The Feliciana Democrat., 1859-04-30

dence that revival of the traffic is desired, 1t
discovers u determination on the part OF the
Southern people to treat with becoming lehlcn-
cy those those who choose to embark IN 1t.
II shows that they nbhor the spirit OF pseudo
philanthropy out of which the laws originated;
that by no act Of theirs will they endorse II
traffic as "piracy" which finds its sanction in
The Code of Laws that has cmannicd from
higher authority than man, and which was not
only tolerated nut vigorously prosecuted hy
Christian people. even our own ancestors among
the rest, until Il late day, when the dogmaS Of
Exeter Hall and the teaching of Wheriorcc
were substituted as guides for mankind
The African slave traffic onght never to
have been treated in the United States rs
question of morals or religion; but of political
economy to be regulated according to tir ne
ccssties of the country.
In the proceedings at Charleston, we behold
y glimmering of the rebound which is always
sooner or later destined to follow extreme
measures In the system of management, wise
ly ordered by the Dispenser of human events,
which vain man under the impulses Of blind
passion is guilty, provides, in due time, their
proper remedy. Not content with prohibiting
the slave trade for economical reasons, the
philanthropiss of the past generation were i'm
PEELED by II strange dcluSion 80 class il among
infamous crimes, and to brand Us pirates those
who following the example of wiser and bet.
ter men, might think proper to engage in it.
1t was not 10 have been supposed that the
people Of the slnveholding States would by ii.
lent acqniescence seemingly consent long to en-
dorsc this stigma upon themselves; this AFRO
CANT claim to q wisdom and goodness not
taught by the Good Book itself: and this cru.
ell rcproach upon the memory of their ancestors.
Tie conclusion is irresistible that if it is u
hcinous crime TO purchase the African from his
heather master III his native country it is equal
ly wrong to purchase from his enlightened mas
| ter III one of the States of the Union; and if it
| is radically wrong to import the black mnn for
slavery, it is equally wrong so to hold him any
where The principle involved is the same in
each caSe and the ingenuity Of ci,IiiStS can
not change it.
We will venture 10 say tniI the rrsall OF the
judicial proceedings in Charleston are prcct>c-
| ly what it would have been in almost ann 9th.
er community in the South. The enterprsing
trader who runs th" gauntlet Of the ocean 10
lice need have no fears Of The serious moleSla
ton after he succeeds in landing his rargon up
on the terra .frma OF Il Southern State.
| Under circumstances not OF nn rXirnordlna-
ry nature, no good citizen can look with favor
upon the manifest disregard OF law by com
munitics and their deliberate determination
not to enforce the punishment prescribed for
its violation, But the facts attending such
eases as the one under con>d ration, are pecu-
liar Tie law Of selfprolcction has claims TO
! fha nls pf tina Sout hnr,, ilp A rl-
mount to all others. They cannot wtnont n
willful neglect Of the Obligations which they
owe to themselves, resign to the dominant
Northern majority, their blind, niu.untcd re.
morScless Northern enemies, the regulation Of
Labor system upon which rests the foundation,
of their social and political organizations. Tho
rules of demand and supply onght to be deter
mined by themselves. Surely they cannot be
trusted to the control Of people who have
formed II powerful sectional party having for
its creation no other object no higher motive
than the destruction Of the system As Il pco
Iplc, therefore, who have the capacity to per
ceve their interests and the bodnes to deknC
them, their path Of duty is PLAIN But apart
from this consIdcra' 'on-apart from the rellcc
ton that the laws prohibiting the slave trade
to 1hc extent, ut least, that 1t Is stignillzel
as 'piracy'-are founded IN error willy Shonc
; the people Of the Southern States stlcklc abou
} the requirements Of good faith aud honor. witt
5 the North in their conduct npon any qurst.ol
which involves Their wcll-being? w W.mI right
have the controlling ma ority in that section
: to expect the South to make sacrifices? Why
$ should she bend her energies to enforce tht
/ observance Of the laws prohibiting the slave
: trade, to satisfy the demands Of Northern ia
nnticsm, when laws passed for her protection
: in pureuaIcc Of the constitution, are constant
ly and preSistently violated? Why should sh'
make point of carrying ont the law winch
> would prevent her from supplying from Atrc'
} the necessities cre,a sd in her labor system, b,
5 the Northern robbers who steal her slaves ant
: murder her citizen when they go to recover
:, their property? The Constitution expressly
provides for the rendition Of fugitive slaves
But for that clause in the compact, the Unlol
, would never have been forMcd 1t was all in
9 dispensablc condition ofils creation, And ye
to the injury of the Southern States, it is con
tinually violated by the North Northern
communities hunt down with bloodhound fero
} city the southern man who seeks the slave tla
: has been enticed away from him. His bloo(