The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-08-26
The African slave Trade.

me African slave Ira0e.
BY Q law Of the United States which has
been in force since 1920, the African slave
trade is condemned and made punishable as
piracy. We believe the proper departments
OF the Executive government have been
energetic and sincere in their efforts to exc.
cute the law, and to suppress that barbarous
traffic. The mos: Of our readers will re-
member the case Of the SLAYER Echo, which
was captured of the coast Of Cuba by one
of our naval vessels, and taken into the port
Of Charleston. About three hundred Arr.
cans were then taken from her and detained
in South Carolina till the government was
able to make arrangements with the Coloni.
zation Society, to transport them to Liberia.
Those captives were then returned to Africa
under contract by which the Colonization
Society undertook to clothe, feed, and edu.
cate them, for one year after their arrival
there. Such was late instance Of the exc
cution o. the laws against the slave trade
in South Carolina. On the | 5th of Deem
Der, 1856. Hon. JAMES l.. Orr, q distin.
gushed Democrat Of South Carolina, intro.
duced into the House Of Representatives of
the United States this resolution
Rss0trsd, That it is inexpedieut. unwise, and
contrary to the settled policy OF the United
States. TO repeal the laws prohibiting the Afri.
can slave trade.
And it was carried, by vote OF yeas 1873
nays s.
At the present time, the Navy DEPART
ment is rngaged in fitting out four steamers
for the coast of Africa, and four for the
Cuban coast, for the special purpose Of pre-
venting and suppressing the slave trade.
Yet in the face of these and similar facts,
the Republicans industriousy charge the
Democracy with the intention to open
the Slave trade, as If any sane man sup.
posed there was any prospect OF opening it.
The atrocious barbarties incident upon the
capture OF native Africans, and the miseres
attending their transportation are such,
that no com bination of law breakers will be
found strong enough TO revive an abuse so
digracelul to human nature, and so repug.
nant to the conscience OF the age, as the
Slave trade. The interest of shareholders is
also against it. True. there are some fire
eaters in the South, who avow wish to
open the African Slave trade But it would
be foul SANDER on the South to say that
they represent her public opinion or her
wealth. They belong to class of brawl.
ing agitators, such as infest the North TO a
great extent. Their whole capital consists
in agitation, and they are nuisance to the
peace Of the country. The same humanity
which is al-poweriul to suppress the Slave
Trade, treats them with lenity, and instead
of combining them in mad house, tolera,es
their ianaticism.
When the Kansas. Nebraska act was
passed, the Democracy was charged with
extending slavery over the virgin soil Of
those Territories. Our opponents were IN
ceasug in their predictions that slavery
would be established there, They published
maps showing Kansas and Nebraska in
black, TO more fore bly, impress people that
slavery was really there. But their proph.
esy was not fulfilled Why do they now
pr diet the opening of the Slave trade Is
it because they wish it 10 be revived in order
to serve their selfish party purposes 1t is
natural for men to predict as they hope, and
these are predictions Of demagogues, who
doubtless desire their fulfment.