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Show , 278 APPENDIX. manufacture, into this country; and every one knows that duties are sometimes laid on importation, so heavy as to amount to an I h'b't' Thus in the "regulation" of the commerce abso ute pro 1 1 ton. ' . . . of the United States with foreign natwns, a traffic m particular · 1 b legitimately ·mnihilatcd, for the purpose of serv- artiC cs may c · • . , .. • 1 or hi,lwr interest, for the natwnal benefit. I he 111g some argcr b same principle obviously applies to th~ commc~cc amongst the states. If a free traffic in some particular arttelc, among some of the states, is injurious to the nation at large, -if it is at variance with great principles, on which the national prosperity depends-if it is illegitimate in its very nature-~hc pro.hibition of such an unhealthy branch of trade, must surely form a JUst aud proper part of that "regulation" of commerce m~ong the several states, which is committed to the care and authonty of Congress. The subject now before me I feel to be one of most affecting and serious import. In the character of an ardent friend to every class of society in this country, aml a hearty lo\'cr of her noble constitution, I am constrained to speak in plain terms upon this vital topic. With diffidence, yet with firmness, I must venture to express my own conviction, that the internal slave trade of this country, though differing in circumstances from the African slave trade, is the same with it in principle; that it is utterly unlawful and spurious, and opposed to the very nature of a healthy commerce ; that it is a blot on the escutcheon of this free and mighty nation, in the sight of all the nations of the earth; that so far from promoting the prosperity of the states which practice it, it is to them, like doses of brandy to a man sick of a fever-a mere diversion from that sound application of their resources, under the banner of freedom, which can alone restore the prosperity of which slavery has deprived them ; and, finally, that for all these reasons, it is the high, yet simple, duty of Congress, as tlte autlturised regulator of commerce, to extinguish, without delay, this nefarious traffic. l~ ltEE AND PH.JENOLY REMAltKS. 279 When.e ver the happy da y arn·v es wI 1 en the federal government shall be mduced to pay this debt to the cause of justice and hu-manity, such a proceeding can scarce1 y fa 1.1 to be qm. ckly ,w llowcd by .the abolition of slavery, in all those states of the Union, in whiCh the slaves arc becoming comparatively useless. The old outlet for them will be stopped; and, to issue the final decree, that they shall be free, and at liberty, therefore, to provide for themselves, as may best sui\ them, will be found to be the only practicable remedy for the inconveniences and miseries of the present state of things. The notion of expatriation must surely be regarded ns absurd. Here is a population, for example, of a million of persons, seven hundred thousand whites, and three hundred thousand blacks, mingled together in one great society. It may, possibly, be an unfortunate circumstance, as Henry Clay regards it, that two bodies of men, differing so decidedly in the color of their skin, and the texture of their hair, should be thrown into juxtaposition. But such is the fact, and it is a fact which appears to admit of no material or extensive change ; for as the population of both classes of these inhabitants increases, the relative proportion will of course continue nearly the same. Here I beg leave to offer a few words on the subject of the colonization of Africa, by the sending out of free colored people from North America. As a friend to the African race, I am very f.1r from being opposed to such a measure, so long as it is perfectly voluntary on the part of those who go out as colonists. I believe that every well ordered scheme of colonization ought to be encouraged, for tlte sake qf Africa. I am persuaded that colonization and legitimate commerce, connected with plans for civil and christian improvement, are likely to prove the most efficacious means of undermining that most tremendous scourge, the African slave trade ; and there is reason to believe, that the colony of Liberia has been valuable to Africa in this, as well as in other respects. |