca
pHble OF enduring knowing that when dealt
comes 10 his relief, his place can be supplied ut
price reduced to the lowest point by the cOmpeti
tion of rival African slaYetraders. If this shOul
ever be the case III our 0ountry-Whlch do no
deem pOssible-the present useful character of tn
domestic institutions wherein those too old and to-
young to work are provided for with care and hu
mnnity, and those capable Of labor HTe not over
tusked, would undergo an untOr unate change
The feeling OF reciprocal dependence and attnch
ment which now exists between master and slave
would be converted into mutual dIstrust and hos
tility
Blit we are Obliged as a CHRISTIAN and moral ma
tion to consider wnat would be the effect upon un
happy Africa itself If should reopen the slav
trade. This would give the trade an impulse an
extension which IL has never had even in its pal
miest days. The numerous victims required I
supply it would convert the whole slave coast int
! u perfect pandemonium, for which this countr
would be held respOnsl bic in the eyes both OF 10
and man Its petty tribes would then be constant
, ~ engaged in predatory wars against each othe
for the purpose OF selztng slaves TO supply th
American market All hOpes OF African ciYlllZa
, tion would thus be ended.
On the other hand, Wnen market for Africa
slaves shall no longer be furnished in Cuba, an
thus all the world be closed against this trade "
may then indulge reasonable hope for the gradJ
al improvement of Africa. The chief motive
war among the tribes will cease whenever there
no longer any demand for slaves. The resources
that fertile but miserable country might then
developed by the hand Of industry, and afford sui
jects for legitim'te foreign and domestic oommerc
In this way Christianity and eivilz 'tlon may graC
. ually penetrate the existing gloom.
The wisdom oil the course pursued by thl
government towards China has been vlndici
! ted by the event Whilst we sustained
: neutral position in the war waged by Grea
Britain and France against the Chinese EmpiI
our late Minister, in obedience 10 his instruC
! tions, judciously co-operated with the Mini;
t ters OF these pwers in all peaceful MEASURES I
I secure by treaty the Just concessions demand
Y ed by the interCsts OF foreign commerce. Th
D result is, that satisfactory treaties have bee
r concluded with China by the respective Mini
= ters OF the United States, Great Britain, Franz
a aud Russia. Our ''treaty, or general conve
i ton of peace, amlty and commerce." with tn
It empire was concluded at Mlentsln on the 10
3 June, 1858, and was ratified by the PresideI
by and with the advice and consent Of the Sc
ate, on the 2lst December following
i. On the l5tn December, 1853, John E. War
le a distinguished citizen of Georgia, was du
n commissioned as envoy extraordinary al
r minister penipotentiaTy TO ChiRa, He left :
20 United States for the place of his destinati
N on the 9th OF February, 1859, bearing wi
10 him tho ratified copy of thisi treaty, and arri
e. ed at Shanghai on the 29th May. From then
le he proceeded to Pekin, on the 10Th June, b
l. did not arrive at that city until the 9Th
8 July. According to the terms of the trea
N tue ratiiications were to be exchang u on
st before the 18th June, 1859 This was rend'
II cd impossible by reasons and events beyond
control not necessary to DETAIL but still it
en- due to the Chinese authorities at Shanghai
d, state that they always assured him 10 advI
We tage should be taken OF the delay, and Il
x pledge has been faithfully redeemed
ii On the arrival of Mt Ward at Pekin he