The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-01-06

'N" ""J w hale PRIOR 10 the year on
thousand eight hundred aud eight, shall il
any manner affect tho provision in tn
consultation securing To tho States the RICH
70 ADMIT tho importation of African slave
previous to tina. period
According to tho adverse construction
mo clause itsolf on which so much caro- An,
8 discussion had been ompIoyeJ bv the mar,
J bers of the Convention, was an ahsolnt
. nulIiiy from the beginning. and all that ha
SINCE boon done under it nero usurpntiou
1t was well aud wise to confey this nowo
o on Congress. because had il been left 10 IN
states its efficient oxcrcisn would have beo
, Impossible. In that event any one Stat
] could nave cfcctually continued the trad
not Ohiy Tor itself but for all the other S,ay
STATES though never so much against thvi
! VIII Aud why: Because African slave,
u "hcn once brought within tho limits of an
one state, IN accordance with its laws cannn
practically be excluded from any otbc
y S'atc where Slavery oxists. And even il al
y ,uo states mad separately passed laws pro
u n'O','hg lho importatio Of slaves, these law
would nave failed of effect for want of nava
'"rco TO capture tho slaVes and to guard tb
COASTS such force no State can cmplo,
IN t'mo OF peace without tho consent O
Congress.
These acts of Congress, il Is believed
haVo, with very rarU and insignificant ex
ccptions, accomplished their purposo. For
period Ut moro than hall q cuntury ther,
mas bcen no percoptibo addition to tn,
number oi our domestic slaves. Durins
this period their advance mont in civilization
mas lar surpassed that fany otbor portion
OF tho African race. The light and tn,
o'esslngs OF Christianity have been extended
90 tnem, ana both their moral and phys ysica
condition have been greatly improved.
he-open tho trade. and it would be diff
cult to determine whother tho effect wouid
90 moro deletorious on tho intcrcs;s s of Tho
master or on those of tho native. born slave
vi tho owls to tho ono most to bo dreaded
would DO tho introduction of wild. hcathon
ana ignorant barbarians among tho sober
orucrly and quict slaves. whose ancestors
have been on tho soil for several generations
ms might tend to barbarizo, demoralize
and oxasperato tho whole mass, and produce
most depl0rable consequences.
!ho effect upon tho slave would, if DOS.
sl0'o, be still moro deplorable. At the
present no is trcatod with Kindness and hu.
mahlty. llo is well fod, we'll clothed, aud
not over"worked. His condition is incom.
Pafaoly better than that of the coolies which
moderh civilization havp employed as q
substitute Tor African slaves. Both the
pn''anthropy and tho self interest of the
! master nave combined TO produce this hu-
'nane result. But lot this tfado DO ro.
opoDod, ana what will be tho effect: Tho
Same 10 considerable extent. as on a neigh.
boring island-the only spot now on earth
where tho African slave trade is onnn,v tol.
Grated; and this in defiance of solemn troat.
nh
their execution. There tho master, intent
upon present gain, extorts from tho slave as
much labor as his physical powers arc
capable OF enduring-knowing that whou
death comes to his relief, his place can be
supplied at price reduced to the lowest
point by tho competition of rival African
| slave-tradcrs Should this ever be the case
IN our country--which do not doom DOS.
s'bie-the present useful character os tho
uomestic institution, wherein those too old
ana too young to work arc provided for
with care and humanity, and those capable
OF labor are not oyortasked, would undergo
an unfortunate change. Tho feeling of re-
clprocal dependence and attachment which
now exists between master and slave. would
be converted into mutual distrust and
hostility.
But we are Obliged as Christian and
moral nation to consider what would be the
effect upon unhappy Africa itself if we
Snou'u open the slave-traGe. This would
sno 'ho traue an Impulse and extension
MnIch u ri mas never mad oyon in its palmiest
u"Ssii inc numerous victims required to
supply 1t would convert tho whole slave
coast into perfect Pandemonium for which
TINS country would DO held responsible in
.nu 10y. oyos Vi potn Eod ana man. It's potty
u'oes "ouia 'hen be constantly engaged
preuatory wars against zach other for the
purpose OF seiz'ng slaves to supply the
e:';,' nn' 'os" market, Az hopes OF African
o'n,Aa,'on wouid thus be ended.
~" lno otuer manu. "hen market for the
nm'oan H'r s"hi' no longer DO furnished in
ouGn, "uu mus an tho world DO closed
"ga'hs' inns trade, We may thon indulge
Ioaso"aolo nope Tor tho gradual improve
'honl ot africa iho ch'ef motive OF war
:a'uong 'he triDes VIII cease whenever there
70 ho longer any demand Tor slaves. Tho
losources OF that ier'ilo but miserable
country m'ght thcn 6e developed by the
'anu VI INDUSTRY ana anord SUBJECTS for
I'e,i'n'a'e ,,;l loro'gn ana domestic commerce
hu ,n's manner Christianity and civilization
may s'auuai'y penetrate the existing gloom
IT,, TREATY WITH CHINA.
n "o ~Isuon OF me course pursued by this
oo.1'hueht towards Cmina mas been vIndI'
o"'uu py 'no event "hiio We sustained
outa po..t pos'1ou III 'he war waged by Great
LOU o''r 'sncc uga'nst the chihese En-
p"o, oui Ia'o m,n'ster III ooedlohco 10 ms
.I ,,' J1u,c'ous'y co'operated win
VIZ "i'''e'cis VI 'hose powers III All peacetul