The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-12-28

- sns Ills iIaae 10 szis, SVs' "t @ o lp
after they haa u ,fssl an act ~ take effect from
Sareh, 1897, ivy ay Of jar sry, ISIS. prohibiting
sHl alter iu9 .,'n u African siayts INTO lhe thsu
ss TINS was lVllowey 1s sI.atuen. M " a
Mates i his 10 which need MOI specially refer
4 Similar cha and srch the practice OF our
tuch weFe Kan iity cars ago III regard To The
y an, este, les' s.Ie
q African slave uaoS ID 4,
Il eicegaics to the copveniion, aud alter wars be,
been er0e,s q. GOigrCss, that in passing these laws
&sSllIs yiulatcd the CCstitEttu which they ba;i
tlry,s.i with q much care sind dcberauOn. lhty
anosed that 10 prohibit Congress Iii express tetris
p,Sr,eising specified INSer before an appointed
~ necessarily iyOiyed The right 10 exercise this
nySe, after that day mud arrived
n inns were not the case, The Tamers Of The Cons
,ntinn had expended much labor in vain. Had they
,,,,,eired that Congress would losssss poysrr t,
,,r,hibt the trade eiher before after 1903 they
lv,uld not have taken go much TO protect tn,
states aes; the exercise OF this power before tbs
5n,.rt,,l Nay, more. they would hot have attaches
s,trh vas, mpo, to tbs provision us To have
GUIDED IL from tiie isssibliy II future repeal O
amendment 10 WHICH ether potions a tho Cohst III
tiOn wsre exposed ]. would then have been WHOLLY
unnecessary To euIait ON the nth Article Of the Con
stitrtlou DIT scribing the mode al lis tutuI
concentrated, tie pOysO, " that 10 amendnti
,xhirb may be made prior to the year 1875 shall i
an, man,yr affect TIE provision ia the COBstitgto
ssvrg,p 10 tile Stats the right admit the import
tian NJ African slaves previous to that period.
According to the adverse constructor, the claus
,s,u. on which 50 much care and dScusstUn had 5eG
smnlbyed by ihe members Of the convention, wasa
bsolte nudity from the beginning, aud all that h
80, neon done under il u mere GsugpatoH
:, was well and wise 10 confer this power on Col
ss, heeause, had il been left 10 tie States, i
e,Sc,s.t exercise would have been impossible.
,hst egent any enc stste eeuld haze eiIeeuaIiy re
,innsa tho trade, not Gry for itself but for all Il
cher slave States, though never 80 much again
their viii. Aud shy' Because AT, lean slave
when once brought within Ito limits og any Oh
STATE In accordance with Us laws, csnuot prscicil
he excluded from my oshcr state where slavery &
ists. And even Il all the States hat separately pass,
laws prohibiting the importation OF slaves the
laws would have failed Of effect for want OF Il nay
force tocartnre the slayers and guard the ccas,
such a force no State eau eiaploy In time Of pea
without the consent OF Congress.
These acts Of Congress 1t Is believed, have, Wi
very rare and insignificant exceptions, accomplish
their purpose For q period OF more than half
century there has beea perceIthie addition 10 4
number OF our domestic slaves. During this peri
their advancement in civilization has fur surpass
that Of any other portion Of the African race. Il
iieht and the blessings OF Christianity have been c
tsDted TO them, and both their moral and physif
e0ndition has been greatly improved.
Reopen the trade, and il would be difficult 10 d
terrnne whether the effect would be moro dele
fious on the interests Of the master OF on those
The paiiye.born saye. OF the evils to the masts