Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-05-07
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who are fighting for an Institution SO
utterly condemned by Natural Law
as Slavery, have put themselves ont:
side the comfy of enlightened States:
We will suppose that the British
West Indies should claim by a revolt
to reestablish Slavery, and that our
own States of the Slaveholding vari:
ETY. should interpose to assist their
fellow Man-Owners-would not sucH
lntcrposition be considered by Eng:
land as utterly preposterous flr the
moralities of the age would be against
1T. But what shalt be said of the
morality of England, when she inter:
feres substantially to establish bond:
age already existing, and when her
leading newspaper, which once taught
very good doctrine, insists that those
who are traversing tie ocean to sus:
tam Slavery are not Pirates, though
all the world would declare them Pi.
rates should they bring a few fresh
ship-loads of serfs from African 4
man must chop his logic pretty fine
'y to point out any difference. Id
either case, it is the prosperity and
perpetuity of Slavery which is sought
for. Morally, the Englishman should
consider the Confederate Ptieateet
to be as obnoxious as The Guinea ira:
der. The difference is too slight
for any moral distinctions. So the
Rev. John Newton brought severa!
cargoes of men aud women from AZ
rica after his experience of religion (;
though this must be said for him, that
he finally found out his mistake.
The truth is, that there is in Eng:
land a continual tendency to fly of
to collateral questions when money is
to be made. Financial interests must
and will befog and benumb the con:
science. 1t is in the cotton factories
that the people Of England are begin
ming to see that Human Slavery, after
all. is not such a very bad thing:
While they could, they found al man:
ner OF fault with Us for taking no; steps
to abolish Slavery--our slowHcss and
coidness in that regard was the pet
grievance Of the platforms. But how
is It now when we have changed our
policy in that regard! Are the good
men any better pleased ? Rather
worse, if anything! If such is to be-
the method of human criticism, no ma:
tion can hope to escape it. II is the
fable of the Wolf and the Lamb and
the Brook over again! When the
Times claims that the Confederate
ships are something better than ri:
rates, it, in fact, claims that those
who man and fight them are not mere:
ly better than Rebels, but that it is
virtnous to fight in favor Of Man Own
ing-that to fight at sea or by land
for the right to buy and sell Human
Beings, is to be better than mere Pr
rates who fight for Money. We must
admit that we do not see the thing in
that light. Of these two we think
Piracy to be the more respectable
calling. Between taking mans lib
erty We think the former is by far the
more repulsive and discrcditabfe crime.
But the fact is, these Confederate
vessels are Piratical Slave Ships, and
in their duplex functions they unite
both crimes. As to the moral law
they are kidnappers, aud as to public
law they are pirates, and as to the
Divine Law those who defend them
are no better than they are, We be-
lieve that an English merchant, who;
in the full light of Christian civiliza-
tion. would smere his fingers BY med:
ding with Confederate securities,
would dabble them in the blood Of the
poor African, If the deflement could
be made pecuniarily profitable. 1t is
not pleasant to speak SO of the great
commercial classes of any country ;
but we know that we are speaking
the truth. 1t is all in vain that Eng
land has abolished Slave-Trading and
Slavery If she is to MAINTAIN both I'M
America but, on the contrary, her
previous good deeds, as proving an
awakened conscience, are but an ag.
gravation to her sin. "You copied
England in her crime" exclaimed Mf.:
George Thompson in this country
copy her in her repentance /" But
if she has not repented-ah! what