M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-01-12


slaves, these laws would have failed
OF effect for want Of q naval force to
capture the slavers, and to guard the
coasts. Such force no State can em.
ploy in time Of peace without the con.
sent Ct Congress.
These acts Of Congress, it is believ.
ed, have, with very rare and insigni.
ilcant exceptions, accomplished their
purpose. For period Of more than
half century there has been percep.
| Ihble addition to the number Of our do.
mestic slaves. Ddring this period
their advancement in civilization ha,
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 mo-
raj and physical condition have been
greatly improved.
Reopen the trade, and it would be
difficult to determine whether the eff.
feet would be more deleterious on the
interests Of the masters or on those Of
the native-born slave. Ofthe evils oi
the master, the one most to be dreaded
would be the introduction Of wild,
heather, and ignorant barbarians
among the sober, orderly and quiet
slaves, whose ancestors have been on
the soil for generations. This might
tend to barbarize, demoralize, and
exasperate the whole mass, and pro.
duce the most deplorable consequent
ces.
The effect upon the existing slave
would, if possible, be still more deplo.
rable. At present he is treated with
kindness and humanity. He is well
fed, well clothed, and not over. worked,
His condition was incomparably bet.
ter than that OF the coolies, which
modern nations Of high civilization
have employed as a substitute fol-
African slaves. Both the phianthro,
py and the sef,inteIest Of the master
have combined to produce this humane
result. But let this trade be reopen
ed, and what will be the effect9 The
same, to a considerable extent, as on
a neighboring island-the only spot
now on earth where tho African slave.
trade is openly tolerated; and this in
defiance OF solemn treaties with pow
er abundantly able at any moment to
enforce their execution. There the
master, intent upon present gain, ex'
torts from the slave as much labor az
his physical powers are capable ofen,
during--knowing that when death
comes to his relief, his place can be
supplied at price reduced to tine low.
est point by the competition Of rival
African slave. traders. Should this
ever be the case in onr country
which | do not deem possible-the
present useful character Of the domes.
tic institution, wherein those too old
and too young to work are provided
for with care and humanity, and those
capable of labor are not ovcr.tasked
would undergo an unfortunate change
The feeling Of reciprocal dependence
and attachment which now exists be
tween master and slave would be con.
verted Into mutual distrust and hos
tility.
But we are obliged, us a Christian
anG moral nation, to consider what
would be the effect upon unhappy AT.
RIGA itself, it we should reopen the
slave trade. This would give the
trade an impulse and extension which
it has never had, even in ts palmiest
days. The numerous victims requlr.
ed to supply it would convert the
whole slave coast into perfect Pan,
Iemonium, for which this country
would be held responsible in the eyes
both of God and man, Its petty tribes
would then oe constantly engaged in
predatory wars against each other, for
the purpose Of seizing slaves to supply
the American market. All hopes of
African civilization would thus be
ended.
On the other hand, when a market
for African slaves shall no longer be
furnished 10 Cuba, and thus all the
world be closed against this trade, we
may then indulge a reasonable hope
for the gradual Improvement OF AIri-
ca. The chief motive OF war among
the tribes will cease wh enever there
is no longer any demand for slaves
The resources of that fertile but mis-
erable country might then be devel-
oped by the hand ot industry, and at,
ford subjects for legitimate foreign
and domestic commerce.. In this
manner Christianity and civilization
may gradually penetrate the exist
ing gloom.
The wisdom of the course pursued
by this Government toward China
has been vindicated by the event
While we sustained neutral posi-.
tion in the war waged by Great Brit
ian and France against the Chinese
Empire, our late Minister, in obe-
deEce to his instructions, judiciously
co.operatel with the Ministers otthese