The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-11
THE SLAVE TRADE.

session of the late Congress, indicate a most
marked deterioration of moral sentiment at the
South in respect to the African slave trade, and
are fearfully ominous of the near approach of
the time, when, at any rate in the Gulf States,
that hitherto universally reprobated traffic will
be as heartily sustained as is the institution of
slavery itself
Only so lately as in 1856, when Mr. Etheridge
of Tennessee presented resolutions in the House
on that subject, nobody in that body was found
bold enough to express any sympathy for the
slave trade, and his resolutions, as modified in
their phraseology by Mr.. Orr of South Carolina,
were agreed to with only eight dissenting votes.
And even as to these votes, whatever may have
been the real motives which controlled them,
they were given professedly, not from any OBJ
jectien to the opinions set out in the resolutions
but from opposition to the adoption of any
resolutions whatever, and upon the ground that
the revival of the African slave trade was not a
practical question before the country.
Nevertheless, in the face of all this apparent
unanimity, Mr.. Etheridge in 1856 predicted that
the Democratic party at the South would ulti-
mately adopt the African slave trade as part
of its creed and policy, and the prediction, eX-
traordinary as il appeared when made, is even
now being verified. Mr. Etheridge understood
thoroughly the composition of the political COM
bination, whose future course he predicted. His
error, if he committed any, was in not antcipa-
sion would be reached.
The Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation
Bill which was passed last winter contained,
among other things, clause appropriating
seventy five thousand dollars to enable the Presi-
dent of the United States to carry into effect the
act of March 3, 1919, the proposed appropriation
being based upon an executive statement of the ex-
penses incurred and to be incurred, in the return
TO Africa of the negroes rescued from the Echo.
These expenses consisted of the bounties due by
law to the officers capturing the Echo of the cost
of trials and of supporting the negroes prior to
their delivery in Africa, and OF sum, equal to
one hundred and fifty dollars per head, agreed
to be paid to the Colonization Society, for main
tanning the negroes for one year after their oeliv
cry in Africa, and for instructing them, during
that period, in the arts of civilized life The
proportion of these sums was as follows
BOunties $3.50
Expenses of trial and of supporting ne
groes before delivering them in AZ
RIGA $1,000
Colonization Society 32,lO0
$4,000
The law under which these expenses were in
Cured, was the second section of the act OF
March 3, 1919, which section is in the words
following:
and be IL further enacted, That the President
of the United States be, and he is hereby, au-
thorized TO make such regulations and arrange
ments as be may deem expedient for the safe
keeping support, and removal beyond the linn
its of the United States, of all such negroes,
mulattoes or persons of color, as may be SO de-
livered and brought within their jurisdiction,
and TO appoint proper person or persons re-
siding upon the coast of Africa, as agent or
agents for receiving the negroes, mulattoes, or
persons of color, delivered from on board ves-
sells seized in the prosecution of the slave trade,
q a. ITrss. Stasa nod
vessels"
The history of the proceedings of the Govern
meat under this section, is, that President Mon
roe soon after the law was passed, called the at
tentiou of Congress to a possible doubt which
existed whether it authorized any expenditure
in respect to rescued negroes, after their deliv-
ery in Africa He, however, informed Congress
that he should proceed upon the construction
that such expenditure was authorized, unless
that body should remove doubt by declaratory
legislation, and give him directions to proceed
differently Congress has never acted further
upon the subject, and the construction given to
the law by President Monroe, has been acted upon
without interruption from that day to this Very
considerable expenses seem to have been incurred
an this way Mr.. Dowdell of Alabama stated in
a speech made in the House on the 25th of jan
Ia uary, that up to the year 1890, the cost of re-
turning two hundred and sixty recaptured ne
Croes had amounted to the sum of $264, 100, be-
ing more than one thousand dollars per head.
This is more than three times the rate of cost
upon the Echo negroes.
Although it is hardly worth while after a con-
struction of law has been settled by practice of
forty years, TO discuss the merits of it, it would
certainly seem, that the expression of doubts by
President Monroe, should be sscribed rather to
his extreme caution and scrupnlosty, than TO any
uncertainty fairly TO be found in the law itself.
IL provides, in express terms, for " receiUmg the
negroes" upon the coast of Africa, and for an
agency for that purpose. IL must have been
contemplated that such an agency would involve
all the expenses necessary to the recetUtRg" OF
destitute and distressed persons, who must be
maintained until they can be put in the way OF
obtaining their own livelihood Human beings
even if they are black cannot be discharged
upon a barren strand like bales OF goods. The
law did not contemplate that they should be
thus left to shift for themselves. They were to
he "reeeped," and by suitable agency to ne des-
ignated for that purpose and TO be "recea0ed" o.
necessity, not AS merchandise, but AS men
women, and children, with all the wants and
claims of humanity.
The appropriation proposed last winter in re-
spect to the negroes rescued from the Echo, was
thus required by proper and long-settled con-
struction of the act of March 3, 1919, and would
never have been assaed, but for the newly
awakened desite to revive the African slave trade
In the House, on the 9th of January, two mo-
tons in respect TO this appropriation were voted
upon; one made by Mr.. Gowdell of Alabama tt
strike out the appropriation altogether, and thu
other made by Mr.. Crawford OF Georgia to reduce
the appropriation from seventy-hye 70 foriy-hv'
thousand dollars, so as to cut OF the sum pro
posed to be paid 10 the Colonization Society 70
maintaining and educating the negroes for on
year after their delivery in Africa.
In substance there Was no difference, in intent
or in effect, between thesn two motions. Tn
adoption of either, nullifed aud practically ab
rogated the act OF March 3, 1878. The motion
of Mr. Dowdell left no provision for the expense
of returning rescued negroes TO Africa, or of sup
porting them prior. to their return. The motion
of Mr.. Crawford would leave them to be throw
naked upon the coast of Africa, there to peris
by hunger or violence; a course of procedure s.
repugnsnt 10 humanity, as to be certain to rem
der the act OF March ;, 1910, odiOus, and there
by TO bring about its repeal.
Nevertheless, although the effect of the tw
motions was in reality the same, that Of MI
Dowdell most offensive in point of form
The motion of Mr. Crawford had this pretsnce q
justification for il, that it was affected to b
placed upon donbt whether the act of Marc
3, 1919, authorized any expenditure upon res
cued negroes, after they were landed in Africa
The motion of Mr.. Dowdell had no pretence c
justification whatever Neither he, nor anybod
else. presumed to deny that the act of March
nromisea certain bounties TO the recaptors c
nnIawfnIIv-enslaved negroes, and that it ais
provided for their support until they were re
turned 70 Africa. So far, the law was explic
bevond all peradventare, and to strike out th
whole appropriation, was to abrogate and nal
lify the law altogether. But Il may be repeate
again that if thus more offensive IN point {
form, as il undoubtedly was, the policy Indicate
by Mr.. Dowdelps motion was not, IN intrinsi
demerit, one whit worse than the proposition {