Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-01-28

~ hundred should be thief and the other ninety
nine should not restrain them, by legislation or 9TH
erwise. this minority of thieves would be able to
steal all the property in the community If socle-
ties were formed in Massachusetts, to steal property
in Connecticut, or New York, the Legislature and
peope of the State would doubtless take steps to
restrain them. This is done even with reference to
foreign countries, to prevent war between them.--
american citizens punished for going into Cana
da to disturb that British community.
If societies were formed in Canada for similar
purpose and WERE in fact to steal an equal amount
of property from New England New York, Ohio,
and other northern States to what is carried away
nv the Abolitionists from the South we should be
involved in a war with Great Britain in less than
six months What would be the feeling Of those
border States if Canadian orators should boast that
their societies had robbed them of $45 600
worth of their property just as they now say they
hold that value of southern runaway slaves? But
men who combine to plumber the people of the
southern States, far from being punished, are, in
many of the free States, encouraged by the egisla-
ton there.
During the last session, the Senator from New
York Mr. Seward introduced proposition for ad-
dtona legislation to prevent the foreign or African
slave trade to the United States In 1908, Congress
passed laws to prohibit that trade and since that
time, period of more than fifty years. as far as l
know or have reason to believe, the law has been
violated but in single instance. What other law
on YOUR statute book has been so we'll kept? re-
neat what law has Congress ever passed, which
there was temptation to violate, that has been so
well observeds That it was not broken often, is
not owing to any want of opportunity. Northern,
As well as foreign ships have been engaged in the
trade and the extent of the southern coast affords
much greater facilities for the introduction of slaves
than does the Island of Cuba, into which large num-
bers are annually carried. This law has not been
broken simply because the people of the South loere
not milling to ciolate it, Now, sir let me state
case for the consideration of the Senate. Suppose,
instead of what has actually occurred the State Of
Georgia, where some negroes were landed, and a
number of other southern States, had passed the
strongest laws which could be devised to defeat the
act of Congress forbidding the African slave trade,
and encouraging that traffic by all the means in
their power; suppose, further, that southern Sena-
tors and other prominent public men, had in their
speeches, earnestly recommended the violation OF
the law Of Congress and that all through the South
money was subscribed and associations formed to
defeat the law, and provide facilities by railroad or
otherwise for the introduction of Africans and mObs
gotten up to overpower the United States marshas,
could not a hundred negroes have been imported
for every one that the Aboitonlsts have stolen p
Yes with a shore-line of more than ten thousand
miles, millions might have been imported. This pro-
ceeding would have been violation of the laws of
the United States just like that which has occurred
case supposed however, the southern men would
have had greatly the advantage the score both of
political economy and morality. They might have
said with truth that the negroes imported from AZ
RIGA added to the production and wealth of the Uni
ted States while those carried North by the Adolf
tonistS generally converted into idle Migrants.
1t might also have been said that African savages
were by being brought to the United States partially
civilized and not only made more intelligent and
moral but also chriStianizcd in large numbers
while the negroes carried to the North become so
worthless and so vicious, that many of the States
there seeking to exclude them by legislation,
as communities do the plague and other contagious
disorders. And the Senator from New York, who
has declared that it is religious duty Of the people
of the North to violate the fugitive slave law, and
urged them, instead of delivering up the runaway
negroes to protect and defend them they do their
patcrnal gods stands up in the face of the American
Senate and complains of violation of the laws against
the African slave trade! Was there ever such an
exhibition: l repeat, was the like ever since
the creation of the world: | may use strong Ian
guage but truth demands it. That Senator, too,
has fully Endorsed the incendiary and revolutionary
doctrines of the Helper book, large majority of
the members of his party in the House have done.
To he concluded IN orr merit.