Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-01-04

~''S
the cargo by the Wanderer numbering between
three and four hundred. Those engaged in this un-
lawful enterprise have been vigorously prosecuted
but not with as much success as their crimes have
deserved A number of them are still under prose-
cution.
Our history proves that the Fathers of the Repub
lie in advance of all other nations, condemned the
African slave-trade. 1t was, Notwithstanding, DEEM
ed expedient BY the trainers Of the Constitution to
deprive Congress of the power to prohibit 'he mi
grafton or importation of such persons any of the
States now existing shall think proper to admit
prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and
eight"
1t will be seen that this restriction on the power
of Congress was confined to such States only as might
think proper to admit the importation OF slaves 1t
did not extend to other States the trade car
red on abroad Accordingly, We find that so early
as the 22d March, 1894, Congress passed an act i'm
posing severe penalties and punishments upon cltl
Zens and residents of the United States who should
engage in this trade between foreign nations. The
provisions of this act were extended and enforced by
the act of 10th May, 1900.
Again: The States themselves had clear Ri ht
to waive the constitutional privilege intended for
their benefit and to prohibit, by their own laws,
this trade at any time they thought proper previous
to 1903. Several of them exercised this right be-
fore that period, and among them some containing
w.
gress the immediate power to act in regard to all
such States. because they themselves had removed
the constitutional barrier. Congress accordingly
passed an act on 2sth February, 1903, ito prevent
the Importation of certain persons into certain
States where, by the laws thereof their admission
is prohibited" In this manner the importation of
African slaves into the United States was to great
extent, prohibited some years in advance of 1903.
AS the year 1908 approached, Congress determn-
ed not to suffer this trade to exist even for single
day after they had the power to abolish it. On the
I'd of March, 1907, they passed act to take effect
from and after the LIST day of January 1905" pro-
hibiting the importation of African slaves into the
United States. This was followed by subsequent
acts of similar character to- which l need not
specially refer. Such were the principles and such
the practice of our ancestors than fifty years
ago in regard to the African slave-trade.
1t did not occur to the revered patriots who had
been delegates to the convention, and afterwards be-
came members of Congress, that in passing these
laws they had violated the Constitution which they
had framed with so much care and dcliberation.-
They supposed that to prohibit Congress- in express
terms, from exercising specified power before an
appointed day, necessarily involved the right to ex
ercise this power after that day had arrived.
If this were not the case, the trainers of the Con-
stituton had expended much labor in vain. Had
they imagined that Congress would possess no pow
er to prohibit the trade either before or after 1905
they would not have taken much care to protect
the States against the exercise of this power before
that period. Nay more, they would not have at
tached such vast Importance to this provision as to
have excluded it from the possibility of future repeal
or amendment, to which other portions of the Con-
sttution were exposed. It would then. have been
wholly unnecessary to engraft the fifth article of
the Constitution, prescribing the mode of its own
future amendment, the provso that no amend
ment which may be made prior to the year one
thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any man.
ner affect" the provision in the Constitution
ring to the States the right to admit the Importation
of African slaves previous to that period
According to the adverse construction, the clause
ITSELF on which so much care and discussion had
been employed by the members of the convention,
was an absolute nuty from the beginning, and all
that has since been done under it a mere usurpa-
ton.
1t was we'll and wise to confer this power on Con-
gress, because had it been left to the States its
efficient exercise would have been impossible. In
that event any one State could have effectuay con-
tinued the trade not only for itself but for all the
other slave States, though never so much against
| their will. And why? Because African slaves
when once brought within the limits of any one
State, in accordance with its laws cannot practically
be excluded from any other State where slavery
| lists. And even if all the States had separately
passed laws prohibiting the importation of slaves,
these laws would have failed of effect for want of
naval force to capture the savers and to guard the
coasts Such force no State can employ in time of
peace without the consent of Congress.
| These acts of Congress- it is believed, have, with
very rare and insignificant exceptions, accomplish
ed their purpose. For period of more than half a
century there has been no perceptibe addition to
the number of our domestic slaves. During this
period their advancement in civilization has far sur
passed that of any other portion of the African
The light and the blessings of Christianity have
been extended to them, and both their moral and
physical condition has been greatly improved.
Reopen the trade, and it would be difficult to de-
termIne whether the effect would be more delete
rious the interests of the master or on those of
the native-born slave. Of the evils to the master,
the one most to be dreaded would be the introduce
ton Of wild heather, and ignorant harbarians among
the SOBER orderly and quiet slaves whose ancestors
have been on the soil for several generations This
might tend to barbarize, demoralize and exasperate
the whole mass and produce most deplorable conse-
quences
The effect upon the existing slave would, if pos
sible be still more deplorable. At present he is
treated with kindness and humanity. He is well
fed, well clothed, and not overworked. His condi-
ton is ncomparaby better than that of the coolies
which modern nations of high civilization have en-
ployed as substitute for African slaves. Both the
philanthrophy and the selfinterest of the master
have combined to produce this humane result. But
let this trade be reopened, and what will be the
effect? The same, to considerable extent, as on
neighboring sland-the only spot now on earth
where the African slave-trade is openly tolerated
and this in defiance of solemn treaties with pow
er abundantly able at any moment to enforce the,
execution. There the master, intent upon present
gain, EFFORTS from the slave as much labor as hi
physical powers are capable of enduring knowing
that, when death comes to his relief his place car
be supplied at price reduced to the lowest point by
the competitor of rival African slave traders Should
this ever be the case in our country-which d.
not deem possible-the present useful character o
the domestic institution, wherein those too old ant
too young to work are provided for with care ant
humanity, and those capable of labor are not over
tasked, would undergo an unfortunate change. Tn,
feeling of reciprocal 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 ma
ton to consider what would be the effect upon I'm
happy Africa itself if we should reopen the slave
trade. This would give the trade an impulse ant
extension which it has never had even its palmies