The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-10-22
A whiT Of the Ola r;,,o.

we got a little flavor yesterday of the old
days, when we lived in the atmosphere of
slavery, when it was among our prime consti
tutional duties to see that no instinct of liber-
ty should assert itself against the rights of
those claiming labor or service. 1t appears
by the published proceedings in the habeaS
corpus, that the respondent, the master of
the vessel, who had the two colored men i'm
prlsoned on board his vessel, among other
causes for such forcible detention alleged, that
his purpose was to carry them back 10 Cuba.
We cannot believe that such was his real
purpose. Whatever man engaged in Cuban
trade might be willing to do, to stand well
with Spanish officials and wealthy Cnban
Shareholders, we do not think anybody would
lightly take upon himself the responsibility of
returning to slavery two human beings who
had effected their own emancipation. We
incline to the opinion that the proclamation
OF such purpose was somewhat ostenta-
tiousy made, in order that somebody else
might take steps to prevent it, just as chal-
lenged man, little afraid of bullets proclaims
his bloodthirsty intention to fight, that the
authorities may arrest him.
Sending them back has an innocent sound.
But "back" sometimes means condition not
to be thought OF. Back to the galieys is terri
BILE fate for an escaped convict Back to the
custody OF the inquisltion is to ensure an
auto de te. Back to the cannibals is to be
roasted and barbacued. Back to Cuba in this
case means putting these two men at the
mercy of an enraged master, who will first
punish the offence of running away, and then
exact some terrible security that it shall not
occur again.
1t shows the unnatural and corrupting in
fuence of slavery, that it can nowhere exist
without dragging timid and mercenary men
into its support. II makes its monstrous
claim everywhere for the completely and aid
OF men, whom it does not profit nor directly
affect. 1t was the curious fate of slavery in
the United States that It persisted in jealous
attempt to secure new guarantees and new
concessions from men who did not hold slaves.
and not because it was directly attacked or its
cessation even demanded. So Spanish sla-
very, almost the only surviving civilized
slavery, will be constantly asking ard expect
ing some outside aid to maintain ITSELF
1t is new feature of our country that it
has become at last the asylum of the oppress-
ed, and that those in bondage in any country
or cline can escape to it, and feel the shackles
drop from their limbs upon reaching its coast.
SLAVES cannot breathe in the United States,
any more than in England.
The other ground upon which the fugitiyes
were held, that master had no right to land
an ai'eh liable to become pauper, without
oelng haoe to penalty of five hundred dol
lars happened to be very convenient expedi-
ent for quietly sending two peaceable men into
slavery. 1t it had been .sectual our civ and
its officials would have been ~laainoIv die.
graced. 1t was just as fair to invI,e tb;s
statute in aid of purpose to enslaye .boeo
men, as 1t would be in the case of two Cnnon
gentleman with lots of expensive baggage ana
destined to the Falmouth Hotel. Cnban oon-
tleman, and even European gentlemen of dis
Junction ard title have sometimes habit of
oelng poor, not icing able to paw hotel bills.
and sprlngng upon new made friends. Rnt
'nese Two men were men of simple habits,
who could be boarded at considerable less than
the Falmouth rates, not too proud to work
and ca pltal fellows at making barrels. Ttcy
came to us, when such men were far more in
request, than gentlemen who do not know how
to make anything, and their chance of becom-
Ing paupers was about as slim as that of anv
of us.