Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-10-08
TIE LAW FORBIDDING THE AFRICAN
SLAVE TRADE.

In anjwer to question addressed to the National
hteuigenccr by correspondent in Georgia, to
whether the Southern statesmen took the lead in
enacting the law against the African Slave Trade
it says:
"The Act was passed on the recommendation Of
President Jefferson, atd each branch of Congress
wed with the other in its pvomptness to move for
the earliest possible suppression of the Infamous
traffic, for 50 it was regarded at tha. day by the
Representatives of the People from every quarter
os ..ae Union. On the day after The annual mes
sage of Mr.. jefferson for December, 1906, had
been read in the Senatpj the first act recorded
among the proceedings of that body consists in a
notice, given Wednesday, December 81 by
would, 'on the following Monday, December 81
ask leave to bring in bill to prohibit the impor-
tation of slaves into any port or place within the
jurisdiction of the United States, from and after
the first day of January 1903. In the House of
Representatives it was also resolved, on the same
day, "that much of the message of the President
of the United States as relates TO the prohibition
Of the African slave trade, be referred to select
committee and Messrs, Peter Early, of Georgia,
Thomas NJ. Randolph, of Virginia; John Camp
bell, of Maryland Thomas Kcnon, of North
Carolina; Orchard Cook, of Massachusetts; James
Nelley, of Pennsylvania, and William X. Van
Rensselaer,, of New York, were appointed such
committee.
The committee raised by tn, Senate on the
same subjected consisted Of Messrs. Stephen X.
Brady, of Vermont David Stone, of North Car
olina William B. Giles, of Virginia John Gail
lard, of South Carolina, and Abraham Baldwin Of
Georgia.
These committees which it will be seen, com.
prsed in their number majority fIom Southern
aud slaveholdng states reported to their respect
i've Houses bills strongly prohibitory Of the foreign
slave trade after the first of January, 1908.
The bill introduced by the Senate committee
was passed in that body, without division on the
9th of January, 1907. the measures reported to
the House by its committee was debated from time
to time, with the view of ascertaining and insert
Ing the most effective penalties by which to put an
end to the traffic, when on the 18th of February
1907, the Till sent from the Senate, after being
amended was read and passed with only five dis
Isentients-Messrs. Sias Bettn of Maine Martin
Chittenden of Vermont; James n. Garnett, oi
Virginia and David r. Williams, of South Caro-
lima.
1t may be proper to state that the Sth section o.
the bill, as amended by the House of Representa-
lives, contained proviso excepting the coastwist
trade in negro slave (nOt imported contrary to th'
provisions of the act under considera.iOn) from tin
restrictions and penalties embraced in the bill-
10 this amendment the Senate refused to agree
and, the House insisting, committees Of conlerenc
were respectively appointed on the part of boil
branches Of Congress, AS the result of this con
ference the views Of the House substantially pre-
vailed. thought not without some notifications
which provoked strong dissent on the part o
many Representatives
The bill was finally passed in the House by
vote of SO year against As nays. Among the lat
ter is recorded the name Of Mr.. Early of Georgia
who had been SO actively instrumental in framing
the act but il is important to add that he express
y based his opposition on the ground that the bill
as modified, left in his judgment, door wild
open to evasion, and would not prevent the intro
duction of a single slave" The great mass o
those who voted with him in the negative were' II
like manner, prompted by dissatisfaction with th
substance or object of the measure.
The subsequent measures adopted in 1918 an
1920, aiixing additional penalties to the traffic
were in like manner adopted by the common con
seat OF Representatives from all parts oil th
srrssl go b. s-- a-i eH