Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-10-03
DOuslns and tho Slave Trade

The Mobile Register, edited by Mr.. For
syth, late Minister to Mexico, a jealous advo.
cate Of the African slave trade, thinks ii can
best promote the re-1pening Of that trade by
supporting Judge Douglas for the Presidency
Il will be seen from the following article, copi'
ed from that paper, that Mr.. Forsyth takes pre-
cisely the same view Of the tende ncy Of the
Douglas doctrines to bring about the revival Of
the slave trade, that Mr.. Lincoln did in his late
speech at Cincinnati. Tho article speaks for
itself, and requires few comments. Read it,
Douglas men of the North
"One of our Reasons. New Orleans
Della. in paying us a handsome compliment on
our advocacy Of Senator Douglass claims to the
nomination for the Presidency, takes occasion
TO express some surprise at our course, consd~
ering lit says) Mr.. Douglass avowed opposi-
ton TO our favorite measure, the re'opening OF
the slave trade We have always deprecated
making this question political or party issue
at least for the present, and we therefore, discus
sed it and shall continue to discuss 1t as ques
ton of economical policy and commercial legls-
lation. But we can inform our friend OF the
Della that Mr. Douglass position on this imPor
taRt subject is one of thc reasons Of our 11arm
|
Southern men" as Houston and Wise grow
vehemently eloquent on the immortality of the
slave trade and vie with AbolitOnists is de
nunciatory defamation against it, Judge Doug
las has lcper uttered one ieord against the NOR
aliiV of the Stare trade, no more than against
| SlaoerV itself Even though we are not pre-
pared to endorse his opinion that the suppress
sion of the trade is one of the compromises of
the Constitution, we heartily rejoice that he
has placed the question precisely where we
want it to be placed-On purely legal grounds
Laws may be abrogated, Constitutions may be
amended. Judge Douglas himself IS INC champ.
zen foe of compromises iohieh sacrifice the rights
and interests of the i0caker to the strong What
compromise was ever deemed so perpetually
binding or so impregnable the Missouri Com
promisel Yet boldly battling for great prin
ciple, he attacked and, to the wonder of the
world, destroyed it. Moreover his very doe
| trine of local sell-government is the radical
principle, the vital essence, of State rights, in
| their fullest sense. Carried to it's logical and
| inevitable deductions it is the only hope we
have in the halls of Congress for the abrogatiOn
of the piracy laws. Slavery, aud all things
connected with Slavery, are matters of State
! legislation exclusively. II is not then for Con
gGess but for the South to decide whether there
shall be importation of foreign slaves OF not =
Inns l9 one OF the reasons why VIC, cOllslsbehbly
with our oft.expressed views and policy, are
earnest supporters of Judge Douglas"
There is some force in this for if localities
have right to determine the domestic rela
lations of their inhabitants, it is gross piec,
ofimpertinence on the part of the Federal Con
sttution to interfere. Those who have watch
ed Douglas course since he set out for Charles
ton and the White House, will not find any diff
fculy in believing that he would-in case he was
successful in doubling upon his opponents and
reaching the goal of his ambiton--surrendel
all his scruples against a law which prevents
him from procuring fresh stock for his Missis
sippi plantations. He affected to be vehemontly
opposed to the abrogation of the Missouri Com
promise, and yet a short time after was the lea
der in the onslaught upon that time-h nored
compact. The foxy politician must be watched
| closely