New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-15
ACTIVITY OF THE sLAvE-TRADR.

The Journal of Commerce bemOans the existing
activity of the slave-trade, which it admits is now
mostly carried on under the American flag, and by
American vessels having American owners. 1t
dawdles over the subject, and laments that so many
difficulties are in the way of putting an end to this
infamous traffic 1t states that the captured SLAYER,
unless found with his cargo on board, sis almost
sure TO escape in the Courts" This circum-
stance it argues, diminishes the vigilance of our
naval officers because in all cases of failure to
cure conviction after capture they are exposed to
vexstious litigation
Here we are, then, according to The Journal Of
Commerce, with the slave-trade in full blast directly
under noses, with means of helping ourselves.
The slavetraders defy the naval power, defy the
law, defy the Courts, and The Journal of Commerce
regrets the circumstance. Now, we desire to probe
this matter little. How does it happen, as The
Journal Of Commerce asserts, that {" the captured
" SLAYER is almost sure to escape in the Courts "
For here, it seems, lies the whole difficulty in break
ing up the traffic What is the reason the Courts
are unable to zee captured SLAYER as easily as such
craft can be seen by those who first suspect then
ferret her out, and then make the capture We
think the answer is very plain. 1t is because of
the demOralzed condition of the awOfficers of the
Federal Government, Judges included 1t is per-
fectly well known that this revival of the African
save-trade ia new thing altogether. 1t
has all taken place within very few years.
Formerly, there were no difficulties in the
way of experimenting and Furnishing men engaged in
the slaye-trade. When Judges we're ready to exc
cute the law, and when public sentiment was unde-
bauched upon the subject, no American and no
American ship engaged in the damnabe traffic
When the tone of our law makers and its admin
istrators was what it ought to be, we heard Of
none of the execrable scoundres such as now hOdup
their heads among the responsibilities in this city;
who, if not openly, are yet secretly understood to
be partcipatOrs in this nefarious business. The
whole thing has come about in this wise. Our Su-
preme Court has substantially decided that the col
ored person is not man, but only thing. He is
not citizen, and cannot be one and has no rights
which white man Is bound to respect. Our Pres
idents have Endorsed the atrocous sentiment. Mr..
Buchanan has declared it to be q mystery that
the right Of the white man to hold the coOred man
III Dinfci. III u iciiitoiy Wnoio ho 10" c'Ci ooto"
hed or sustained it, should have been doubted
Congressional orators have acclaimed upon the
right and duty of the white man to hold the colored
nan in perpetual slavery, and to trade in human
beings when and where he likes. The Democratic
party have borne these doctrines upon their flag,
and called upon the people to rally under it, aud
nobody has done this more feryenty than The Jour
nal Of Commerce. The people Of Africa and their
descendants have been pronounced BY the Federal
authorities-from the President and the Supreme
Judges down 10 their lowest and meanest tools
the proper and lawful plumber of the white man.
Hence has arisen, ia fresh and active development,
the diabolcal African slave-trade, so long the hor
TOR of the civilized world, and universally acknowl
edged as the disgrace of humanity. 1t has come
from the efforts of our saveholding politicians act
ing upon the meanest breed of white men the world
ever saw, and governing their action through the
organization Of the Democratic party. Thousands,
always ready to embark in any scheme that
promised to minister to their cupidity, have
taken advantage Of this Generalization of
the National authorities and of the moral debauchery