American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1860-01-05

PloNisiOua VI tnis acL WeTe eKteuueu anu
enforced by the act of 10th May, 1900. |
Again: The States themselves had
clear right to wave the constitutional
privilege intended for their benefit, AID
to prohibit by their own laws, this trade
at any time they thought proper previ-
Gus to 1903. Several of them exercised
this right before this period, and among
them some containing the greatest num-
Der of slaves. This gave to Congress
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
the 28th February, 1903, "to prevent
tho importation of certain persons into
certain States, where, by the laws there.
of, 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 1903 approached, Con-
gress determined not to suffer this trade
to exist even for singlesday after they
had the power to abolish it. On the I'd
March, 1907, they passed an act, to take
effect "from and after the 1st day of
January, 1905" prohibiting the impor-
tation of African slaves into the United
States. This was followed by subse-
quent acts Of similar character to
which l need not specially refer. Such
we're the principles and such the prac-
tice Of our ancestors more than fifty
years ago in regard to the African slave
trade. 0.'.-r -'e
1t did not occur to the revered patri-
OTIS who had been delegates to the con-
vention, and afterwards became members
of Congress, that in passing these laws
they had violated the Constitution
which they had framed with so much
care and deliberation. They supposed
that to prohibit Congress, in express
terms, from exercising specific power
before an appointed day, necessarily in
volved the right to exercise this power
after that day had arrived.
If this were not the case, the trainers
of the Constitution had expended much
labor in vain. Had they imagined tina
Congress would possess no power tC
prohibit the trade either before or after
1903, they would not have taken Sc
much care to protect the State agaiDs
the exercise of this power before tina
period. Nay, more, they would no
have attached such vast importance tt
this provision as to have excluded i
} from the possibility of future repeal or a
; mendment, to which other portions of tn,
Constitution we're exposed. 1t would
then, have been wholly unnecessary t,
. engraft on the fifth article of the Con
stitution, prescribing the mode of it
own future amendment the proviso 'tha
! no amendment which may be made pri
| or to the year one thousand eight hun
:, dred & eight shall in any manner affect
r the provisions in the Constitution secur
$ ing to the States theright to admit tn
Q importation of African slaves previou
e to that period.
: According to the adverse construc
! tion, the clause itself, on which so muc
e care and discussion had been employo
= by the members of the convention, wa
an absolute nullity from tie beginning
e and all that has since been done unde
G it a mere usurpation.
a 1t was we'll and wise to confer thi
: power on Congress, because, had it bee
G left to the States, its efficient exercis
a would have been impossible. In thc
II event any State could have effectuall
n continued the trade not only for itsel
@ but for all the other slave States, thoug
Il never SO much against their will. An
l. Why? Because African slaves, whe
y once brought within the limits of an
). one State, in accordance with its law
J. cannot practically be excluded from an
II other State where slavery exists. An
If even if all the States had separated
passed laws prohibiting the importatio
d of slaves, these laws would have faile
!. of effect for want of naval force
rs capture the slavers and to guard Il
n coasts. Such force no State can en-
u ploy in time Of peace without the col
l. sent Of Congress.
p These acts of Congress; it is believed, ha'
a with very rare and insignificant exception
accomplished their purpose. For a period
~ more than half century there has been !
D. perceptible addition to the number Of our d
d. nestle slaves. During this period their a
- vancemenI in civilization has far surpass
that of any other portion Of the African rae
The light and the blessings of Chrisiiani
lr have been extended to them, and both the
m moral and physical condition has been great
improved.
Re~openthe trade, and it would be difficr
10 to determine whether the effect would
or more deleterious on the interest of tho ma
G. ter or on those of the native born slave.
~ the evils to the master, the one most to
: dreaded would be the introduction OF vii
heather and ignorant barbarions among .
nc sober, orderly and quiet slaves, whose ance
n tors have been on the soil for several gener
be tions. This might tend toSbarbarze, demo
aize, and exasperate the whole mass, al
q produce most deplorable consequences.
u The effect upon the existing slave woul
if possible, be still more deploTable.
m present he is treated with kindness and b
! manity. He is we'll fed, we'll clothed, al
eu not overworked. His condition is incomps
p ably better than that Of the coolies viii
. modern nations of high civilization have el
Ia ployed as substitute for African slaves.
!. Both the philanthropy and the self interest
!, the master have combined to produce this h
20 name result, But let this trade be re-opene
IN and what will be the effect The same, to