New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-07
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT on SLAVERY.
From The London Erusiaer.

Swift IL furpassed In his keeGest satire is there
any Thing nf pIoacaiDg to the American Presidents con-
gratumIors on the subject Of Slavery
eft l. proof OF j.se which s Inherent
m our .ol hst ne property 81 ass Ia. nrsr Dec. astaSe
S & IL Kasa. Lee has ssn an,
cedbly informed to 10 trere, sing instance he
cary woula doubtless 1aord.d an adequate remedy
sLould ,h, fail to DO this hereafer IL Will then be time
eher Congress or the Territorial Legislature pos
.e, ,he power onnut impair the rgh @ property in 'r
The er ;copid BE- ;atOteJdbLe."
To talk Of the sense Of lstce scrupulousy respect
ing the tight OF one mai TO the body of another by
vrue of difference Of color is either the language Of
the broadest irony, of the bodest contradiction of
ideas: The true sense If justice would recognize III
the black the iDdefeasbe right to his wn body not
withdrawing the law which makes him the property
OF another, by the original t.e of theft In another
pasrsge we told that neither Congress nor Terri
torsl Legislature, nor any human porcr has any an.
uonty to annui or impair the vested right in the prop
erty in slaves. But how s it that haman or rather
inlnman power has had the authority 10 establish the
night which 10 human or humane power can abrogate
race has been stolen, and the theft sanctioned by
law The President passes from the vindica
ton OF Slavery 10 the conde mnation of the slave
trade but morally and religiousy how does stealing
The man III Africa diiur from keeping posses
sion OF the stolen man in America The
answer may be that he not stolen In Africa, but
that he IL the distant descendant OF the stolen man one
OF stolen race, bat this only coLfeeses The ofense TO
be Oh the bTgeet scale. In the Of horse the ~
gnntnt OF possession and prescription might be good.
The hcrses might have stolen bat the present
owner IL possession of the property clear OF the org
nal offence. But the negro having mans tongue ia
his head denies that of the wrong dono to his
cestor can spring night to his body. lie says he has
title TO bis own person which robbery cannot SC,
aside, though his color be black his hair woolly
and bis legs crooked Let President Buchanan sopast
ticaie rs be may, property 10 slaves property in
stolen goods Every slave master possesses stolen
man. The title ia all tracesble to the original wrong
The Presidents objections to the slave.trade are
merely protecionist Importation would detenora,e
the property ana lower Ito vslue but he also thinks
bmseli bound TO advert 10 what the effect would DO
upon Africa:
But obliged Christian and morsl nation 10 con.
def what would be the effect upon unhappy Africa se We
Loud IvopeH the This would give trade an n
pulse and extension ~hcb has had ever In s pglmie
dSY The numerous victims required supply would con-
vert TIE whole Into perfect pzndemoniu witch
this country would be held responsible M the as both of God
edatory "s sginN 'sch other fer the parpo,e OF selling
sAw tosupp the American market All hopes African eiy
ilization would then be ended"
This no doubt perfectly true but American civiliz
ation calls for the Presidents care AS well 70 African
ana with American civilization slaye.ownership is
barely less ieconca6le than the slave-trade is with
African civilization. True civilization spurns whatever
IL tainted with wrong, aud will not give the name and
protection Of institution TO q thing originating with
robbery and perpetuatDg robbery for what cleo is the
possession OF another mans body and denial Of his