The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-01-12

in vain. Had they imagined that Congress
} would possess no power to prohibit tn
trade either before or after 1908, the,
!; would not have taken SO mach care to pro
tect the States against the exercise Of thi
power before that period. Nay more
they would not have attached such vas
I Importance to this provision as to have
excluded 1t from the possibility Of future
repeal or amendment to which other por-
! tions Of the Constitution were exposed. !,
would then have been wholly unnecessary
to engraft on the fifth article of the Consti
tuition, prescribing the mode Of its own fn
ture amendment, the proviso, "that nc
amendment which may be made prior to
I the year 1903 shall in no manner effect
the provision in the Constitution securing
to the States the right to admit the impor
tation of African slaves previous to that
period @2 Ef"7e-7i ' rs 1"'h.aa1
I 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 abso.
lutte nnlity from the beginning, ard all that
has since been done under it a mere uslrp-
alton %" j@"i'I"i "'f s-g d. #"7..
! II was we'll and wise to confer this pow.
er On Congress, because, had it been left to
the States its efficient exercise would have
been impossible In that event any one
State could have efectually continued the
trade not only for itself but for all the 9th
er slave States, though never so much
against their will And why? Because
African slaves, when once brought within
the limits of any ore State, in accordance
with its laws, cannot practically be exclud.
ed from any other State where slavery
exists. And even if al the States had sep.
arately passed laws prohibiting the impor
tatlon OF slaves, these laws would have
failed OF effect for want of naval force 20
capture the slavers 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 ex.
-ceptions, accomplished their purpose For
a period Of more than half century there
has been no perceptible addition to the
number of our slaves. During this period
their advancement in civilization has far
surpassed that Of any other portion of the
African race. The light and the blessings
OF christianity have been extended to them,
and both their moral and physical condi-
ton has been greatly improved.
lie open the trade, and it would be diff
hcult to determine whether the effort wo'd
be more delcterous to 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 introduc-
ton OF wild heather, and ignorant barbara
ans among the sober, orderly and quic,
slaves, whose ancestors have been on the
soil for several generations. This might
rate the whole mass, and produce the most
deplorable consequences. ..s
The effect upon the existing slave would,
if possible, be still more deplorable At
present he is treated with kindness and
humanity. He is well fed we'll clothed.
and not overworkcd. His condition is in
comparably better than that of the coolies
which modern nations Of high civilization
have employed as substitute for African
sisves. Both the philanthropy and self
interest Of the master have combined to
produce this humane result. But let this
trade be rc-cpened aud what will be the
effect! The sane, to considerable ex-
tent, as on a neigh toring Island-the only
spot now on earth where the African slave
trade is openly tolerated and this in def
ance of solemn treaties with Power
abnndantly able at any moment to enforce
their execution. There the mastei,, intent
upon the present gain, extorts FROM the
save. as much labor as his ply sical powers
are capable Of misunderstanding that,
when death comes to his relief his place
can be supplied at price reduced to the
lowest point by the competition of rival
African slave traders. Should this ever
be the case in our country--which do not
deem possible-the present useful charac-
ter of the domestic institution, wherein
those too old and too young to work are
provided for with care aud humanity, and
those capable of labor are not overtasked,
would undergo an unfortunate change
The feeling Of reciprocal dependence and
attachment which now exists betW cen
master and slave would be converted into
mutual distrustand hostility.
But we are obliged as christian and
moral nation to consider what would be
the effect upon unhappy Africa itselfif we
should reopen the slave trade. This you'd
give the trade an impulse and extension
which it has never had even in its palmiest
days. The numerous victims required To
supply it would convert the whole slave
coast into perfect Pandcmonium, for
which this country would be held respon-
sible in the eyes doth Of God and man. It's
petty tribes would then be constantly en-
gagged in predatory wars against each 9th
er for the purpose of seizing slaves to sup
ply the American market. All hopes of
African civilization would thus be ended.
On the other hand, when market for
African slaves shall no longer be furnished
in Cuba, and thus all the world be closed
against this. trade, we may then indulge in
a reasonable hope for the gradual improve
ment of Africa. The chief motive of war
among the tribes will cease whenever there
is no longer any demand for slaves. The
resources Of that fertile but miserable
country, might then be developed by the
hand of industry and afford subjects for
legitimate foreign and domestic commerce.
IN this manner Christianity and civilization
\ H. IL