The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-04-09
NashriIir Aninn.
THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL o, 1913.
The COnfederRcy and tbe African
Slnve Trade,

SlNVo AEauos
The National Elteligence7, which none
will accuse of radicalism, or of a readi
ness to make unfounded charges against
the rebel leaders, contained on the 22nd
inst, two column editorial aiming, very
successfully, to prove upon the leaders of
the rebellion, the design of ultimately
reviving the African slave trade. The
Itelligepcsr says, in commenting on Sec
rotary BENJAMIN's letter;
Since we cannot find in the terms Of
the Confederate Constitution, or even in
the categories reduced from its text by
Mr.. Benjamin, any sufficient explanation
of the refusal on the part of the iDsur.
gent authorities 10 bind themselves or the
States they represent by any treaty en-
gagements on the subject Of the foreign
slave trade, we are compelled TO find the
secret of this prudential reserve in some
Interior purpose. And what can this
purpose be other than TO leave the revival
of the African slave trade an open ques-
ton, which, in The absence Of any treaty
stipulGtions NTH foreign nations, may be de-
cided according to the wishs and views
of party already existing 10 the Seeded
| States, and one which, more than any
other, precipitated the Cotton States in
to revolution? The restless activity
and zeal of this fanatical pro- slavery
party in tbs Southern States are known
10 all from the unfortunate success which
has attended their propaganda of dis
/ a. -. Al.
ceived, of political and economical EN-
pire to be founded on compulsory labor.
The right OF Mr.. Spratt TO speak for
his party at the South will not be denied
by any. The prominent part he took in
the steps by which the secession move
ment was initiated, the confidence be-
slowed upon him by the people Of
Charleston in elecling him, with such
unanimity, 10 seat in the s. Carolina Sc
cession convention, and themarked honor
conferred upon him by that Convention
in deputipg him as one of the Commits
sioners appointed TO interpret the aciion
of the Palmetto State before the Con-
vention of Florida, (the first which met
after that of South Carolina,) are all so
many titles by which he may assume to
speak with authority in expOundiug the
purport and bearing OF the civil revolu-
tion to which he so largely contributed.
The IntelEgenosr then quotes largely
from SPRATr's letter. As we design
publishing the whole of that remarkable
aud most inhuman letter before long, we
will quote only two brief paragraphs az
present, which we commend to the study
of every one. Says Mr.. SPaiTT:
! "7he people Of the Cotton States ,0ant
labor daey knoi0 hat t0lites and slaves can
not iOork together. They have no thought
Of abandoning their slaves that they may
get white labor; and they want slaves,
therefore, and they ViH hdVo Aem-from
the Seaboard States, if the slave trade
be not opened, and they cannot heartily
embrace policy which, while it will
tend to degrade the Spaboard States 10
the condition Of democracy, t0iU com .
pei them to pay double and treble prices for
tklir labor. 300
ave have no seamen for our commerce,
If we had il, and no operatives for the
arts but il is not for that now oppose
restrictions on the slave trade. | OPP
pose them from the wish 10 emanoip ate
our institution. Iregard the sla9e trade as
he test o rs iHtegrtty II hat b rlga, he''
slavery is 'igH, but not WITHOUT.
Audit is to reopen this Cypress
ing and heaven delying traffic in human
flesh, that the white working men Of
3 Tennessee, the small farmers and me-
chanics, aud their sons, are dragged by
CONSUMPTION, at the point Of the bayo'
net to fight in the armies Of the Rich
mOnd dynasty, composed ofJEFF DAVIS
aud herd Of Cotton planters, Non.
shareholders of Tennessee will you b,
used like brutss, for 80 unhallowed {
purpose.