...
The proposition to revive, or more properly to reopen, the slave trade
is as yet but imperfectly understood, in its intentions and probable
results, by the people of the South, and but little appreciated by them.
It has been received in all parts of the country with an undefined sort
of repugnance, a sort of squeamishness, which is incident to all such
violations of moral prejudices, and invariably wears off on familiarity
with the subject. The South will commence by enduring, and end by
embracing the project."[6] The matter being now fully before the public
through these motions, Governor Adams's message, and newspaper and
pamphlet discussion, the radical party pushed the project with all
energy.
82. ~Commercial Conventions of 1857-58.~ The first piece of regular
business that came before the Commercial Convention at Knoxville,
Tennessee, August 10, 1857, was a proposal to recommend the abrogation
of the 8th Article of the Treaty of Washington, on the slave-trade. An
amendment offered by Sneed of Tennessee, declaring it inexpedient and
against settled policy to reopen the trade, was voted down, Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Virginia
refusing to agree to it. The original motion then passed; and the
radicals, satisfied with their success in the first skirmish, again
secured the appointment of a committee to report at the next meeting on
the subject of reopening the slave-trade.
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