The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-25
grafton from Europe AND thssmigration to Cal.

&FStlou tIom Europe An0 tno0hitRsauon TO Gal :
fornia.
Now. il ii is constitutional to promote the i'm,
migration of free whites from Europe, how can
it be unconstitutional for Congress to give pre-
cisely the same aid in the emigration Of free
blacks to Africa? Indeed, the constitutional ar.
gument il entirely on the side of the Ebony line
AS the bill which establishes 1t makes it substi-
tute for tho African squadron, which We are
under treaty obligations to maintain. By this
substitution, moreover, the government will ac-
tually save an immense sum.
Congress, you say, has no power to cOlonize.
But Congress il not asked to COLOMBO. The
States OF Rhode Island. Delaware. Maryland,
New Jersey, Virginia. Ohio, and Pennsy lvania,
by their executive officers, their legislatures, and
in several instances, by their reform State con-
ventions also-the cities Of Washington, George
town, and Brooklyn, by their chief magistrates
and common councils, have petitioned Congress,
with a socitude not to BE- misunderstood d, for
the establishment Of line upon the same prin-
cples as those already so happily in operaton)
for the accommodation Of certain portion of
their population.
whatever may be your own private judgment
on the subject, We will pay those States and
cities the decent compliment to believe that
their representatives In Legislative bodies aud in
conventions just formed to revise and improve
their State constitutions, know something of
the needs and views Of their constituents They
hare asked it, however, and emphatically If il
~ denied ttem as unconstitutional, then the leg
islati0n in favor Of other stoam lines, for the
advantage Of other classes, is also uncOnstitu-
tlonal, anAis moreover sectional and unjust
hut more: the constitution and laws Of nearly
all the Southern States, and the recent stringent
enactments of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Cali
fornia evidently show that tile legislators of
these States never contemplated the possibility
OF the federal government closing the door upon
the voluntary emigration of these unfortunate
people.
You have pcrseveringly and successfully in
vOked the power OF Congress to aid in the es-
tablishment of all those lines of ocean steamers
which are now rendering such etfectual service
to the country. Your chief and favorite argu-
ment for one Of these lines was the extensive
facilities it would afford in the colonization of
California and yet there was then less trade
with California than we now enjoy with Africa.
Tho African enterprise will be second oily in
commercial Importance to that OF California.
One Of your frequent assertions il, that the
c0lored race must deteriorate out Of slavery.
What, then, do you propose in penning up the
free blacks here to tester on the body polite !
Is It ut some future day to force them back into
that slavery which you say is their only natural
coadltion OF Improvement, or il it to keep up an
agitation which can end only in dissolution OF
the Union!
The superintendent Of the co oniz ltion So
cety Is called in only because they are known
10 be the true friends Of the free blacks. The
contractors are prohibited from asking over ten
dollars per head, rations included /; and from re-
ceving agreater number Of emigrants than, IL.
the Judgment OF the colonization society, can BIZ
comfortably provided for in Liberia--the funds
for the purpose being provided by State and pri-
vate contributions
This restriction in price has been the basis of
all the attacks upon the constitutionalily of the
prVet. The contractors would, of course, be
the gamers by having this restriction removed.
They could then charge what they please, as
other lines do.
The healthfulness of the climate on the coast
improves every year; but no way so safe for
the colonists can be devised rs the quick trans
portation of large companies, whose numbers
and appointments will enable them to go d.
rectly to the elevated districts, but short dis
lance from the coast, where the climate is known
to be good.
line, with the aid Of the American Colonization
Society, will go full of passengers and freight.
to Liberia. At Sierra Leone it will connect
with the English lines to the Cape of Good Hope
and Australia and al the Gibraltar again, with
the English lines to and from the various ports
in the Mediterranean; to Alexandra and Con
stantinople thus extending our mail facilities
through the various English lines, besides max
ing those lines available for our commerce.
Add to this the stimulous these steamers will
give to trade, without interfering with any OF
the ordinary commercial opel atoms now going
on, stopping not only ut the best commercial
points for the inferior trade Of Africa, but also
touching at the important islands along tina,
coast, and at Gibraltar, Cadiz, Lisbon, and Lon
don.
Even now, with all the past and present diff
cultics attendant upon colonization, Liberia is
an established nation, and her sovereignty nd
mtted and acknowledged by some Of the great
powers of Europe. Your last article not only
refers 10 the advancing strength Of Liberia, but
humanely apprehends the undue exercise of tbelr
power over the native races. At the same time
you inconsistently point to ST. Domingo as n
fair example of the colored race in state of in
dependence. The st. Domingo negroes, it is
true, were years ago made Free But how! BY
q sndden and terrible cOnvulsion of society
while in state Of actual barb irsm--made ply
sicaly and legally free, while thrown into that
worst Of all slavery, the slavery Of demoniac and
brutal passion. Drunk with blood and fury,
these savages, emancipated by revolutionary alb
clifton, entered upon their duties as sovereign
citizens But as the independence Of the Lbe-
rians was attained under different circumstances
and estoN ed on n different people, 80 has their
progress been Of different character. From
the first, industrious and energetic, the humble
colony has ripened into respectable na,io -
yes, nm American nation if you WILL with Vir
GINA president Mt its head. We agree with you
in one fhiug--ihat Liberia is triumphant vim
dication of the superiority Of the American AT
ricans over all others Of that race.
Your opposition to the plan, however, is only
in character Long known as consistent only ir
Inconsistency on the free negro question, you
have rarely advocated any thing in relation to it
either practicable or useful.
Very respectfully,
GEORGE ~ SANDERS.
~ The Boston authorities are making dis
play of their patriotic zeal in response TO the in