New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-06
THE SLAVE-TRADE.

THE SLAvE-TRADE.
From The Times, Maya
In less disturbed times, the treaty between this
country aud the United States for the suppression OF
the slsverade woold have been the subject OF much
comment. and would have caused rejoicing, both IN
religious and political circles L. ia victory OF hu-
maniv, inasmuch rs the last remnant OF the slave
trade is likely to be brought to an end byE IL Is a
victory of British influence aid opinions inasmucn
as the right Of searchthat right contested with such
explosions CT national irritabty by the americans
lis now fully conceded to our cruisers, 20 'ar az ~
it il necessary tor the detection and punishmeh' VI
the slavers.
The British statesmen who have spent long LIE
in endesvoring to bring foreign nations 70 feel tne
Nervousness Of this particular crime may now con
crtuate themselves the final success OF their ell
forts Az soon AZ this treaty comes into operation,
all me reliant ships of the two nations Will De suo]eet
10 reciprocal right of search and detention within
the distance Of 200 miles from the coast Of AFRICA
and 10 the soutbward of the sd parallel OF norm
atitnde and within 80 leagues Of the coast OF the
island of Cuba So ends the long-debated question
of the right Of search. 50 cease. we nope nor ever
the defiant speeches Of Washington politicians tho
roar of New-York mobs the virulsnt articles OF the
anti British press the formal and studied bitterness
of American Secretaries Of State ana American Mill
listers in London.
Whether the Stars and Stripes be destined to cover
less or more of territory than of old is matter hid
in obscury; but if this treaty be fairly executed
there Is one thing that will not cover and that
the soothing mass of human flesh which the slave
pirate crowds under bis hatcbes' New. iork must
be content to lose lucrative and romantic branch OF
commerce. Any day within the last twenty years
there might have been pointed out in the streets OF
that enterprisng city men whom everybody, from
the Mayor to the porters on the wharyes, knew 10
be professional slavers-Inen who had not been
merely ,educed once or twice IN tneir Nes oy op.
portunity or the prospect OF great gain to run u
cargo of Africans through tbs blockadng squadron,
but who were constantly, and az calling, engaged
in the trade, and likely to remain In II I'LL tney deo
OF made their fortunes.
II was nothing that they had committed score OF
times an oense witch the laws of the Union visited
with death; it WAS nothing that they were under the
ban of their and foreign countries, which had de-
clarod slave-tradng TO be piracy. They came aud
went, lounged and hquored' like other folk, spent
the money on which no chose to detect the smell
of African blood and all but boasted Of their adj
ventures and their gains. All this time The squad
rons OF England cruising the coast OF Africa, or
in the Gulf of Mexico, were forced 70 be inactive
within sight Of the most audacious slaye-trading'
Though the United States took credit for being the
first nation to legslate against the traffic. and though
all American squadron actually kept the sea for the
purpose of aiding IN its SUPPRESSION yet the power
which in the States went by the maine Of public
opinion was too strong for humanity, for interna-
| tiopal courtesy, Or even positive law.
| Whatever serious people might cay, the slavers
were not unpopular in Newly Their business
excited the imagination and appealed to the preu-
dices Of the crowd. They were 10 thousands OF i'd
ven,urous young meo what the buccaneers were in
England In the old times-men Of daring and re-
source, with whom il would be stirring thing 70
make a voyage. Then morbid patriotism disposed
the multitude in their favor. Above all men III the
world, they defed and provoked the Bntisher. All
the prowess Of these modern Sea kings Wa display"
ed at the expense Of British naval officers, whom
they did not, indeed, fight and capture, but whom
they eluded by running their vessels anywhere, IN
all weathers to the discontinue of commanders who
had the fear Of the British Admiralty before their
eyes.
ccratc party generally did not hesitate to pander tc
these passions partly the hope of prejudlcing the
people agsntt thing which savoYed OF Abolition
and partly because sntagonism TO England has al
WAYS been worth large percentage OF votes In an,
National election. At last against the spirit Of al
treates for the suppression Of the trade and agains
what may 10 called the common law Of The seas tb
doctrine was enunciated that no Brish officer had
night to stop and search any vessel whatever tina
hoisted the American flag, and that, however suspi
cious such ship might be, the British must stop he
At Their peril II she turned out to be American
the Government OF the United States would lool
upon the matter as calling for apology and com
pensation.
II il but two or three years ago that the repre-
sentative Of Mr. Buchanan's Government made
Violent protest against the proceedings OF British
officer who stopped an American ship, and be in
formed our Government that the complete immunity
of the American flag would be benoeforth maintained
against England or any other Power. There Wa
nothing but to yield TO this assertion Of extreme
rights; and, as the American squadron WAS sus
piciously inactive on the court, the business of thu
SLAYER was excellent during the Last days OF thu
Union. These things cannot but make us feel tina
in executing the slaver Capt. Gordon the other day
for crime of which scores bad been guilty, the
Government Of President Lincoln was intent upoI
l. Il To hol tha co
fear of Abolition is the obvious policy Of Washing
ton, and this fear will be beat aroused by show o.
decision in dealing with eli questions relating X
Slavery.
Although the Southern States not importers o.
Africans, whom the planters fear and dislike anc
the breeders dread as competitors with the native
raised negroes although there has been probably
hardly slave cargo landed At Southern port dur
ing the present generation yet there 10 just enough
sympathy and just enough feeling Of solidarity be
tween South Carolina aud Cuba to make the treaty
with England felt as q blow by the South. II il .
defea. Of their party, and triumph Of the Abolition
ists; il will make the Government appear in earnest
inasmnch ~ the President does not allow inter
national jealousy TO dissuade him from giving Engsl
coryettes the right TO bring TO American merchant
men. TO board them, demand their papers, exanins
their stores and cargo and the arrangements u the
ship and, if dissatisfied, to take them into port foi
adjudication.
Without wishing to detract from the merit Of the
concessp n which the United States Government has
now made to as, we may zee that the treaty has ne
little reference to the war which is now raging
Probably neither the President nor MIR. Seward
would DENY this. They would rather admit the
fact, and declare tina: the sword Of Abolition sus
pended over the Rebels is likely to be the chief in
strument in bringing them ~ terms. Mr.. Seward
we believe, has been the principal mover in thin
matter which originated entirely with the Amer
lean Government. The treaty was proposed ilrst IN
"A lrsi formal shane and then q hen Lord LYONS OBJ
jeCted that it would be dangerous to act upon an