Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-04-22


these slaves under The law Of the United siaies The
efforts Of the Government mp to this time have been on
trely directed towards The prosecution of the who
nave dealt in ihem who have purchased and sold them
and will only say 90 the Senator from Vermont that II
hc viii introduce bill by which The powcr shall be con-
fcrfcd upon the Government OF the United States 10 mr..
rest slave illegally introduced into the United siates
ofit ''' F''''s'
Mr. CoLLAwgn. There is a bill living on the table
now; t has lain there for weeks and cis and has
any southern gentleman tried to move id lt has been
reported from the committee long since. Does the hon
orablc Senator wish to clear his State Of this apparent
imputatun, II not his State, other southern
states Is the least effort made about 30 lie wants
ihat should do something / have nothing 20 do with
Mr.. sLlnEI1 will answer the Senator II he desires
H. think that the sentiment OF the southern portion N
the United States is decidedly adverse the traffic in
slaves, so long It is prohibited 10y the laws fthe Unit
ed States think that is the universal sentiment
VINO huN hai the interests OF civilization and humanity,
and The industry Of The country would perhaps be pro-
NOTED ey the renovation Of the slave trade under ccrain
regulations think they are still very small portion
Of our community; but n Che slave trade be- not sup
pressed in other countries thc people Of Cuba can
purchase slaves at very reduced price, If the Emperor
OF France can take them ia unlimited numbers into his
colonies, the people Of the South may fear tue compei
ton OF cheap slave abor or pretended free labor and
hee viii De total change of public sentiment at tho
SOUTH and you will find many advocates for the slave
trade among men who are not so now.
NJ CoLLAMnR desire to exercise al courtesy 70
the gentleman in relation 20 this, which BE- his peculiar
TOPICS but do not wish 90 have speeches ia favor Of the
African slave trade, iu any aspect in which pre-
sent ITSELF thrown into the body Of my speech and pub
li.hci with it. lLaughter.l lido not like it
Mr.. sLinEtt There IS very simple remedy not TO
have il published in the pamphlet speech.
Mr.. CoLLANEn / do not contemplate having a
pamphlet. do not make any speeches for Buncumhe.
Mr. President, am not practically familiar with an the
laws on this subjects but take that imported slaves
hto ms country may he surrendered 20 the Executive
and IS his duty To return thrn home know that II
public opinion in Georgia, or Alabama and that portion
OF he country is decided against the renewal Of the
as ID
those Africans would he given mp but there will not be
man Of them given up 1t has been published in the
papers that "Broihcr such has gotten Of those
boys for S2O. have looked him over and think him
great acquisition Nobody undertakes 10 say that
they must be doli'ercd-not AZ all. The truth Is,
stated that the large part Of the people in the SOUTH
do not say The most intelligent people there, but large
part Of them IN point Of numbersthink their condition
would he decidedly improved and the condition Of the
African too, by having the slave trade revived. Recent
ly see it stated Ia their papers, II the slave trade op
you cannot get jury to ndict and convict. believe
they have found bill recently against the master
owner or vessel Whether he will be convicted,
mains "a be seen.
have only called attention those topics for the pur
pose Of showing that these the sentiments entertained
by our southern people that should open the Afr-
can slave trade that should extend borders and
take 20 Mexico and all that country for the purpose, as
they think, of their security II you pensc for the
purpose of obtaining at least equal weight ia the
mRnd Of this Government. When have said that, | am
not charging upon thcm anything Of a criminal
all do not charge them with intent 10 abuse that
power If they could get it but that not the point
and the dissolution Of the Union secession those the
topics which the honorable Senator thought proper to
address inc people, and very soundiy to address them
wish he could convince the whole Of the South that
topic. but he has not done il.
think that the President himself disagreed with the
Senator from South Carolina in relation these points.
He has proceeded TO indorse them. do mean that
he fyOrs their idea in regard to the dissolution Of the
Union, but he has indorsed them for the purpose they
Perhaps he has done from fear Of the dsso-
luton Of the Union He may have thought il necessary
TO accommodate them in their feeling upon all these sub
iec, by his aid in order to prevent their dssoying the
Union. Senators have argued this case II they
talking entirely to the people Of the southern States
Somehow other, i, seems to be forgotten that the
Jorty Of the people Of the United States participate in
Of these views The question presented is will the
people Of the free States contribute their substance
ter upon this policy for the purpose Of aiding the South
in obtaining power TO govern the North in the Union,
to get out Of il, II they desire to do so
In order to present more fully my view in relation
the purposes and designs that is the ultimate Of
this power Of force, wish to enter little more into the
detail and history Of this subject know it is that
the President has long entertained this project 1t isl
avorite child Of his old The notion has been enter
tanned more less distinctly in his mind for time
1t is only fully developing itself this time. The
President knew full we'll, only before these recent
manifestations Of the public feeling of Spain. that he
could not purchase Cuba he knew 1t well in the first
place he does The very proposition, in the form
IN which 1t is put forth is utterly Inconsistent with the
idea Of the purchase Why, sir. when he himself was
Secretary Of State in his instructions Mr. Saunders
the time he was our Minister to Spain upon this topic
what does he say To him Speaking Of the manner Of
conducting this business, he tells him
Such delicate negotiations, at least in their incpient
stages, ought always be conducted in confidential
conversation, and with the utmost secrecy and dis
patch"
And now he comes to the Congress of the United
States to get declaration in the face Of the world Of the
purposes that design. How utterly inconsistent is
that with the idea he thus properly expressed OF the
manner in which alone such thing could be done. lie
knew another thing perfectly well. and that is that
when MI Souc went as our minister TO Spain, Mr. Mar
cy told him this
Under certain conditions the United States might be
willing TO purchase it but II is scarcely expected that
you will find SpAn should You attempt to ascertain her
views upon the subject at all inclined to enter into such
a negotiation. There is to believe that she is
der obligations Great Britain and France trans
fer this island to the United States. Were there moth
ing else TO justify this belief but the promptness with
which these two Powers sent their naval forces to her
aid in the late Cuba disturbances, the proposition for
trparute convention to guaranty Cuba TO spain, and
what is more significant than either of the above facts
the sort of joint protest by England and France,
which adyeFted in my instructions TO Mr.. Buchanan
against some Of the views presented in Mr. Evereiis
letter of the ID Of Decomber last. NJ Sartiges the
French Minister would alone be satisfactory proof OF
such arrangement"
Then the Secretary Of State had informed Mr. soule
that there doubt there was treaty between Spain
on the one side and France and England on the other
mat hey would guaranty hat Cnpa should not be taken
from her and she would guaranty she would not sell il
IN the United States Now, that is my conjecture
That is the official Of the view then taken
The present President knew Of this. not only under
stood il, but he knew II had been tested because
Mr. Soulc went 10 Spain, and he did give up the idea
OF obtaining Cuba How do you suppose he expected
Of State Why, It is quite obvious There claims
among others the Black Warrior olain--on foot them
not settled there other things To complain about
In Cuba claims upon Spain under the old
commission, not settled 20 this day. and published
now among the list Of claims against Spain What did
Mr.. Soule undertake to do There is doubt about it,
He undertook 10 get Cuba in satisfaction Of those claims
That the mission he went upon. He did not 90
settle the claims in any other way, because n his letter
written after the Ostend conference the Secretary Of
State and before he lef Spain he says this, This letter
is dated the 23d Of December, 1854
The question Of Cuba the other day Osth inst-)
brought into discussion in the Cores and gave rise
the animated debate which you will find reported in the
incosed number Of the Official Gazette.
The minister Of Foreign Affairs with an emphasis |
full Of smihcnncy rtpclled the suspicion that the Gov
enment might he disposed part with il, by declaring
that, in It's judgment 10 part with Cuba would be 10
part with the national honor
"The declaration was covered with the frantic Rp-
pause Of the galleries, and received the spontaneous
aud undivided sanction Of the house,
Now l come 20 the sentence on which rely
Thus disposed of in single session Of that |
grave body, tic Curtc what of hope The United States
might sd retain of bringing their difficulties with this
country To peaceful and friendly adjustment through
the cession 90 them Of that isand'
What hope bad been entertained ofgetng the cession
from Spain oi that Island for those claims. ended
That was in 1854 The President know Of that, too
That is nothing but the repetition OF the affair."
Then he did not want this appropriation with and
expectation Of the purchase Of Cuba. lie knew 1t could
not he purchased before.
! cannot hut make fow observations, Mr.. President /
70 suhiDct is flr