Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-09
RIOHMoMD, FEB 8.
To the EditO.

To the Editors Of the Enquirer
GENrLES1EN:-By the mail of the 29th inst
(January) transmitted to you a copy Of letter
written by MIR. Jefferson on the 9th March 1922,
TO the late DR.. Morse. l mentioned this to YOU
some time ago, with view to its publication in the
Enquirer The publication may be legitmately
madei and 1l0Ic is the time TO make it,
copy OF this letter sent by Mr.. Jefferson
to friend in W Washington: To use his own words
ne g felt with awe the weight of opinion" to
which ne conceived he was opposed and he wish
ed TO put in the power of that friend state in
the event OF any misapprehension on the subject
what his views actually were This COMMUNE
cation, 1t will readily be supposed, produced a
strong impression on some of those TO whom il was
made known; and Mr.. Jef1erSon's friend was urg-
ed 20 apply TO him for permission to use it, as cir
cumstahces might require On the 18th March,
1922, letter, having this object was written TO
MIR. jefferson, who answered from Monticello on
the 18th of the same month The answer after
expressing belief that the letter would have been
published by the Society some of its Mem
bcrs," goes on to say, e do in this whatever YOU
please. abandon the letter to any sooa il NAV
answer
do not find fault with those who publish Mr.
Jeiforsons letters, without express permission;
but, having that permission, preclude all cues
ton, by resorting to it ut once.
" hat the effect of Mr.. Jefferson's letter to Dr.
Morse was, cannot be positively affirmed. But
one fact is certain. The scheme of grand So
ciety, for the civilization and Improvement of the
Indians, fell Immediately, to rise no more The
projectors may have abandoned it, partly from the
belief, that the opposition of such a man, sin
cerely and conscienGously" made must be over
wheluing, and partly from knowledge that lac
would not stand alone. In the Senate of the U
States, on the 22d February, 1922 a Senator from
Missouri, % speaking in support of a resolution
calling for information, relative to grant of Trad
to certain Christian Indians took occasion to de-
nounce this new born, but gigantic Society in the
strongest terms. Whether the letter or the Speecb
or both together, dissipated the splendid vision
which fashionable philanthropy must have CON
templated with so much delight, a delight proba-
bly,, not much diminished, by the prospect Of nu-
merons offices and agencies, religious literary and
political, viii not undertake to decide: bat the
dissipation, most happily for this nation was com
plete. For, if this scheme had been realized-if
the vast machinery, which its purposes required
had been once perfected and set in motion not,ino,
can be more clear, especially at this moment than
that the Indians, within the limits of the u States
could never be removed, except by force; force
which the United States will not employ and il is
to be presumed, will not permit to be employed
The dissolution of the Society was equally atIspi
ci0us, in relation TO the Indians themselves; he
cause even their most jealous and enlightened
friends admit, that, if they remain within the lin
its OF State, they must inevitably experience
the fate OF all OF their who have made the ex
pertinent: fate of which they have been no less
emphatically than wisely and humanely, adinon-
ished. (2)
But it may be asked why, in this state ofthinrs,
should Mr.. JetcrJons letter be published3 The
object, at which he aimed, has been accomplish
ed The Society. to which he was opposed, died
without a struggle. This is true. But there is
another Society in existence, in my humble OBI
Mon, infinitely more dangerous, TO which a great
part Of this letter may be applied with equal if
not greater, force. (3) The philanthropy as per-
severing as il has been fruitcss; the pIilauthropv
which is neither discouraged by failure nor TAUGHT
by experience; the philanthropy, which, during
50 many generations, has sought and sought in
vain, to instruct and ciyilize the Indians a. has
produced no effect, except to waste public and
private money, to disturb the tranauilitv to haz.
ard the peace and to impair abroad the character
81 our Union: except, also, that il has made the
Indians, acting, most probably, under an influence
as selfish as It IS perniciOus to them unwilling to
relinquish, even for an ample and independent ter.
ritory, West Of the Mississippi, lands their pro
fracted possession Of which, however fa,rfffly
they may claim IL, leads 10 their gradual but inevi
table rum and extinction. (5)
But whatever evils have proceeded or NAV vet
proceed, from that philanthropy, which, disregard
ing the wants and disdainng the suffcrinps of our
neighbors, whom We are taught, in our earliest
lessons, to love, even as ourselves ostentatonsly
seeks employment among the strangers Of the
Fast and the savsges Of the West, they arc slight
IN comparison with those which have already aris-
en-, aud will inevitably continue toarse wiz not
say from the existence, but from the proceedings
Of the great, powerful, and increasing selfcreated
Association, called the Colonization Society q
Society, which, announced by no notice preceded
- 70 appeal, e hose most deeply interested, but