The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-26
WISE ON THE SLAVE TRADE.

In the recent mammoth letter of Gov. Wise
he uses the following dubious language in refer
ence to some Southern departure from strict
propriety. The Southern Citizen, the organ Of
the slave traders, takes fire at it, and gently re
Dukes the Governor for his supposed reference
to and censure of the slave trade. But, if this
is all that the fre-eating Governor of Virginia
has to say against the infamous crime Of man
stealing, we think the advocates of the practice
are unduly sensitive. Gov Wise says:
"All human rights, natural as well as any
other, are social and conventional and all
rights spring from the nature of things and
their relations to each other. What is a natur
al right at one moment and in one relation
may not exist at all at another moment and in
another relation. Time, habitude and rela
tons, modify and mollify all rights and wrongs
in morals as well as manners. Truth and JUS
tice, and all cardinal principles, know and
plead, are externally the same; but the misap
plication of principles may pervert truth into
falsehood, justice into injustice, and right into
wrong. Our holding and governing our slaves
in the United States now, don't depend upon
the right or wrong of their original acquisition
but upon existing relations-upon the lapse OF
itudes of society, upon everything which can
perfect title to anything. The masters are
born for generations to know their powers, du.
ties and responsibilities; and the slaves have
been humanized, chastened, and christianized
and they have been, under the providence OF
God, blessed in their condition, compared with
what exists among Africans anywhere else, and
they have here gladly and happily increased
and multiplied
ITO defend our slave property at home. on
the borders of the free States, requires &ll the
aid we can obtain by sympathy from within and
without; and we need especially that our friends
in the South shall do nothing to prejudice the
cause of African bondage, and of its defances
as it exists in the United States in the minds
of any.
"For the South's sake, and for the sake Of
the border States of Slavery, them let us enforce
the laws, and entrench ourselves behind their
ramparts if we would have Justice, let us do il
to our own hurt even if we will not submit to
violations of the Constitution of the United
States, let us by all means keep the faith of the
covenant"
When Mr.. Wise was i'll Brazil, and looked
upon the slave trade merely as a gainful traffic
to foreign people, who have no vote for Presi
dent, he denounced it in language kissing and
seething with burning Indignation.
The late leader of John Tyler's Corporal's
Guard in a measure redeemed himself from the
odium of that connection by his honest zeal in
behalf of humanity on the other side of the
Equator.
But our American pirates are to be treated
more gingerly. He appeals to them as gentle
men and Christians not to be so headstrong
They should abide by the letter of the law,
even to their own hurt, so that the Yankees
may have no excuse for running off fugitive
slaves. Gov. Wise roars our pirates as gently
as sucking doves and, so far would he be from
hanging the wretches, he would not SO much as
wound their delicate sensibilities by naming
their crimes. But how can we be surprised at
this politeness of Presidential aspirant to the
man-stealers, when the American Tract Society
has shown equal respect for them?