Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-01-05

lowed hl subsequent acts OF sim ilaT
character. to which | need not special
ly refer. Such were the principles AMI
such the practice Of our ancestors more
tham50 years ago in regard to the .Af-
rican Slave-Trade.
1t did not occur to the revered pa
triots who had been delegates to the
convention. and afterwards became
members of Congress. that in passing
these laws they had violated the Con-
stituton which they had framed with
SO much care and deliberation. They
supposed that to prohibit Congress, in
express terms, from exercising spec
lied power before an appointed day.
necessarily involved the right TO eXer-
else this power after that day had ar
rived.
If this were not the case. the franz
ers of the Constitution had expended
much labor in vain. Had they imag
ined that Congress would possess no
power to prohibit the trade either be-
fore or after 1903, they would not
have taken SO much care to protect the
States against the exercise Of his pow.
er before that period. Nay more. they
would not have attached 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 COnstitu
ton were exposed 1t would. then.
have been wholly unnecessary to en-
graft on the fifth article of the Consti-
tuition, prescribing the mode of Its
own future amendment, the proviso,
that no amendment which may be
made prior to the year one thousand
eight hundred and eight shall in any
manner affect" the provision in the
Constitution securing to the states the
right to adult the importation of AZ
rican slaves previous to that period.
According to the adverse construc-
ton. the clause itself, on which so
much care and discussion had been EN-
ploycd by the members of the conven-
ton. was an absolute nullity from the
beginning, and all that has since been
done under it. mere usurpation.
1t was well and wise to confer this
power on Congress. because, had it
been left to tine States. its efficient ex-
ercise would have been impossible. In
that event any one State could have ef-
iec;uallv continued the trade not only
for itself but for all the other Slave
States. though never SO much against
their will And why? Because AZ
rican slaves. when once brought within
the limits of any one State. in accord
ance with It's laws. can not practically
be excluded from any other State where
Slaver.r c.s;-s-s--.s>.,ti cAse.-if ali the
States had separately passed laws pro-
hibing the importation of slaves. these
laws would have failed of effect COR
want of naval force 10 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 have. it Is
believed, with very rare and inSigniii-
cant exceptions, accomplished their
purpose. For a period of more than
half a century there has been no per-
ceptible addition to the number of our
domestic slaves. During his period
their advancement in civilization has
far surpassed that of any other por-
tion of the African race. The light
and blessings of Christianity have been
extended to them and both their moral
and physical condition has been great
ly improved.
Reopen the trade, and it would be
difficult to determine whether the effect
would be more deleterious on 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 introduction OF wild,
heather, and ignorant barbarians
among the sober, orderly, and quiet
slaves. whose ancestors have bean on
the soil for several generations. This
might tend to barbarize. demoralize
and exasperate the whole mass, AMI
produce mos, deplorable consequences.
The effect upon the existing slave
would, if possible. be still more
deplorable. At present he is treated
with kindness and humanity. lie is
well fed, well clothed. and not over
worked. His condition is incom
parably better than that Of the coolies
which modern nations OF high civiliza-
tion have employed as substitute for
African slaves. Both the philanthropy
and the self interest of the master have
combined to produce this humane
result. But let this trade be re-opened,
and what will be the effect? The same
to considerable extent. as on a neigh
boring island-the only spot now OF
earth where the African slave trade j,
openly tolerated, and this in deiiancc
OF solemn treaties with a power abun.
dantly able at any moment to enforce
their execution. There the master. in.
tent upon present gain, extoris from
the slave as much labor 40 his physic.
al powers are capable of enduring
knowing that, when death comes t.
his relief. his place can be supplied al
price reduced to the lowest point by
the competition of rival African slave
traders. Should this ever be the cat
in our country-which | do not deem
possible-the present useful character
of the domestic institution. wherein
those too old aud too young To work
are provided Tor with care and human.
ity. and thofc capable OF labor are noi
overtasked. would undergo al unfor,
tunatc change. The feeling OF recip
rocal dependence and attachment whicl
now exist between master and slav,
would be converted into mutual dis