The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-08-11

Abolition Of slavery I'm Rrax,s.

sAeA " Sh0vCEy Ia DEt3Aue
soIless arelat present, the Phrfs Debdts re-
marks, but two countries in the world claim
ing the designation of christian in which
elarerys still exists. Forty years hack Ehx-
land freed herself from that dreadful leprosy !;
in 184s France followed the example, the
United States and Holland have now done
the same, 80 that Spain aud BFsl1l are tie
only slaveholding nations.o The institution of
slavery is now SO universally reprobated in
all civilized States that the two countries inst
named must, before long, yield to the current
and proclaim emancipation. Rnt which of
the two will take the lead? Our contemporary
Is of the opinion that it will be Brazil, recent
events in that country indicating that strong
feeling against slavery is making itself felt
there; On the 18th of May last tw0 ipRor-
tant proposihohs were made n fhe Brazilian
Senate on the subject one by tiscount DE
Jequitinbouha, and the other by NJ. Silveira
de Motta. The last named Senator proposed
that all foreigners should, be inteFdicted from
purchasing or selling slaves, or even from
having any in eirpossession, ssehsdecisieh
being Ia conformity with the law prevailing in
foreign countries, all the States of Europe
except Spain prohibiting slavery. This mo-
ton IS believed to have a good chance ofsaes
cess. The other Senator, on his side, pro-
poses a whole series of enactments-that all
negroes enrolled in the army should be pro
claimed free: that every negress made con
cublne by a Brig;linn should be declared a
free woman; !, that slaves should not be be-
qaeathed by will that in every case OF col
lateral succession or of intestacy the slave
shall be liberated; and, lastlg. that in 10
years every slave aged 25 shall recover his
liberty, and that in 10 years slavery shall
cease to exist in the country. The writer
does not enter into any examination of the
value OF those propositions. but expresses the
beliet that some effectual measures will before
long be resolved on. ..What we know he
observes, ''of Brazil, gives US good hopes of
the future. An immense progress has been
realized in that empire within the last forty
years; there has been great advance not
only in material wealth but IN general intelli-
gence. There are very many distinguished
men wen versed in the ideas of modern Eu-
rope, accustomed to political hfe and per-
fectly capable of resolving the problem of
emancipation in a pacific sense. Moreover,
we can say without fattery, that we have con-
hdence in the emperor. Don Pedro is not
only sovereign VINO has all the qualities of
has high rank, but is also a man of highly cub
tivated inteilect-the first Portuguese poet of
his time, and the friend of sciences and arts.
With such talents and such tastes the heart
also must be humane, and the mind sin. ]
cerely liberal We therefore rely upon him.
He is too enlightened not to SEQ that it is
urgent TO abolish slavery if he wishes to main
tain Brazil al its rank IN civilization; he is
too good a man not to feel that time presses
and that every day of delay is q day Of suffer
ing, misery and degradation for thousands of
his fellow creatures, who confidently place all
their hopes in him. Let Don Pedro therefore
listen to these suppliant cries let him reflect
That stl Europe tas his eyes upon him. 1t is
In his power 70 confer an immense benefit on
his people, and to place himself on the first
rank OF sovereiens who have made themselves
illustrious by their good works. Let him
finish the work which Northern America has
Just commenced, aud his name viii be blsssed
Tor all ages yet to come. Ii is now nearly a
century since some poor Quakers, now almost
forgotten, Clarkson, Benezet, &C., demanded
the abolition or the slave trade. Wilberforce
gave them the support of his eloquence. and |
by enliehtening and impassoning public
opinion, gained the cause which he so nobly
tsrrCe, -, sl.,1 y. -. 80 ptotasts ". E.ssate
interest The cause OF emaaclpation has
numbered advocates neither less courageous
nor less skihful; Romily, sBrougham, Benz
jamiu, Constant, De Braelie, Claiming Par
ker, NJ. de Gasparin. M. Walien, NJ. Cochin,
aud many others, have never tired in their
protests against the injustice of slavery. Their
voices reseund f-r iAd ado, and found an
echo III all hearts. But they were not listen
Cd to in the United States; and what has
been the cost f? Four years Of frightinl civil
way-G00, 600 men killed. million and half
wounded, a debt of ID. 600, 900. 900 Of francs
such is the sanguinary and costly ransom of
the fault committed by those who imagined
they could make compromise with iniquity.
Let Spain and Brazil profit by the lesson. ? II