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Show PORTRAlTURE. D.F SLAVER Y. in Algiers. The most successful, economical politic and jus_t m_ethod of effecting this object would, Perhaps; be to mshtute a_b~rd of co~missio~crs, with authority to redeem every mdlVIdual sat1sfi1ctonly ascertained to be (egally free, at a fair appraisal of the common value of a similar slave. Inquiries might be made in those districts where many coloured persons are known to have be~n kidnapped, and all possessors of slaves might be reqm~ ed tQ report the names, ages, an~! origin of their possessiOn, of all th: coloured persons m their custody, under leg~l aflirmatwn, to the clerk of such county, to be transmrtted by them to some department designated for the purpose in cacl1 state. The most of the present holders of th_ese stole~~ men, probably acquired possession of them as mnocently as they do of legal slaves, and an attempt ~y coercion, although justifi~ble wi~h respect to the ?Phve, would render the enterpme aborhve, through evas10n, and probably wo11ld be more expensive if successful. It is my impression, that the introduction of slaves for sale !nto almost every _state in the '!nion, !s prohibited by spec1fic statutes, and 1f an annual mspechon and registering of all slaves were enforced, it would guarantee a compliance with such laws in a most effectual manner and dissolve the man-hunting fraternity at once. ' I shaU close this subject, which indeed " is almost too deep and awful to look i11to, "·>If by declaring my solemn and decided conviction, that the abstract relative principles of moral and political justice ; the sacred axioms of our Declaration of Independence, •nd of our Constitution, as well as sound policy ami prudence, obligate this nation, most unequivocally, to ran.•mm every human crea. ture held in lawful bondage for life, against his will, without accusatiou of crime ; at an equitable valuation of his worth to the possessor under existing laws, within the * An expresaion bfthe late ggncious and ioftexible patriot, Jolla Clopton, wbile a reprt!"tentath·e in cougress. PORTRAITURE OF SLAVERY. 59 jurisdiction of the rcl?ublic ; and to p~aee him so ~early in a state of personal hberty, and the enJO~ment of h~s na. turn! and moral rights, as to secure to lum the_ frmts or reward of hi> own labor, the bencftts of m~ntal1mproye. ment, and exemption from corporeal laceratiOn; . l~o n~ consider it to be our duty to grant them a part1c1pauon m the civil privileges of citizenshi~ ;*-but, they have an incontestible claim to the protecuon of the laws, and to the common privileges of alie~s and str~ngers_, or at least of prisoners of war, so far as IS compatible Wl~h _the public peace and welfare. They are created a diStmet race of people, and the designs ~f ~he Au~hor of Nature ou~ht not to be thwarted, by permlttmg thc1r c?nJugal com_ll';IX· ture with a race physically different. W1thout_exammmg the problematical question of the inheren_t phys10::l <»; moral superiority of either in the scale ofbemg, (wh1ch IS not relevant to the present subject, t) I must aAir'!'! that in my humble view, there is both a_ moral and poht1eal propriety in prohibiting by energetiC laws, the sexu";' co~mcrce between the descendants of Europe and Afnca, either by marriage, slavery, or otherwise. The extinction of slavery would promote this purpose far more ~han its toleration. Uncontrolled slavery, as facts have marufested, in the United States as well as the West Indies, fucilitates and protects licentiousness, and a species of brutal debauchery, the consequences of "'hich are deplorable and afflicting beyond description.t 11' It would be equally as absurd to do this, as it would to import 2,000,000 prisoners of war from •rurkey or China, and make cHi~ zens of them. t " It is not for us to inquire why, in the creation of mankind, the inhabitants of the several parts of the earth, were distinguished by a difference in feature or complexion. It is sufficient to know, that all are the work of an Almighty HaneL" [From lhe.firalaection of the PrP..am.ble lo the Penmylvania n.ctfOT the Jlbolilion ofSlavery,bifore riferrcdlo.] t AI'Gurran Coulon, in his u Obser;.vations on the Insurrection of the Negroes in the Island of St. Domingo," read before the Nationai Assembly of France, attributes the trou.blu of that islaw1, 11 above !1111 to the ~njustice of which the whites have been guilty, in refuBing |