Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-17
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
TO the .anfhor Of" Political Disquisitions.'
PuhIihed in the Richmond Enquirer i2,h Jan. is:7.

ru"inned IN Inc Richmond Enquirer 18th Jan. 1927
SIR Your candid and liberal testimony to the s,.
Per-aoundant talents good intentions of the friend.
of Colonization in Africa, demands. and viii
doubtless receive. due acknowledgment; vet. tb.
question OF its policy must be decided. not bv
the character or mere opinion of its friends or IL
ioes' but by fair arguments deduced from appro
pirate facts and experience. The plan seems to b.
regarded by you with abhorrence, and coioniz,-
ton IN general a. the sum and substance of poli,
cal and moral evil. Pardon me ii / venture To
suggest, that whether from your policitude fo,
'poor commisseraisd slaves and the poor fee
people OF colour" and " the poor injured Afri-
cans, or from some other cause which must
leave for Others 10 conjecture; your mind. in its
/" disnteresied philosophc research after truth
may have SCARED far above the plain realities of this
mundane sphere, while this &c miserable coIooiza-
brain, brooding
AL INDUSTRIOUS, all unut,er able thing.
Gorson', and Hydras. and ChinerasT direp
ana all your Charities which had slumbei ed under
the invincble necessity of the slave trade az pur
sued in Africa, and of slavery, az it exists amor,
u.s. are reused to lively approximations at the
thought Vt this ''impracticabIe proiect.n
Ihere appears to me, however, some noveifv in
the CHIEF argument you urge. and it may be worth
whie 10 examine 1t and enquire whether the
" principle OF colonization" be indeed, n.ce,sarIv
and universally, 90 fruitful a cause Of in;us,;cs
TeDte6ents
should it SO appear. you cannot doubt of 9Th
drawing the talents and zeal of your ). rood ana
well mentioned friends, the Meliorstor, from
their '" iiusory, mischievous scheme, )" 10 the nyo.
molten OF your own truly philanthropic views.
colonization. as it has prevailed for three cen,u.
RES past mas been chiefly consequent on the dis
covery OF America, and was occasioned h., a..
crowded population, the increasing kpowledss .rs
the expanding energies of Europe Ii has in yr,a,
instances been attended with the crimes which
aVarice and bgotry are calculated 10 produce Tb.
two Americas have formed an exten,iv. f.Id -,
winch the short-sishted folly and the insatia,.
avarce oil European governments have been ex-
a'oi'ed While history records their outrages: the
dwindng tribes of the aborigines and The borro,. sc
the slave trade, with its dreadful con.eousns..
confirm her testimony: but to attribute ali or ,anv
Oh these TO any thing inherent in colonization. l.
10 mistake that which is only the occ,s;,n &C
crime, for its principle and cause.
Inc Jolly and wckedness of European oover,.
men's nave been acted out other theatres beside
.nelr colonies; and to the pride of conoues, and
.as. y. power may be properly attributed the e.
normities and desolations that have folIo,vsd :,
'helr tram, whether in colonies or elsewhere
IL VIII not be denied that the parent countries
nave, IN some instances, reaped the desert of their
inquiries into their bosoms: such /. the a.
ward OF righteous Providence that controls ,hs
destines OF nations. Spain sowed the Hoo, rs
me slaughtered aborigines; she reapeI the riches
Oh Their mines; and they have contributed IN .,o-
vate aud destroy her. Herself Immersed in h;.,.
~ and superstition, she extended these b,Iefi do
mons TO her colonies, and there might thew VET
nave orooded In deep night, but for the beams sc
'snt mat nave dawned upon them from h.nn;s,
REGION once, indeed, like them dependant colonies
pu! unlike them, enjoying the clear light of reve.
.s"oh' ana taught the rights of men; they rou..d
their energies and busting the shackI.. n onnra
Levi
TO greatness ~nu
Portugal may, for all purposes of Illustration r..
eiassed with Spain Wherever their conon..,s
nave extended, there has been felt the blicb, If
c'uei superstition and TO this must be atfribu,ea
.ne peculiar features OF their own degradation and
'aa' VI .neI colonies; but that these and all colo
s "'n nave attained maturity should assert and
maintain their independence, however Il ma. e..
the parent countries, is not 10 be considered a.,
e'"' Jus an imp ortant good; legitimate conse
quehCe OIL coioni cation, and only on auch princi.
pies trust, will it ever be pursued and unhsld n,
this country NP"''o W
Ai'hough like other powers, Great Bri,a;, has
pursued vie policy towards the aborieinea ana
p.aeh IN me crime, and entailed on America ths
consequences OF the slave trade; though abe bsa
received the reward OF opp ession in the io.. as
'he ianest portion of her colonial possessions vet
" es'nate the iul efeci of colonization upoo hey
own prosperity, 1t would be necessary to aacerf,;r
VIVA, would have been her present condition with
OUT It. In her insulated and confined nos;,;oa
oiea' britain could not have existed wihou, coJos
es' OUT Tor the power and resources she has 5,.w,
~ now enjoys from them, where would she now
'ave oeeh! certainly moi known as first rate
power In Europe. and superior 20 all others in her
So""efce and naval force. Her colonies have not
ea'eu nef oeot or erected her poor houses: these
nave arisen from her peculiar relations 10. ADD
win other European powers; which, but
oi 'ne strength she has derived from her 'coIonies
"ou'u PROBABLY, ere this, have DESTROYED her being
80 nauon: and even should she, sccordino to
your suPpositioD, be visited fifty wears hence bv
lhe avenging fleets and armies OF these States orc.
ner colonies, but then her masters; might IL not h,
'ala' 'ha' by means Of her colonies her power and
nnuence had beeo prolonged at least a centurv3
'io"eve' tnls may be; though mr. mother coun-
ny grow old and wsne, and cease from among 70
ions, aud though the aborigines of ,bis land d;sar
pear as the morning logs from its yaies. will vo,,
,o' ADMIT the rising greatness OF our fayoured ma
'on ana the benign Influence she is shedding forth
," "ofid iuil OF despotism and misery, To be one
s'ea' ana happy result OF coloDiz tion? Ard hose
"ho are disposed to see in The attempts now heinz
nade TO protect and elevate the remains Of he,
iative tribes, see there The bow OF pron,ss ,h.,
hey snail yet be gathered and increase; and 10
oen shail be awarded some return for the inius-
zee toey have received from white men
"hiie, however, concede The disastrous 70.
ui's OF colonization in Americs, both to The ma
ives and to Africans, | deny the inference ,b.,
hese or similar Consequences must necsss,r;Iv 80
IRE likely TO ensve from colonization in Af,;cs
specially as 1t is pursued by the American Colo.
'ization Society.
IL we would deduce truth from experience. ,ve
ous' carefully distinguish between things that dif--
CT IN all the examples you quote TO demonsfysto